Virtual Museum

Henry III type II penny at Clarin College, Athenry

Henry III type II penny at Clarin College, Athenry

This coin was discovered by Moore Group archaeologists excavating the site of the new Clarin College at Newford in Athenry a few years ago. During the course of archaeological monitoring of topsoil stripping for the new school we identified a site which comprised a series of pits and postholes of unknown purpose. The investigation of the […]


Michael (M.J.) Burke letter on eve of execution, January 1923

Michael (M.J.) Burke letter on eve of execution, January 1923

Regular readers will remember the chance discovery of Frank Cunnane’s letter on the eve of his execution in 1923 behind a dresser in a cottage in Headford. The posting of that letter has instigated a very rewarding section of this blog. We’ve received photos, mass cards and letters from the period and have been very happy to facilitate the conversation which […]


BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENT IN ORANMORE

BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENT IN ORANMORE

This post is more from a series of posts on the exciting results of excavations carried out by Moore Group at  Pairc and Clochair, Oranmore, County Galway between 2008 and 2010. A number of sites were excavated in advance of construction of a new supermarket and associated access and other services. This time – a […]


STICK PIN

STICK PIN

Here’s another find from last year – this one was recovered during a site inspection for some work near Doolin, Co. Clare. It was found by Billy, lying in plain view on a sandy bank beside a limestone pavement. It’s a copper alloy pin with a slight bend at the head and another along the […]


GALWAY BRONZE AGE HALBERD

GALWAY BRONZE AGE HALBERD

Continuing our series of old posts (to mark our 10th year in business), ones we feel were good, prescient or elicited some good conversation or debate, this post was first published in February 2010. The halberd is now on loan to Galway City Museum and can be viewed on the ground floor. Occasionally we’ve been […]


NEOLITHIC POLISHED STONE AXEHEAD

NEOLITHIC POLISHED STONE AXEHEAD

Here’s another find – this one’s from 2009 and was recovered during monitoring of excavation works for a park and ride facility at NUI, Galway. Archaeological monitoring at the development site exposed no features of archaeological significance. However the stray find of a Neolithic polished stone axehead recovered from up-cast material from a service trench […]


ENNIS PALSTAVE

ENNIS PALSTAVE

In light of the Irish Times’ History of Ireland in 100 Objects series, we’re republishing our Ennis Bypass Palstave post. This was the first artefact in our virtual museum and is deep in the bowels of our blog now. So here it is again: We’ve also presented a report on the find including a description […]


COIN FROM ORANMORE

COIN FROM ORANMORE

Pictured above is the coin recovered from the site at Oranmore – you can read the introduction to the excavation in this post: http://www.mooregroup.ie/2011/02/excavations-at-oranmore/ Found with burial 1, the coin was located close to the left hand of the skeleton indicating that it was deliberately placed with the individual at the time of burial.  After conservation […]


BUCKLE FROM ORANMORE

BUCKLE FROM ORANMORE

Pictured above is the buckle recovered from the site at Oranmore – you can read the introduction to the excavation in this post: http://www.mooregroup.ie/2011/02/excavations-at-oranmore/ A copper alloy buckle with pin fragment attached was found in the topsoil covering Area 1.  It is likely to be a disturbed find from the burial ground. The Romans were […]


George III Half Penny

George III Half Penny

And in a follow up Virtual Museum post, here’s find No: 09E504:001 – also retrieved from the layer overlying the wheel pit floor in Raheen Mill was a George III halfpenny coin. These coins are similar in design to those of George II and were first issued in 1770 until 1775. There followed then a […]


Bronze Age Halberd

Bronze Age Halberd

Occasionally we’ve been adding to our ‘virtual museum’, with brief descriptions of the artefacts we’ve recovered over the years. Generally we’ll only post up the very special finds! One of Billy’s most notable stray finds from last year was retrieved during the course of archaeological testing near the River Corrib. The find was un-associated with […]


Eyre Square leather

Eyre Square leather

AUTHOR: Billy Quinn Introduction Forty four worked leather pieces were retrieved from the Market House excavation (for more on the excavation see here) during the course of the Eyre Square Re-enhancement Project between the 3rd and the 18th of November 2004. Most of the fragments were retrieved from a rectangular sondage (approx 8m x 2m) […]


Not the Large Hadron Collider, just a wheel

Not the Large Hadron Collider, just a wheel

Here’s object number two in our virtual museum – a late medieval wheel from Galway City. As with the palstave, we’ve also presented a brief report on the find including a description of the circumstances of its finding. Although it’s a somewhat less spectacular object, it’s one of those rare pieces which reflect everyday life […]


Bronze Age Palstave

Bronze Age Palstave

This is the first artefact in our virtual museum. We’ve also presented a report on the find including a description of the circumstances of it’s finding. We hope people find it interesting! From: Rogers, T., 04. Report on linear and offset testing on the N18 Ennis Bypass, County Clare. Moore Group. As part of the […]