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Dr Michael Potterton’s core field of research is the history and archaeology of medieval Ireland, with special reference to landscape and settlement – urban, rural and hinterlands. He has established an international reputation as an innovative researcher, a dynamic teacher and an accomplished writer and editor. He has published thirteen books (as author, co-author or co-editor), presented cutting-edge research in nine countries, received fifteen competitively awarded scholarships and grants and organised a dozen fully booked conferences. He has designed, coordinated, taught and examined over twenty different undergraduate and postgraduate courses at five universities in three countries (MU, NUIG, UCD, Sorbonne, University of Toronto). He has also given guest lectures at QUB, TCD, the University of Wales at Lampeter, Lancaster University, East Carolina University, Appalachian State University and Wellington College (UK).
From 1996 to 1998 Michael was the Assistant Director on the multi-period research excavations at Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath. He is now the Principal Investigator on that project. Between 2005 and 2008 he spent over forty weeks training more than 150 students from fifteen countries on the archaeological excavation at the medieval castle site in Tulsk, Co. Roscommon. Michael is on the Academic Committee of the Irish Archaeological Field School and is a guest lecturer on East Carolina University’s annual study abroad programme in Wicklow. Michael did his PhD at Maynooth. His doctoral research on medieval Trim, Co. Meath, epitomises his belief in the importance of grassroots local studies, but set firmly within an international context. Combining historical, archaeological and architectural analyses, the thesis and subsequent book (2005) demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of his work. For seven years as a Senior Research Archaeologist with the Discovery Programme – Ireland’s institution for advanced archaeological research – Michael worked closely with other historians, archaeologists, geographers and palaeo-environmentalists on the Medieval Rural Settlement Project. One of the groundbreaking products of this approach is the 600-page Dublin Region in the Middle Ages (Murphy & Potterton, 2010), a rigorously peer-reviewed volume championed as a model for future hinterland studies internationally. Michael has presented on the results of these projects at conferences all over Ireland as well as in Britain, Hungary, France, Switzerland, Canada and the US.
In 2005 Christiaan Corlett of the National Monuments Service and Michael initiated a project to facilitate the dissemination of the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via focused conferences and high-quality publications. The project is unique in terms of both its concept and its range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.10,000 years of human occupation. They have published six volumes in the series. In 2007, together with Thomas Herron (North Carolina), Michael edited the multidisciplinary collection Ireland in the Renaissance, c.1540–1660 and in 2011 they collaborated on a follow-up volume, Dublin and the Pale in the Renaissance. In 2008, with archaeologist Matthew Seaver, Michael coordinated the ‘Uncovering Medieval Trim’ project. A conference showcased the results of recent excavations, and a subsequent book (Uncovering Medieval Trim, 2009) put the information on permanent record. Michael is a board member of the Irish Historic Towns Atlas and a committee member of the International Commission for the History of Towns. He is on the Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy and the Journal of Irish Archaeologyand is an academic advisor to various initiatives including the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site Research Framework, the Trim Town Walls Conservation Plan, the Blackfriary Archaeology Field School and the INSTAR Mapping Death Project. For eight years he was a Council Member of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland (RSAI) and in 2006 he became Reviews Editor of The Journal of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies. From 2005 to 2009 he was editor of The European Archaeologist, a web-based international newsletter for the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA). As an EAA Board Member, he represented Ireland at meetings in Croatia, Malta and the Czech Republic.
From 2009 to 2015 Michael was employed as Editor (and then Senior Editor) with Four Courts Press, Ireland’s multi-award-winning and leading academic publisher. In addition to managing almost one hundred books through the publication process, Michael’s responsibilities at Four Courts included coordinating peer-review, managing funding applications and advising recently graduated PhD students on how best to convert their theses to books. In addition to an NUI Studentship and an Irish Research Council PhD Scholarship, Michael has received ten significant grants from the Heritage Council, the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, and the RSAI/Bevir Trust. The projects mentioned above (Renaissance, Recent Excavations and Uncovering Medieval Trim) have attracted funding of over €90,000 from bodies including the OPW, the County Meath Heritage Plan, INSTAR, TRIARC and the National Roads Authority, as well as collaborating institutions in the US.
