Irish Hillforts Amplify Archaeology Podcast

Amplify Archaeology Podcast

Irish Hillforts Amplify Archaeology Podcast

November 27, 2024

Irish Hillforts

Dig into the Story of Irish Hillforts in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 43 with Dr James O’Driscoll

Irish Hillforts are some of our largest monuments, though until recently they remained relatively enigmatic. In recent years Dr James O’Driscoll has started to uncover their story, he tells us all about it in this episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast.

The name ‘hillfort’ is quite descriptive, as at first glance they appear as well, large forts on top of hills. Though the work of Dr James O’Driscoll and colleagues have revealed that they have a far more interesting and nuanced tale to tell. A programme of survey and excavation carried out by James, Prof. William O’Brien and colleagues discovered much about the nature and chronology of Irish hillforts, along with the types of activities that were carried out within them.

This discussion teases out the question of what is a hillfort, the types of landscape that they can be found in, their period and how that compares with similar monuments in the UK and elsewhere, and what they might tell us about territoriality, trade, culture and landscape in the past.

Dr James O’Driscoll lectures in the University of Glasgow. James’ primary research is focused on the application of remote sensing and GIS based techniques in archaeology, with particular emphasis on prehistoric enclosures and Bronze Age hillforts, their contemporary landscapes and socio-economic setting. James has co-authored two important books on the subject, Hillforts, Warfare and Society in Bronze Age Ireland, and the recently published Baltinglass and the Prehistoric Hillforts of Ireland.

Amplify Archaeology Podcast is sponsored by Tuatha, an online membership with a growing community of like-minded people who love exploring Ireland’s sites, landscapes and heritage. You can find out more and start your own Irish archaeological adventure at tuatha.ie.

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

Title: Irish Hillforts

Duration: 1 hour 11 mins.

Summary:

In this fascinating discussion with Dr James O’Driscoll we discuss Irish hillforts in terms of period, place and what they can tell us about societies in the past.

Irish Hillforts – Key Discussion Points

Introduction to Irish Hillforts – 1 min
Where can you find hillforts? – 7 min 47 secs
Their association with political boundaries – 10 min 05 secs
What drew James to study hillforts – 15 min 25 secs
The study of hillforts that led to the publication of Hillforts, Warfare and Society – 18 min 20 secs
Neolithic hillforts – 24 min 14 secs
Introduction to the Baltinglass Complex – 28 min 50 secs
Why is the Baltinglass area so special? – 36 min 50 secs
Upland interactions and the use of hillforts – 40 min 20 secs
The inland promontory fort of Caherconree – 53 mins 27 secs
What should people picture when they are thinking of a hillfort – 1 hour 2 mins
What hillforts are good to visit? – 1 hour 4 mins

Show notes and links to further information

I highly recommend Baltinglass and the Prehistoric Hillforts of Ireland by James O’Driscoll, Alan Hawkes & William O’Brien, published by Wordwell. You can order online here.
And James’s earlier book Hillforts, Warfare and Society in Bronze Age Ireland is available from Archaeopress here.
You can find a number of papers by James on Academia.edu here.
You can read more on the history and visitor experience at the Grianán of Aileach here.
You can read more on the history and visitor experience at Rathmichael Hillfort here.
Please do leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts if you can, or share the episode using the podcast #AmplifyArchaeology – it really does help us to be found so I’d be very grateful!
If you’d like to dig deeper into the stories of Ireland you’ll love our membership service Tuatha. You’ll find online courses on Irish archaeology and heritage, articles on places to visit, itineraries for great days out, opportunities to join us on our monthly lecture series and on our tours, and lots more! You can learn more and sign up here.