The Green Fort Archaeology Project

Dig into the Story in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 49 with Dr Fiona Beglane

In this episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast, Neil chats with Dr Fiona Beglane about the exciting recent excavation at the Green Fort in Sligo Town.

The Green Fort is a looming presence above Sligo Town. The origins of the site are thought to derive from the construction of a ringfort during the early medieval period, though this prominent and elevated site has long been seen as a strategic place. An artillery fort was established here around the time of the Nine Years War, though it has been adapted and altered over the centuries as the nature of warfare and conflict changed. Since falling out of use, it has remained a prominent landmark, and the local community have long been intrigued by the monument that forms such a part of the town’s landscape.

The story of the Green Fort has been examined in a recent excavation, led by Dr Fiona Beglane with Dr Marion Dowd of Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in partnership with Sligo County Council and the US-based Institute for Field Research. Over 1,000 artefacts were recovered in this initial dig, that revealed evidence of the daily lives of those stationed in the fort, as well as hints of conflict and war.

In this episode of the Amplify Archaeology Podcast, Neil is joined by Fiona who describes the dig, the community engagement and the plans for the future of this fantastic fort!

The excavated lands at the Green Fort are owned by Sligo County Council. The Green Fort Archaeology Project greatly appreciate the cooperation and interest of Siobhán Ryan, Dorothy Clarke and Michael Condren, as the project could not have gone ahead without their support and hard work. We would also like to acknowledge the tireless work of the Green Fort Men’s Group and the Green Fort Working Group over the years in their efforts to bring wider recognition to the site. Cllr Declan Bree and Cllr Gino Boyle have also been hugely supportive of the project and we thank them for their input. We would also like to thank the committee of the Glenview Stars Football Club for the use of their changing rooms for storage and as a wet-weather shelter.

The images used on this page are courtesy of Donal Hackett, Dr Fiona Beglane, and ATU Sligo

Amplify Archaeology Podcast is sponsored by Tuatha, this is our 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 today at tuatha.ie.

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

Title: The Green Fort Archaeology Project

Duration: 26 mins.

Summary:
In this episode, Dr Fiona Beglane discusses her exciting recent excavations at the Green Fort in Sligo Town.

The Green Fort Archaeology Project – Key Discussion Points and Show Notes

• Introduction to the Green Fort– 1 min 36 secs
• What was known of the site prior to the project? – 2 min 42 secs
• Were the Confederacy Wars a cause for refocus on the site?– 5 min 50 secs
• The development of the fort – 7 min
• The approach to the excavation – 9 min 45 secs
• The discoveries – 13 min 37 secs
• The potential for future work – 16 min 14 secs
• What the artefacts revealed about the lived experience of people at the fort – 17 min 39 secs
• What would a visitor to the fort see today? – 20 min 02 secs
• The future plans – 22 mins 48 secs

Links to further information

• You can find more information on the Green Fort Archaeology Project on the ATU website here.
• And you can read about it in this press coverage by RTÉ here.
• ATU Sligo have a number of flexible learning courses in archaeology. You can find out more here.
• I hope you enjoyed the show, 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. And remember to use your coupon code AMPLIFY20 for 20% off.

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