On Site on the M3: Open Days and Public Visits

Heritage Week

August 26th to September 3rd 2006.

Heritage Week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union in which over forty countries participate each year.  Its main aims are to promote awareness of our built, natural and cultural heritage thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation, to promote Europe's common cultural heritage and to foster mutual understanding. Heritage Week in Ireland is coordinated by the Heritage Council in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

As part of the programme of events during Heritage Week this year, members of the public were invited to attend open days held at three of the sites currently undergoing excavation on the M3. Excavation Directors Rob O'Hara and Lydia Cagney and Site Supervisor Alistair Clarke of ACS Ltd conducted tours of their respective sites at Roestown, Dowdstown and Castlefarm, describing the ongoing excavations. Selections of artefacts from each site were on display, along with posters and photographs outlining the various stages of the archaeological investigations and the significance of the artefacts recovered.

 

Heritage Week Open-Day
Visitors examining artefacts and posters on display at Roestown during Heritage Week open day.  

 

   Hertage Week Visit - Dowdstown
  Visitors on site during Heritage Week at Dowdstown.
     

Meath Archaeological and Historical society

25th June 2006

Vistors from Meath Archaeological and Historical Society and members of the public attended an open day at excavations on the M3 on 25th June 2006. Excavation Directors Rob O'Hara and Lydia Cagney of ACS Ltd conducted tours of their respective sites at Roestown and Dowdstown, describing the ongoing excavations. A selection of artefacts from each site was on display, along with posters and photographs outlining the various stages of the archaeological investigations and the significance of the artefacts recovered.

 

 MAHS Open Day at Roestown    MAHS Open Day at Roestown
Site Director Rob O'Hara describes the excavation of the souterrain uncovered at Roestown. Visitors from Meath Archaeological and Historical Society on a guided tour of the site at Roestown.

 

 MAHS Visit Dowdstown  
Site Director Lydia Cagney describes excavations to visitors from the Meath Archaeological and Historical Society at Dowdstown.  

Navan Educate Togther National School

31st May 2006

Site Supervisors Ken Smith and Leigh Barker of ACS Ltd conducted a site tour for Principal John Keaveney and his students from Navan Educate Together National School. The supervisors led the guided tour, describing the excavation of the large early medieval settlement at Roestown.

 Roestown - Navan National School Group  
Site Supervisor Ken Smith describes the excavation of one of the early medieval enclosure ditches.  

Galway - Mayo Institute of Technology

15th March 2006

Students of Heritage Studies at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and their lecturer Paul Gosling were given a guided tour of the excavations at Roestown (Excavation Director Rob O'Hara of ACS Ltd). 

 

 GMIT Visit March 2006 Students of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology on site at Roestown on a blustery Spring day.
   

 

Nobber National School

21st February 2006

Excavation Director Rob O'Hara (ACS Ltd) led a guided tour of the excavations at Roestown for students from Nobber National School and their teacher Ms. Karen Connolly. A selection of artefacts recovered during the excavations were displayed in the site cabin for the students to examine.

 

 Nobber National School Group  
Site Director Rob O'Hara and Senior Archaeologist Donald Murphy of ACS Ltd with students and teachers from Nobber National School.