Michael is an ambitious and versatile Maynooth graduate with an international research profile, a proven track record in teaching and a distinguished portfolio of publications and awards. While his research is firmly rooted in Ireland, it is of international significance and set within a global context.
In 2011 Michael was honoured by being elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in recognition of his ‘major contribution to the study of medieval Ireland through teaching on excavations and at universities in Ireland and abroad, and work as author and editor’. If any students – past, current or prospective – have any interest in or questions about any of the items mentioned above, please feel free to contact Michael at [email protected].
Research Interests
Michael Potterton specialises in the archaeology
and history of Ireland from the twelfth to the sixteenth century, especially
urban and rural landscapes, settlement and society. Further research interests
include hinterlands, crannogs, contacts between Ireland and the Continent, and
the archaeology of Ireland form prehistory to the present.
Research Projects
Title
Role
Description
Start date
End date
Amount
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
2000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
2000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
2000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
1000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland: Grant for seminar
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2017
30/09/2017
1000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 3: Settlement in early medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2011
30/09/2011
2000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 3: Settlement in early medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2011
30/09/2011
1000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 3: Settlement in early medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2011
30/09/2011
1000
Ireland in the Renaissance Project (Dublin and the Pale)
Co-Director
01/09/2008
30/09/2011
2000
Ireland in the Renaissance Project (Dublin and the Pale)
Co-Director
01/09/2008
30/09/2011
500
Ireland in the Renaissance Project (Dublin and the Pale)
Co-Director
01/09/2008
30/09/2011
500
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 5: The church in early medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2014
30/09/2014
5000
Medieval Trim: history and archaeology
Author
01/09/2005
30/09/2005
3500
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
International Commission for the History of Towns: Conference Excursion
PI
01/09/2022
30/09/2022
1000
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Erasmus Scholarship
Student
01/09/1994
01/09/1995
13000
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 2: Death and burial in early medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2010
30/09/2011
5000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 3: Settlement in early medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2010
30/09/2010
5000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 5: The church in early medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2014
30/09/2014
5000
Town–Country relations in Ireland
Chairman
01/09/2021
30/09/2021
4500
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project: Conference 2022
PI
This major conference took place at MU in September 2022. Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath, is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. The excavation is complete but the post-excavation project has been ongoing since 2018. The archive, including some 10,000 artefacts, is housed at MU and we have partnered with UCD to see the project through to full publication and deposition of the artefacts and archives with the National Museum of Ireland in 2028.
01/09/2022
30/09/2022
3500
Ireland in the Renaissance Project
Co-Director
01/09/2007
30/09/2007
3500
GOI Scholarship for Seán Ó Hoireabhárd: The Storm before the Storm: The Irish twelfth century and the impact of the English invasion
PI
Colman Etchingham was original supervisor. Now Michael Potterton.
01/10/2017
30/09/2021
94588.08
International Commission for the History of Towns: Conference
PI
01/09/2022
30/09/2022
4000
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 3: Settlement in early medieval Ireland
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 4: Life and death in Iron Age Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2012
30/09/2012
5000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 1: Rural settlement in medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2009
30/09/2009
4000
Uncovering medieval Trim
Co-Director
01/09/2009
30/09/2009
3500
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project: Conference 2022
PI
This major conference took place at MU in September 2022. Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath, is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. The excavation is complete but the post-excavation project has been ongoing since 2018. The archive, including some 10,000 artefacts, is housed at MU and we have partnered with UCD to see the project through to full publication and deposition of the artefacts and archives with the National Museum of Ireland in 2028.
01/09/2022
30/09/2022
1000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 4: Life and death in Iron Age Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2011
30/09/2011
1000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
800
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
400
Ireland in the Renaissance Project (Dublin and the Pale)
Co-Director
01/09/2008
30/09/2008
1000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
2000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
2000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
2000
Archival Bursary
Student
01/09/2000
30/09/2001
2000
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 6: Towns in Medieval Ireland
Co-Director
In 2005 Michael Potterton initiated a project with Chris Corlett of the National Monuments Service to research and synthesise the results of recent archaeological excavations in Ireland, via thematic conferences and publications. The project is unique in concept and range; it covers sites from all parts of the island and from all periods of the country’s c.12,000 years of human occupation. The idea sprang from a recognition of the large amount of archaeological excavation taking place and the slowness with which the findings were reaching the rest of the archaeological community, the academic world and the public. We partnered with the Heritage Council, the Discovery Programme, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Wordwell and a range of archaeological consultancies. We have hosted seven major seminars, published six volumes in the Research Papers in Irish Archaeology series and raised €60,000 for the project. The series has built into a body of work that encourages and facilitates further research while providing interpretation and discussion of this ‘new archaeology’. The project, now firmly embedded at MU, improves awareness, understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage at both professional and popular levels.
