Kilkenny Castle

Patcha

Kilkenny Castles architectural and arcaelogical integrity as Irelands premier Norman Castle is being seriously compromised by the refurbishment of the parade and area aaround the castle.On Monday the 9,3,09 i saw the arcaelogists break into a hither to unknown tunnel whilst excavating on the road. The allignment of the tunnel would have cut through the ancient St Patricks Grave Yard out side the Castle gardens and Grounds which could validate the local legend that Cromwells hole in Patricks Grave yard was the opening to a tunnel that led to the castle.This is a serious arcaelogical site and deserves to be treated as such.
Patcha

KatCookie

Any idiot could have told the builders that they would have found "excavatable material" shall we say.. Are you sure that this tunnel is being destroyed?
If i'm understanding you correctly, you say that there is supposedly a tunnel in that place, but it was just legend?
Maybe it had already been searched and nothing has been found apart from different coloured soils indicating presence of a tunnel and stones (i.e no physical things like pieces of metalwork or pottery for example ) Maybe that they have acknowledged that there is/was a tunnel there but they do not have the funds to bring is archaeologists? Even thought they are required to by law, unless i am mistaken?
Ring up local archaeologists i'd think, I've dealt with Kilkenny Archaeology before and they seem pretty clued up and with them being local and all.. linky
EDIT: Or ask in the Archaeology forum, found under Science at the top of the Page

Where is St. Patrick's Graveyard?

ztoical

KatCookie wrote: »

Even thought they are required to by law, unless i am mistaken?

they are required by law to have an archaeologist on site and given the location there would have been big look into the area before digging started and even when the digging started the archaeologists would still be on site checking as they go, its one of the reasons the job is taking over 18 months.

OP do you have proof that an objects of historical interest are being destroyed or are you just assuming based on looking in from across the street? I'm pretty sure the OPW knows the location of the tunnels connected to the castle.

Doozie

Patcha wrote: »

the arcaelogists break into a hither to unknown tunnel whilst excavating on the road.

Not sure I catch your drift either, did you mean the archaeologists were excavating the site? or the builders were breaking into the tunnel? As referenced already the site, particularly for its location would have been researched including any old maps or sources detailing possible tunnels. However, maybe not every stone was left unturned in this research (pardon the pun), researchers aren't always 100% accurate. Its the nature of using original sources if they are even available.

catbear

i haven't heard of any new tunnels but if anyone is really concerned the archaeologist on site is Patrick Neary.
if you type in Patrick Neary Archaeologist, you should get a link with a phone number.
otherwise here's a piece from the KP about the parade form a while back.
http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/Ancient-cobblestones-go-down-the.4271420.jp
i've been passing by recently and i've haven't seen anything that looks like a tunnel.
however i would not be surprised if something did turn up.
a real problem about archaeology in Ireland at the moment is the huge backlog of reports that are been written up.
it will take years to get through it.
here's a few recent ones on the Kilkenny Archaeology Society website.
http://www.kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/archaeology.htm