Excavations at Caherconnell Fort

Dig into the Story of a Stone Fort in the Burren in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 38 with Dr Michelle Comber

Excavations at Caherconnell Fort

Dig into the Story of a Stone Fort in the Burren in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 38 with Dr Michelle Comber

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!

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