01/09/2019
30/09/2019
1000
Moynagh Lough Excavation Project
PI
In 1980 the Royal Irish Academy recommenced funding the excavations at Moynagh, directed by John Bradley. In the years that followed, Moynagh became a flagship project for the Academy. Through the 1980s and 1990s, many individuals who would go on to hold the most senior offices in Irish archaeology – in universities, museums, the civil service and the private sector – cut their teeth trowelling back the years at Moynagh Lough. It turned out that this was an exceptional multi-period site with rich artefactual assemblages from multiple levels and phases.
Over the years, John produced a number of reports and published several articles about the findings at Moynagh (see attached bibliography), but the main excavation report remains incomplete and unpublished. When John moved to Maynooth University from UCD in 1996 the Moynagh archive moved with him. MU took responsibility for housing the archive and administering the substantial research grants provided by the Royal Irish Academy. Students worked on the excavation and afterwards were involved in post-excavation tasks. Sadly, John passed away in 2014, leaving the excavation incomplete and unpublished. The archive – including over 8,000 artefacts, 20 boxes of soil samples, 50 notebooks, 40 ring-binders, and hundreds of plans, drawings, sketches and photographs – is still housed on campus in Maynooth.
It is no exaggeration to state that Moynagh Lough is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. Even though it has not yet been fully published, there is not an archaeologist in the country who has not heard of the site. For my own part, I was a volunteer, then a supervisor and finally Assistant Director of the excavations under John Bradley in the 1990s. I was the last Assistant Director of the site and I am more familiar with the archive than anyone else. I am John’s Literary Executor and I feel that I have a moral as well as a professional responsibility to see that Moynagh is fully published and that the archive and artefacts are transferred to the National Museum of Ireland in due course.
I have assembled a steering committee including representatives from the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the Royal Irish Academy, Meath County Council, University College Dublin and Maynooth University, all of whom have visited the archive in Maynooth and all of whom are enthusiastic about and committed to seeing this project through to its natural conclusion.
Maynooth University funded five 6-week work-experience programmes (summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) for students to work with me on sorting the archive and preparing finds and samples for analysis.
Thanks primarily to the Archaeology Research Excavation Grants scheme, the Royal Irish Academy and the National Monuments Service, the Moynagh Lough Project is now up-and-running again. I think it is fair to say that this is a matter of some relief and satisfaction to all parties involved and to the wider archaeological community in Ireland. The scoping exercise (2019) identified a series of priorities; among these are conservation of metal artefacts, digitisation of plans and section drawings, transcription of site notebooks and record sheets, and assessment and analysis of palaeo-environmental samples.
Moynagh Lough lies just over 400m south-west of Nobber in north Co. Meath, surrounded by a drumlin landscape of rich pasturelands. The surviving pool (200m by 60m) is all that remains of a once-much-larger lake that was drained in the early nineteenth century. That lake was an expanse of the River Dee, which, following drainage, now flows in a straight, man-made channel through the centre of the old lake bed. Excavation revealed that the initial human occupation of the site commenced in the centuries immediately before 4000BC when a community of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers constructed a series of platforms in the lake. Climatic change and fluctuating water levels meant that the site was abandoned until the Early Bronze Age, when at least two round houses were constructed. Two phases of Later Bronze Age activity were found, but the site was abandoned again around 790BC. The prehistoric knolls still formed shallows and it may have been this that attracted crannog-builders, probably in the seventh century AD. The early medieval crannog was occupied for approximately two centuries, and a sequence of six habitation phases were present. One phase included a remarkable round house, the size of which (11.2m across) is exceptional, and, basing his research on the early Irish law tracts, Chris Lynn suggested that it was the residence of a king or senior aristocrat. This ties in well with research by Edel Bhreathnach, which indicates that Moynagh is the Loch Dé Mundech associated with the Mugdorne during the seventh and eighth centuries.
