Our Collections

Aspects of Life in Medieval Cork

 

Games and Pastimes of the Ages

Music in Medieval Cork

Pieces of Piety

Understanding Craft and Trade through Artefacts

If Stones Could Talk

 

Bennetts Baptismal Font

King George II Plaque

Shambles Stone

Stones of Jesus’ Initials & Eucharist

Rostellan Coat of Arms

 

 

 

The archaeological collections held by Cork Public Museum and the information they provide would not have been possible without the decades of excavation and research undertaken by archaeologists, many who have dedicated their professional lives to studying and understanding Cork's past. When the first large scale urban excavations took place in Cork in the mid 1970s, very little was known about the origins and subsequent development of Cork in archaeological terms.  Since then, many important excavations have taken place across the city and our knowledge of the early Cork and its inhabitants has grown so much as a result. These excavation reports have been published since the 1990s and provide invaluable contributions from experts in archaeological material remains that has helped us identify and contextualise all the finds and objects that we exhibit here at the museum , either onsite or online.

Cork Public Museum would therefore like to whole heartily acknowledge the work and achievements of all the archaeologists, scientists and researchers. The museum would like to specifically thank Dr Dermot Twohig, Dr. Maurice F. Hurley (former City Archaeologist for Cork and Waterford), Rose M. Cleary, and Ciara Brett (current City Archaeologist). Their work, and that of many others, are an invaluable asset for us here at the museum, helping us present our archaeological collections to the public in an informative and engaging way.

The following publications are the foundations for all present and future museum exhibitions of Cork's rich archaeological heritage:

Hurley, Maurice F. and Sheehan, Cathy M., Excavations at the Dominican Priory - St. Mary's of the Isle, Cork, Cork Corporation, 1995
Cleary, R.M., Hurley M.F. and Twohig, E. Shee, Skiddy's Castle and Christ Church - Excavations 1974-77 by D.C. Twohig, Cork Corporation, 1997
Hurley, Maurice F., Excavations at the North Gate Cork 1994, Cork Corporation, 1997

Cleary, Rose M. and Hurley, Maurice F. (eds) Excavations in Cork City 1984-2000, Cork City Council, 2003
Hurley, Maurice F. and Brett, Ciara, Archaeological Excavations at South Main Street 2003-2005, Cork City Council, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading:

Gleeson, C.M., A Social Archaeology of Anglo-Norman Cork, NUI Galway, 2015.

O’Brien, A. F., ‘Politics, Economy and Society: The Development of Cork and the Irish South-Coast Region c. 1170-1583’, in Cork History and Society: Interdisciplinary Essays on the History of an Irish County, edited by P. O’Flanagan and C. Buttimer, Geography Publications, 1993, pp. 83-157.

 

 This special online exhibition has been compiled by 

Emmanuel Alden, BA in History from Kutztown University, Pennsylvania. He is presently an MA student in Medieval History, University College Cork.

David O’Mahony, BA in History & Geography from University College Cork. He is presently an MA student  in Medieval History, University College Cork.

All images by Dara McGrath for Cork Public Museum

This online exhibition has been compiled as an online version of the exhibition that is on display in the permanent gallery of Cork Public Museum

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank our lecturer Dr Małgorzata D’Aughton for overseeing our projects throughout the semester and for her editorial assistance in this online exhibition. We would also like to thank Daniel Breen, Curator of the Cork Public Museum for allowing us this opportunity to work with the Museum resources on the project and for patiently accommodating us during this turbulent period. Lastly, Emmanuel Alden would also like to provide his thanks to Sara Wingert, MA in Archaeology, UCD, for information and personal comments on the use of dice in the medieval world.

 

This project is funded by Fáilte IrelandIreland’s Ancient East and Cork City Council.

 Screen-Shot-2020-01-29-at-10.26.44-copy     Screen-Shot-2020-01-29-at-10.33.40-copy . Screen-Shot-2020-01-29-at-10.48.16-copy-1