Revetments are reinforcing structures built along riverbanks to prevent erosion and hold reclaimed ground in place, and this one was no small undertaking. The fence stretched thirteen metres in length and five metres in width, constructed from woven wattle panels supported by upright posts and further strengthened by a long timber beam running alongside.

Archaeologists Ian Doyle and Brenda O'Meara uncovered the structure during excavation, and while its precise date remains uncertain, the evidence points to medieval origins. The context makes good sense. Throughout the medieval period, towns along Irish rivers frequently undertook land reclamation along their floodplains, pushing usable ground outward from the natural bank by building revetments like this one, then gradually consolidating the newly claimed land with fill and further construction. The area around John's Quay would have been commercially active, and the pressure to extend usable riverside ground was likely considerable. The wattle and post technique, familiar from urban excavations across Ireland and Britain, was practical and well suited to waterlogged conditions, with woven rods of hazel or willow woven between upright stakes to create a flexible but surprisingly resilient barrier.