The Best Guide

Clare Museum to exhibit historic treasures uncovered by road works in Ireland

CLARE Museum is planning an exhibition of artefacts unearthed by archaeologists along the route of the recently opened M18 Gort – Crusheen road scheme.

ohn McInerney of the Clare museum with a neolithic stone axe uncovered during the motorway excavations. The excavations at 22 sites were carried out in accordance with the Directions issued to Galway County Council by the Minister for the Environment and were undertaken by archaeologists from Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd on behalf of Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority (NRA) in 2007 and 2008 prior to construction of the new roadway.

Following an inspection of the artefacts by staff at the National Museum of Ireland, a final list of objects suitable for exhibition was made and these have been delivered to the museum. Included are pottery, stone tools and axes dating from the Neolithic period and glass and amber beads, and a rare bone gaming piece, which date from the Iron Age period.

The museum plans to create an exhibition of these artefacts in the New Year in a specially designed exhibition space on the top floor of the building.

Author: Tom McCullough | Source: The Clare People [November 26, 2010]