Tuesday 5 February 2013

Drumclay Crannog: Second and last Open Day, 16 Feb

A second Open Day has been announced for Drumclay Crannog in County Fermanagh, where archaeological excavation has produced many insights into life from the 7th to the 16th century in Ireland.

The Crannog is an artificial island in a lake. Archaeologists have unearthed over 4,000 artefacts, the foundations of dozens of houses, and an extremely large round house, possibly 12m in diameter, which may be the largest house structure of the period ever to be discovered. Each layer has revealed even more about the past and these discoveries are reshaping national and international thinking on crannogs and the lives of people stretching back 1,300 years, at least.

A first Open Day was held in December 2012 and was a huge success. More than 800 members of the public took part and saw first hand some of the most striking finds - including ancient combs, decorated dress pins and wooden tools.

Announcing the second Open Day, Northern Ireland Assembly Environment Minister Alex Attwood said: 'The Drumclay Crannog will be open on Saturday 16 February from 9:00am until 3:00pm and will allow more members of the public a unique opportunity to see some of the artefacts found, look down on the excavation and meet the experts behind this archaeological dig. It is an opportunity not to be missed and one likely not to be experienced in our lifetime again.'

The Drumclay Crannog open day will comprise of a series of talks at the Fermanagh County Museum, followed by a guided tour of the archaeological site. Access to the site for this tour can only be obtained via an official coach at the Fermanagh County Museum at Enniskillen Castle Museums. Spaces are limited for both the talks at the Fermanagh County Museum and the guided tour of the site, so booking is essential on 028 6632 5000 (NI) or 048 6632 5000 (ROI).