Excavations of a Neolithic Tomb at Tirnony, Maghera, Co. Derry/Londonderry

Wed Apr 30 2025 at 01:00 pm to 03:00 pm UTC+01:00

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland | Belfast

DfC Engaged Communities Group
Publisher/HostDfC Engaged Communities Group
Excavations of a Neolithic Tomb at Tirnony, Maghera, Co. Derry\/Londonderry
Advertisement
Part of the HERoNI Lecture series with speaker Dr Cormac McSparron
About this Event

In the harsh winter of 2010, a combination of root action, and a hard frost, cracked one of the stones supporting the structure of Tirnony Dolmen causing the capstone to collapse into the interior of the tomb. In advance of the repair and reconstruction of the tomb, an excavation was carried out by Queen’s in collaboration with HED (then NIEA) to record the deposits around and inside the tomb which risked being damaged during the restoration. The excavation revealed a complex monument with evidence for human burial and ritual in the Neolithic period. Artefacts discovered during the excavation included fragments of pottery vessels of Neolithic date and flint knives and scrapers. Radiocarbon dates revealed that the monument was constructed about 3900BC.

Biography: Dr Cormac McSparron directed the excavations at Tirnony Dolmen. He is a Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast. He has directed and published a number of important excavations of varying types and periods in Ireland. He has a wide range of research interests, including the Irish Neolithic period, early and later Medieval Coarse potting traditions, the Early Bronze Ages, funerary archaeology, and the archaeology of migration.

Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 2 Titanic Boulevard, Belfast, United Kingdom

Tickets

GBP 0.00

Sharing is Caring:

More Events in Belfast

mxmtoon in Belfast
Tue Apr 29 2025 at 07:00 pm mxmtoon in Belfast

Ulster Hall Belfast

Olly Murs in Belfast
Wed Apr 30 2025 at 06:30 pm Olly Murs in Belfast

The SSE Arena, Belfast

Lou Sanders
Thu May 01 2025 at 07:00 pm Lou Sanders

The Limelight 1

Belfast Job Fair - Belfast Career Fair
Fri May 02 2025 at 11:00 am Belfast Job Fair - Belfast Career Fair

Belfast

Take the Stage: R. Strauss, Mozart & Tchaikovsky
Fri May 02 2025 at 07:45 pm Take the Stage: R. Strauss, Mozart & Tchaikovsky

Ulster Hall

Jeff Arcuri: Whole Wild World Tour
Sat May 03 2025 at 07:00 pm Jeff Arcuri: Whole Wild World Tour

Waterfront Hall & Ulster Hall

Wrong Jovi - the Worlds Elite Bon Jovi Tribute
Sun May 04 2025 at 06:30 pm Wrong Jovi - the Worlds Elite Bon Jovi Tribute

Limelight Belfast

Belfast is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Belfast Events