Archaeologists from UCC uncover the site of an old castle on Adelaide Street in Cork.
Excavations are being carried out by the Department of Archaeology at University College Cork (UCC) funded by the Office of Public Works (OPW), at the site of Skiddy's Castle. The building, dating from 1445, was once as big and as important as Blarney Castle in County Cork and Ross Castle in Killarney, County Kerry.
One of the most important archaeological finds in Cork has been at Adelaide Street in the city centre.
Excavation director Dermot Twohig explains the significance of the find.
This was a mid-15th century tower house in its original form.
Archaeologists have uncovered the ground and first floor of the castle. Pottery from Britain, France and Holland has been found on the site indicating trade routes to the south of Ireland in the mid 15th century. There are also more recent finds from the 18th century drawn from nearby glassworks. There are 17th-century items from north Devon and material finds come from between 1200 to mid-1400s and include pottery from England, France, Holland and Belgium. The site also contains organic material in the form of wood, leather and tonnes of bones.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 13 February 1975. The reporters are Dermot Mullane and Tom MacSweeney.