Michael Potterton
18/09/2020
27/11/2020
9700
Moynagh Lough Project & Meath County Council
PI
01/01/2021
31/12/2021
5161.16
Moynagh Lough Project
Principal Investigator
Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath, is one of the most significant archaeological sites ever discovered in Ireland. The excavation is complete but the post-excavation project has been ongoing since 2018. The archive, including some 10,000 artefacts, is housed at MU and we have partnered with UCD to see the project through to full publication and deposition of the artefacts and archives with the National Museum of Ireland in 2028.
01/10/2017
Book
Year
Publication
2010
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2010) The Dublin region in the Middle Ages: settlement, land-use and economy. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) Medieval Trim: history and archaeology. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
Edited Book
Year
Publication
2023
Michael Potterton and Sarah Gearty (Ed.). (2023) Town–Country relations in Ireland. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy,
2023
Michael Potterton, Denis Shine and Stephen Mandal (Ed.). (2023) Discovering medieval Ferns, County Wexford. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2022
Michael Potterton (Ed.). (2022) Rachel Moss and Cólman Ó Clabaigh OSB, 'Modest and civil people' Religion and society in medieval Galway. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2022
Michael Potterton (Ed.). (2022) Regina Donlon, The Burning of Knockcroghery Village, Co. Roscommon, 1921. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2022
Michael Potterton (Ed.). (2022) Suzanne M. Pegley, Thomas Conolly (1823-76) of Castletown House and the social networking of power. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2022
Michael Potterton (Ed.). (2022) David Heffernan, Early modern Duhallow, c.1534-1641 The crisis, decline and fall of Irish lordship. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2022
Michael Potterton (Ed.). (2022) Lisa McGeeney, Nursing and midwifery in the poor-law unions of Borrisokane and Nenagh, 1882–1922. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2022
Michael Potterton (Ed.). (2022) John Colgan, Nathaniel Colgan, 1851–1919 The life, times and genealogy of an enigmatic Dubliner. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2021
Michael Potterton, H.B. Clarke, Raymond Gillespie and Jacinta Prunty (Ed.). (2021) Rathmines: Irish Historic Towns Atlas, Dublin Suburbs no. 2 (by Séamus Ó Maitiú). Dublin: Royal Irish Academy,
2020
Michael Potterton and Christiaan Corlett (Ed.). (2020) The town in medieval Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations. Dublin: Wordwell,
2020
Michael Potterton, H.B. Clarke, Raymond Gillespie and Jacinta Prunty (Ed.). (2020) John Martin, Dungarvan/Dún Garbhán (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 30). Dublin: Royal Irish Academy,
2019
Michael Potterton, H.B. Clarke, Raymond Gillespie and Jacinta Prunty (Ed.). (2019) Ned Mc Hugh, Drogheda/Droichead Átha (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 29). Dublin: Royal Irish Academy,
2019
Michael Potterton, H.B. Clarke, Raymond Gillespie and Jacinta Prunty (Ed.). (2019) Paul Walsh, Renaissance Galway: delineating the seventeenth-century city. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy,
2019
Michael Potterton, Denis Shine, Stephen Mandal & Catherine McLoughlin (Ed.). (2019) Carrick, County Wexford: Ireland’s first Anglo-Norman stronghold. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2018
Michael Potterton, H.B. Clarke, Raymond Gillespie and Jacinta Prunty (Ed.). (2018) Colm Lennon, Clontarf (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, Dublin Suburbs no. 1). Dublin: Royal Irish Academy,
2017
Michael Potterton, John Bradley and Cóilín Ó Drisceoil (Ed.). (2017) William Marshal and Ireland. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2014
Michael Potterton and Christiaan Corlett (Ed.). (2014) The church in early medieval Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations. Dublin: Wordwell,
2012
Michael Potterton and Christiaan Corlett (Ed.). (2012) Life and death in Iron Age Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations. Bray: Wordwell,
2011
Michael Potterton and Thomas Herron (Ed.). (2011) Dublin and the Pale in the Renaissance, c.1540–1660. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2011
Michael Potterton and Christiaan Corlett (Ed.). (2011) Settlement in early medieval Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations. Bray: Wordwell,
2010
Michael Potterton and Christiaan Corlett (Ed.). (2010) Death and burial in early medieval Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excvations. Bray: Wordwell,
2009
Michael Potterton and Christiaan Corlett (Ed.). (2009) Rural settlement in medieval Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations. Bray: Wordwell,
2009
Michael Potterton and Matthew Seaver (Ed.). (2009) Uncovering medieval Trim: recent archaeological excavations in and around Trim, Co. Meath. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
2007
Michael Potterton and Thomas Herron (Ed.). (2007) Ireland in the Renaissance, c.1540–1660. Dublin: Four Courts Press,
Book Chapter
Year
Publication
2023
Michael Potterton, Jim Galloway and Margaret Murphy (2023) 'Town and Country in Ireland in the later Middle Ages, c.1170–c.1600' In: Town–Country relations in Ireland. Dublin : Royal Irish Academy.
