30th June 2015 Dungarvan through the Ages

The Lookout Dungarvan  1900
Waterford County Museum will hold a Photographic Exhibition titled
 "Dungarvan through the Ages"

This will be an exhibition not to be missed so don't forget to mark it in your diary.

Venue: Dungarvan Shopping Centre

The Lookout Dungarvan 2000
Date: 30th June to 10th July

Time: 10am -5pm Monday to Friday

Admission is free and all are welcome.




Archeological Survey To Be Carried Out At Gallows Hill, Dungarvan


A Motte and Bailey Fortification Copyright 2002 by Jeffrey L. Thomas
 
On the 11th and 12th July the first geophysical survey of Gallows Hill will begin to answer the speculation that has surrounded the mound for centuries. Speculation has included its use as a gallows, medieval Norman Bailey Castle (Motte and Bailey), Bronze Age barrow, or the Fort/Dun from where Dungarvan is named. As part of July’s 800 year celebration of Dungarvan’s Town Charter, Waterford County Museum in association with residents from the surrounding area have organised a Community Archaeology Project that will attempt to find the answer.

When, after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1179 resulted in the establishment of a strong base in the city of Waterford. The Normans viewed the Dungarvan area as the gateway through which expansion into Munster by way of the Blackwater Valley could be most easily achieved. With the establishment of the town came the need for an initial defensive structure known as a Motte and Bailey. The structure was made up of a wooden stockade and living quarters on top of a mound within a larger stockade yard at surface level, all surrounded by a defensive ditch.

Gallows Hill is believed by the National Monuments Service to potentially be such a 12th century Norman Motte and Bailey type fortification. The aim of the Gallows Hill Community Archaeology Project is to test the theory with a geophysical survey of the Hill with the help of community Geophysicist Kevin Barton and members of the local community. Geophysical survey is a technique which allows Archaeologists to create maps of archaeological features and traces of human activities beneath the earth’s soil without carrying out an excavation. The results of the survey planned on Gallows Hill could help to establish it as Dungarvan’s oldest standing monument.

The weekend of discovery will commence Friday 10th July at 7pm with a talk by Geophysicist Kevin Barton in the Town Hall. The survey will run all day on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th. Children’s activities will run alongside the project at the Town hall and on site, including a mock dig, Motte/Bailey model making and painting. The day will conclude with a talk/demonstration by Kevin Barton in the afternoon. Unfortunately numbers that can take part in the survey will be limited so do contact the Museum if you live close to the mound and want to get hands on experience. For more information or to register your interest in taking part contact: Waterford County Museum, Friary Street, Phone: 058 45960, Email: history@waterfordmuseum.ie

The Gallows Hill project has been funded by Waterford City and County Council.




3rd July 2015 An Evening of Entertainment

Historical Talk by Professor Séan Duffy
followed by
Medieval Music by Laoise O’Brien




Seán Duffy is Professor of Medieval History at Trinity College Dublin. He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, from which he also holds a Ph.D. He is a Fellow of the College, where he has lectured since 1993 and is currently Professor/Associate Professor of Medieval History in the School of Histories and Humanities.



Laoise O'Brien has a growing reputation as a virtuosic performer and imaginative concert programmer.
Laoise studied recorder at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam having completed an undergraduate degree on concert flute at the College of Music in Dublin. She also holds a Masters degree in Performance and Musicology from NUI Maynooth. 


Venue: Town Hall, Dungarvan
Date: Friday 3rd July
Time: 8pm
Admission: €5.00
Refreshments served, all are welcome



4th July Medieval Banquet


Limited number of tickets available

If interested in attending the Medieval Banquet in celebration of the 800th Anniversary of the Granting of the Town Charter by King John, please call to the Museum, Friary Street or contact 058-45960 to secure your ticket.

The Banquet will be held at Crew's Restaurant, Church Street, Dungarvan on Saturday 4th July at 7.30pm

19th June 2015 Villiers Stuart's Egypt Exhibition

The official opening of  the Villiers Stuart Egypt exhibition

The exhibition is part of a programme of events to mark Dromana 800. It is also intended to highlight the research of amateur Egyptologist, Henry Windsor Villiers Stuart M.P. (1827-1895) of Dromana and the Irish interest in Egypt over the centuries.

