This report, the first in the series Archaeology in Temple Bar, details the excavation that took place at the site of Isolde's Tower. This tower formed part of the walled defences of the medieval town of Dublin.

It was built to protect the northeast angle of the city wall, which projected out into the river Liffey, and it provided the first major line of defence against an attack launched from the river. The location of the tower, coupled with the four-metre-thick walls, bears testimony to the importance of its role in the city's defences.