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creative
Communities

Dates
23rd Apr 2022
to 24th Apr 2022

Age Range
All ages

Recovery of a Famine-Era House

Recovery of a Famine-era House is a community excavation project facilitated by Clare County Museum. 

The aim of the project is to develop an authentic heritage experience for the community that allows members of the community to participate in uncovering evidence of the past. In 2019, the site of a house from the famine era was identified at Derryboy, Ballinruan. Excavations were conducted to reveal aspects of life in mid-19th century Clare. During this time excavators completed digging through a layer of turf that covered the floor, which was in fact the collapsed roof material, to reach the actual flagstone floor. 

Following disruption to the excavation in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic, Clare Museum will now complete the excavation of the famine era house in 2022. This final part of the excavation will focus on the hearth of the house, where it is expected there will be a concentrated amount of evidence to indicate ways of life from this time period. Volunteers will participate in the excavation.

For more information contact Clare County Museum at 065 - 6823382 or email claremuseum@clarecoco.ie

A report on Phase One of the project can be accessed here: www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/claremuseum/education/tvas_report.pdf

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.

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