The exhibition will include Henry Windsor's publication on Egypt and a number of original lithographs. Also included in the display are some of the original artefacts from his collection which has now been dispersed.

The exhibition will be officially launched by Dr. Rachel Finnegan.
Dr. Finnegan has a PhD in Classics and is a former Lecturer in Cultural & Heritage Studies at W.I.T.. She has written and lectured on the collecting and connoisseurship of the 2nd Earl of Bessborough. In 2008 she published a new edition of Richard Twiss's Tour of Ireland in 1775.

She is the editor of a three volume work titled: The Grand Tour Correspondence of Richard Pococke and Jeremiah Milles.
Vol 3, Letters from the East (1737-41) contains a chapter on Egypt.

Venue: Museum, Friary St., Dungarvan

Date: 19th June

Time: 8pm

Admission free and all are welcome


10th - 12th July 1215 - Volunteers Wanted For A Dungarvan Archaeology Project


Image From www.castlewales.com
Do you want to join Dungarvan's Time Team and explore the town's archaeology?

The first ever geophysical survey of Gallows Hill, Dungarvan will be carried out between 10, 11, 12th of July. The survey headed by geophysicist Kevin Barton, will be a non-invasive, non-destructive survey.

Modern technology will be used in the survey and the main thrust of the survey will be to determine if any evidence remains for:
  1. Anything having  been built on top of the mound.
  2. Is there anything inside the mound?
  3. Is there any geophysical evidence of an earlier monument under the ground.
This will be a community effort and Waterford County Museum are looking for a number of volunteers from Cathal Brugha, Byrneville, Caseyville and around Dungarvan to carry out the survey which will be supervised by Kevin. This is a great opportunity for local people to experience an actual hands-on exploration of the mound known as 'Gallows Hill'. The number of people able to participate is limited, so sign up quickly. No experience of archaeology required.

There will also be children's events supervised by certified personnel. Watch out for a press release.

Contact Eddie Cantwell or Chrissy O'Connor Knight via Waterford County Museum for more information.

Phone: 058 45960
Email: history@waterfordmuseum.ie

Dungarvan 1215 Free Historical Treasure Hunt



Hear ye Hear ye

All are invited to join in the FREE  #Dungarvan1215 Treasure Hunt to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Dungarvan and learn more about our remarkable town.


This fun recreational activity is open to all ages and is free to enter. It should take about 45 minutes to complete walking. It all takes place in Dungarvan's Medieval quarter around King John's Castle & The Old Market House Art's Centre.

Entry Forms with clues can be can be downloaded on this site or collected from Dungarvan Tourist Office, Main Street at any time. Return your entry form before 4pm on July 4th 2015 to be in with a chance to win.

Prizes

First Prize:  €50 Chamber Voucher. For most correct answers. (Draw made in the event of a tie)

If you are clever enough to get more than 5 answers correct, you'll be entered in a draw for:
  • €25 Chamber Voucher
  • €10 Chamber Voucher
  • 3 x Dungarvan Heritage Guide Books
Entries To: Dungarvan Tourist Office, Main Street, Dungarvan.

Judge's Decision Is Final :)

For more information contact Dungarvan Tourist Office Tel Number: (058) 41741

Good Luck!

16th June 2015 Laurel & Hardy 125th Anniversary


Showing soon Laurel & Hardy 125th Anniversary 


Venue: SGC Cinema Dungarvan

Date:Tuesday 16th June 

Time: 8.30pm

Tickets at a reduced rate are now available at The Museum, Friary Street, Dungarvan

Book Sale

Our recent annual fund raiser book sale was a tremendous success.

A big thank you to all who gave up their time to help out at the sale.
 
To all who donated books and especially to all those who purchased the books.

We are very grateful to SuperValu who provided the venue and to  Eddie Cantwell who is the chief organiser of this event.