National Monuments Service Conference

Dublin Castle-Anniversary Archaeology

Date: 2nd May, 2024

Location: Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle

As part of the ongoing Dublin Castle Excavations Project and marking the 400th anniversary of the collapse of its north-west tower on 2nd of May 1624 this National Monuments Service conference will focus on the 17th- and 18th-century aspects of the castle’s long history especially finds from the moat and Cole Alley adjacent to the former Cork Tower.

Dublin Castle, 2 May 2024

9.00-9.30 Registration

9.30-9.35 Introduction – Michael MacDonagh. Chief Archaeologist National Monuments Service

9.35-9.45 Opening Address by Minister Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform

9.45 Session 1: The Cork Tower, chair Pauline Gleeson

9.50-10.00 Summary of the history and archaeology of Dublin Castle – Conleth Manning

10.05-10.25 Faulty tower - archaeological evidence for the tower collapse – Ann Lynch

10.30-10.50 The earl of Cork, Cork House and the Cork Tower – David Edwards

10.50-11.00 Discussion

11.00-11.30 tea/coffee

11.30 Session 2: Cole Alley, chair Connie Kelleher

11.35-11.55 Gold and silver smiths in Cole Alley and Castle Street – William Prentice

12.00-12.20 Cole Alley uncovered – Ken Wiggins

12.25-12.45 The evidence for metalworking in Cole Alley – Paul Rondelez

12.50-13.10 Metal artefacts – Orla Scully

13.10-13.20 Discussion

13.20-14.20 lunch (tea/coffee sandwiches)

14.20 Session 3: Post-medieval finds from the excavations, chair Ruairí Ó Baoill

14.25-14.45 Post-medieval pottery from the moat – Rosanne Meenan

14.50-15.10 ‘This vile habite’ - the clay pipes – Victor Buckley

15.15-15.35 The seventeenth-century drinking glasses – Antoine Giacometti

15.40-16.00 Wig curlers from the excavations and their social context– Eileen Whyte

16.00-16.10 Discussion

16.15-16.35 Concluding remarks – Audrey Horning

16.35--16.45 Conference end – Michael MacDonagh. Chief Archaeologist National Monuments Service.