Neil Jackman

We’re teaching experimental archaeology and archaeological excavation skills this next two weeks at @ucdarchaeology.bsky.social

Popped into our early medieval roundhouse

Makes you think of the thinginess of things, but especially the overwhelming woodiness of the past

A view through one of the cloister arches to the tower of Jerpoint Abbey. The carving of a dragon like beast can be seen on the cloister arch.

In today's edition of our MonumentMonday newsletter, we take a trip to Kilkenny to visit a true medieval marvel – the wonderful Jerpoint Abbey.

#Ireland #SpéirGhorm #Kilkenny #Medieval #DiscoverIreland #IrelandTravel

a cartoon lizard is standing on a mossy log and smiling Alt: a cartoon lizard is standing on a mossy log and smiling

Hoppers is good fun. There's one or two parts that might be a little much for younger children, but both me and our 8 year old enjoyed it.

Two puffins billing on the Great Saltee Island

Puffin pic as reparations

Puffins, orca, pinemarten (also wolves, polar bears, rooks and ravens)

I am not good at counting, sorry.

A small grey pillar stone stands proudly from the leaf strewn ground of Inchagoill Island. It has a depiction of two crosses on the visible face, and the inscription LIE LUGUAEDON MACCI MENUEH in Insular half uncial script

The Luguaedon Stone • Inchagoill Island

This small stone pillar stands close to the early church of Teampall Phadraig.

It bears one of the earliest inscriptions of Irish in the Latin alphabet. It reads:

LIE LUGUAEDON MACCI MENUEH

THE STONE OF LUGUAEDON, SON OF MENUEH

#Ireland #SpéirGhorm 🏺

Might be a genius idea to bring your own clamp so no one will clamp you.

Large stones arranged in a circle in a field. Within the circle of larger stones, there are many smaller stones.

The Dragon's Teeth • Beaghmore • Tyrone

The foothills of the Sperrin Mountains has a wealth of prehistoric monuments.

This Bronze Age stone circle at Beaghmore is filled with hundreds of small upright stones, earning it the name ‘the Dragon’s Teeth’.

#SpéirGhorm #Archaeology 🏺

Antony Beevor: Trump shows signs of dementia. He can’t be controlled The bestselling historian, 79, has written about some of humanity’s darkest moments — and believes the West is totally unprepared for the threats it faces

1/3 There is and End of Days feel about Western Hegemony right now. A half millennia in which the West hoarded much of the world’s wealth, plundering, colonising and burning through fossil fuels, is ending in a paroxysmal, Trumpian blunder.

www.thetimes.com/culture/book...

A wooden flask or bottle from the early medieval period found in Leitrim, Ireland and now on display in the National Museum of Ireland Archaeology in Dublin

Leather bottle • Leitrim

This leather bottle or flask was found deep in a bog in Cloonclose, County Leitrim.

From the decoration, it is believed to date to the early medieval period, making the bottle at least a thousand years old.

#Ireland ##SpéirGhorm #Archaeology 🏺 #EarlyMedieval

Though maybe on reflection, I didnt resist too much.

Personal growth that can only be measured by microscope.

I was going to follow this up with quite a spicy take about the countless millions spent on advertising Ireland's incredible heritage to tourists, versus the complete lack of funding and resources for heritage organisations and staff.

But I will resist. Personal growth and all that.

Wholly agree with this. The National Museum needs to be properly supported.

Haha I do think he went for the lowest possible effort, wooly geansaí and a raincoat = job done.

Our 8 year old decided to dress up as me for it. I have never simultaneously been so proud and so mortified.

Although these shitehawks seem to go on about Ancient Greece and Rome, they obviously haven't paid much attention to the parts about hubris, and where that leads to.

Not for me, no.

A frost tipped field leads to mature trees and distant hills beyond, a rook flies across a pale blue sky

Beautiful morning here in South Tipperary 🔆

Castellated stone folly tower (c1860) at Killoran House, Tipperary, on a hill some distance to front of the house

Currently house being renovated by Calx Restoration & it's intended it will form a training facility for conservation & repair of historic buildings

#builtheritage #traditionalskills

Dawn lights the extensive ruin of a medieval castle set on the edge of cliffs on the Antrim Coast

Dunluce Castle • Antrim

Perched on a rocky outcrop high above the sea, Dunluce Castle is certainly one of the highlights of Antrim's spectacular Causeway Coast.

Hello—Is a River Alive? is published in paperback in the UK today.
It’s dedicated to the rivers & their guardians.
Thanks to all who’ve supported its journey into the world: read it, talked about it, got in touch.
It’s @waterstones.bsky.social book of the month.
“Hope is the thing with rivers…”

Screenshot from a page of Cork slang that reads: "Chats - Meaning breasts in Cork slang. But the word has also been used in Irish slang to refer to a small, inferior potato, which does not really flatter Cork women unfortunately." #SpéirGorm #SpéirGhorm #Ireland #Cork

Cork we need to talk

I feel a lot of interviewers try to act a part, or put themselves in the discussion too much.

It's something I've tried to work on myself in my own amateurish way with my podcast. I talked way too much at the start, so now trying to get out of the way while still prompting it along. Hard balance!

Melvyn was the ideal person for that job, I think he walked the line very well and really served the listener.

I'm not sure I can think of a person who could match his way of driving the discussion forward, without trying to be Paxman interrogating an inept junior minister.

A man stands in front of the enormous Neolithic portal tomb known as the Kilmogue Dolmen.

An ancient and unknowable ruin, still somehow standing despite the ravages of countless years...

...and Kilmogue Portal Tomb.

We had a misty but marvellous day's fieldwork in the Lingaun Valley today.

#Ireland #SpéirGhorm #Archaeology 🏺

it's perfect!

post a meme made by you

A tightly coiled spiral staircase, the steps are dark and the walls whitewashed

The spiral staircase of Cahir Castle, Tipperary. I wouldn't fancy having to go down these after quaffing a few medieval ales!

#Ireland #SpéirGhorm #Medieval #IrelandTravel

Clondalkin Round Tower. A tall tapering tower of stone with a conical cap, with a pale blue sky behind.

In today's edition of our free #MonumentMonday email newsletter, we visit Clondalkin to see one of Ireland's oldest, and finest, round towers.

#Ireland #SpéirGhorm #Archaeology 🏺 #DiscoverIreland