ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES
AROUND MITCHELSTOWN
This year's exceptionally dry summer revealed several new archaeological sites around Mitchelstown which will be the subject of Bill Power's 'Lost and Found Archaeology' talk to Mitchelstown Heritage Society on Thursday, 15th October. Using his drone, and his knowledge of the local landscape, Bill flew over thousands of acres of land at the end of the summer, hunting for archaeology and features of potential archaeological interest.
'Some places where I expected to see sites revealed nothing,' said Bill, 'but sometimes when I least expected it, there were fabulous surprises'. He also found sites that were not shown in the 1841 ordnance survey, which means that they've been lost for at least 200 years. 'I knew I was finding things nobody else noticed before,' he said.
Among them is a new ringford in Brigown, and another ringfort beside the M8 at Ballinamona, close to where neolithic house sites were excavated during the building of the motorway. He found several new sites in Mitchelstown Demesne, some of which will need investigation in the future. He has also found new archaeology at Marshalstown and Aghacross, and has surveyed the famine cemetery in Fermoy and the workhouse at Mitchelstown.
Bill said that a huge amount of archaeology has been lost because of agricultural and industrial developments, but this summer he found some exceptional sites. 'The building of such things as golf courses, sports fields and housing developments has destroyed a lot,' he said. 'Had their existence been previously known, then it would have been possible to survey them before the developments took place'.
Bill will also reveal archaeological sites from a wider area, including Kilfinnane, Leabbamologga and Glanworth. 'The iron age forts on Cahirdrinny and Ardpatrick look spectacular from the air,' he said. 'Sometimes it's fascinating just to see a ringfort, a castle or a medieval churchyard from a bird's-eye view.'
Unfortunately, one area he could not survey was the Kilworth military range, which is a restricted fly zone. 'There is at least one stone circle up there, and because it covers around 10,000 acres, it must have a lot of hidden archaeology,' he said. 'I'd love to survey the lost agricultural villages at Tour and Whitebog, but I guess I'll have to leave that task to the air corps'.
In the past, archaeologists had to hire aeroplanes to fly over archaeological sites, but with the advent of drones, surveying from the air has been made a lot easier and less expensive, and more feasible.
The talk, organised by Mitchelstown Heritage Society, will be held in Saint George's Mitchelstown on Thursday 15th October at 8pm. There is a small admission charge to cover costs, which will include light refreshments.
Bill is a licensed drone pilot. He studied archaeology at UCC and was involved with the North Cork Archaeological Survey Group in the 1980s. However, he says he has no more than a passing interest in archaeology as another tool to understanding the past. 'My first love is history and that's not going to change,' he said.
Bill's primary focus at the moment is his next book, 'Shroudless ", Coffin-less Graves' which will be the history of the Great Famine in north-east Cork between 1845 and 1851. 'Surprisingly little has been researched and written about the famine in this area,' he added. 'The only other book was written forty years ago, and a lot of new material and sources have become accessible since then.'
'I feel it's going to be my most important book,' he continued. 'People really have no idea how all the parishes and villages around Fermoy and Mitchelstown were devastated by the famine.' The book is scheduled to be published by next Easter. Advance orders are welcome. Bill can be contacted at Saint Georges Office on 087 4696913 - saintgeorgesevents@gmail.com
