In this fascinating discussion with Dr Michelle Comber, we discuss the excavations, the wealth of archaeology in the Burren, and generational continuity at Caherconnell Fort. We also hear from some of the excavation team who tell us of their experiences.

The Burren is one of my favourite places. It’s somewhat stark and bleak appearance gives a false impression of a barren landscape, when it is anything but. The valleys and high pastures of the Burren are thronged with archaeological monuments, representing millennia of settlement from the earliest phases of prehistory to the present day. This teeming historic landscape has remained relatively unaltered in comparison to other parts of Ireland. This offers wonderful opportunities to understand the monuments themselves, as well as their local landscapes, providing a contextual and cultural understanding of people and place.

There are few better examples of this sort of study than the ongoing series of excavations at Caherconnell Fort in the heart of the Burren. The site has been investigated through a number of field schools led by Dr. Michelle Comber of the University of Galway. The townland of Caherconnell is dominated by one of the largest stone forts in the Burren, and as well as the main fort there are two smaller ones, and a number of other archaeological monuments and features ranging in date from the prehistoric to the late medieval.

In this episode of the Amplify Archaeology Podcast, Neil had the opportunity to chat with Michelle to hear about the site itself, the field school and the fantastic collaborative and mutually beneficial model where archaeology, farming and tourism all benefit from a better understanding and appreciation of place. I hope you enjoy the episode!

Excavations at Caherconnell Fort – Key Discussion Points

• Why is the Burren so archaeologically rich? – 1 min 33 secs
• An introduction to the Caherconnell Project – 5 min 52 secs
• What is Caherconnell Fort and was it in use for a long time? – 10 min 00 secs
• The nature of the culture of the people of Caherconnell – 18 min 47 secs
• The relationship between the three stone forts of Caherconnell – 21 min 12 secs
• What did the people of Caherconnell in the early medieval period think about neighbouring monuments like Poulnabrone? – 26 min 15 secs
• Folklore and belief in the past – 28 min 40 secs
• The field school – 31 min 42 secs
• Visitors witnessing the process and history uncovered before their eyes – 37 min 01 secs
• The research framework and agenda – 39 mins 05 secs
• The future for Caherconnell and the tourism aspect of the site – 42 min 20 secs
• The positive connections between archaeology, education, tourism and landowners – 44 min 47 secs
• Field School participant Amelia Gibson – 46 mins 35 secs
• Field School participant Spencer Cantham – 47 min 13 secs
• Field School participant Jenny Sacher – 48 mins 21 secs

Show notes and links to further information

• You can discover more about visiting Caherconnell Fort here.
• You can learn more about the archaeological project at Caherconnell Fort here.
• And there’s even more to dig into (sorry for the pun) here.
• Keep up with the latest discoveries at Caherconnell by following them on Facebook and Twitter.
• Please do leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts if you can, or share the episode using the podcast #AmplifyArchaeology – it really does help us to be found so I’d be very grateful.
• If you’d like to dig deeper into the stories of Ireland you’ll love our new membership service Tuatha. You’ll find online courses on Irish archaeology and heritage, articles on places to visit, itineraries for great days out (including three on the Burren alone!), opportunities to join us on our monthly lecture series and on our tours, and lots more! You can learn more and sign up here.