Following on from the very successful Trad concert in the courthouse we next have Bill Daly’s lecture and exhibition. All are welcome and admission is free- we hope you find time to visit over the week or to attend the talk on Saturday night at 8pm
Over the past few years, in relation to the prehistory of Oughterard, we have looked at the Mesolithic (8000 – 4000 BC) and the Neolithic (4000 -2500 BC) periods. The Mesolithic people were mainly hunter-gatherers and we have evidence of their presence where the River Drimneen enters Lough Corrib at River Island, not too far away from the Pier. The Neolithic saw the introduction of agriculture to the area and the building of the megalithic monuments. Again, we have evidence of their presence on the fertile uplands of Maghera from the Cloosh Hills across to Aughnanure. The Mesolithic people may have arrived here from the west coast of Britain and the Isle of Man, whereas the Neolithic communities would have originated from North-Western France in the modern day areas of Brittany and Carnac. Both the Mesolithic and Neolithic people worked predominantly with stone and timber.
This year Bill Daly is researching and presenting the Bronze Age (2500 – 500 BC) which gave us another revolution – the introduction of metalworking. The Presentation will take place during National Heritage Week in the Courthouse Oughterard on Saturday 13th August at 8pm. Admission is free, and we would be delighted to see you there.
As well as the Presentation, we also have an Exhibition of Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeological replica material in the Courthouse (11am – 5pm) from Sunday 14th of August to Friday 19th August. Admission is free for this Exhibition also, so please come along and don’t forget to bring the children and grandchildren.
