George Eogan Memorial Lecture

on Sunday, 24th November 2024 (3pm)

at the George Eogan Cultural & Heritage Centre, Nobber, Co. Meath. A82 XH31

“Brú na Bóinne Connections at Knockroe Passage Tomb, County Kilkenny”

Dr Muiris O’Sullivan, Emeritus Professor of Archaeology, UCD.

Knockroe passage tomb is about the size of a large satellite tomb at Knowth but, otherwise, it stands in the same company as the great tumuli at Knowth, Newgrange and Dowth. This presentation coincides with the submission of the definitive report on the Knockroe excavation programme to the Royal Irish Academy, which is most appropriate because it was the late Professor George Eogan who first suggested that Dr O’Sullivan might consider excavating the Knockroe site.

Muiris O’Sullivan is Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at UCD.  He has long been associated with the study of passage tombs, including the Boyne Valley where he worked on George Eogan’s excavations at Knowth in the early1980s and his own projects, the publication in 2005 of the Mound of the Hostages, Tara, arising from excavations by Seán P. Ó Ríordáin in the 1950s and the excavation of the passage tomb at Knockroe, Co. Kilkenny, a comprehensive report on which is to be completed in Nov. 2024. In recent years, he was the lead archaeological consultant for the revised visitor experience at the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site, opened in November 2019. His wide range of publications includes a long-running Archaeology Ireland series with Liam Downey under the banner ‘Know Your Monuments’.  As a lecturer in Archaeology at UCD, he served as director of the UCD international Summer School in Irish Studies (1999-2002), Head of Archaeology (2004-2008) and Dean of Arts (2014-2015). He also served as a member of the Heritage Council(2016-2020).

Light refreshments served.

Knockroe Passage Tomb, more here.

Note: our final lecture of the year will take place on Sunday 8th Decemberat 3pm in St Mary’s Church of Ireland, Navan when Michael O’Neill will make apresentation on “Church of Ireland Churches in Meath”.

Inquiries: Tom French, Hon. Sec., MAHS (087 4119633); website https://scanner.topsec.com/?d=1406&r=show&u=www.mahs.ie&t=d8802e649a0b281cabd9d0a84b7eb157aa7abccf