2023
Michael Potterton (2023) 'From caput to caput: the rise and fall of medieval Ferns, c.600–c.1600' In: Discovering medieval Ferns, County Wexford. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2023
Michael Potterton (2023) 'Some archaeological evidence for international trade in Irish towns in the Middle Ages' In: Cities and economy in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present: markets and trade on the margins. Abingdon : Routledge.
2021
Michael Potterton (2021) ''Diverse persons of malice prepensed': who stole the records from Trim Castle in 1494?' In: The historian as detective: uncovering Irish pasts. Essays in honour of Raymond Gillespie. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2021
Michael Potterton and John Sheehan (2021) 'The Vikings and Normans: coastal invaders and settlers' In: The coastline atlas of Ireland. Cork : Cork University Press.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) 'A second Pale? The growth and decline of Anglo-Norman Wexford, c.1200–1400' In: Carrick, County Wexford: Ireland’s first Anglo-Norman stronghold. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2013
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2013) 'Agriculture in the Tara/Skreen region, c.AD1170–1660' In: Tara: from the past to the future. Towards a new research agenda. Dublin : Wordwell.
2011
Michael Potterton (2011) 'The FitzGeralds, Florence, St Fiachra and a few fragments' In: Dublin and the Pale in the Renaissance, c.1540–1660. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) 'Understanding Trim through the ages' In: Uncovering medieval Trim: recent archaeological excavations in and around Trim, Co. Meath. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2009
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2009) 'Mapping a medieval landscape? The Civil Survey and land-use in medieval Dublin' In: Dublin in the medieval world: studies in honour of Howard B. Clarke. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2005
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2005) 'Investigating living standards in the medieval Dublin region' In: Medieval Dublin VI: proceedings of the Friends of Medieval Dublin Symposium, 2004. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2002
Michael Potterton (2002) 'The lordship of Meath and the liberty of Trim, Ireland, 1172–1425' In: Medieval Europe: centre, region, periphery. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference of Medieval and Later Archaeology, Basel 2002. Basel : Verlag DR G. Wesselkamp.
Peer Reviewed Journal
Year
Publication
2022
Michael Potterton (2022) ''On the shoulders of giants': re-establishing the Moynagh Lough Project'. Archaeology Ireland, 36 (2):18-23. [Full-Text]
2021
Potterton, Michael (2021) 'Early Medieval Ireland, 431-1169'. Irish Economic and Social History, 48 :170-172. [DOI][Full-Text]
2019
Potterton, Michael (2019) 'Cultural Exchange and Identity in Late Medieval Ireland: The English and Irish of the Four Obedient Shires'. American Historical Review, 124 :1939-1940. [DOI][Full-Text]
2014
Michael Potterton (2014) 'Obituary: John Bradley, 1954–2014'. Archaeology Ireland, 28 (4):9-9. [Full-Text]
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) 'Review of An archaeology of southwest Ireland (by Colin Breen)'. Landscape History, 30 :105-105.
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) 'Review of Irish walled towns (by John Givens)'. Irish Arts Review (2002-), 25 (3):144-145.
2006
Michael Potterton (2006) 'Review of Cambridge and its economic region, 1450–1560 (by John S. Lee)'. Journal of Economic History, 66 (3):829-830. [Full-Text]
2006
Michael Potterton (2006) 'Review article on Trim: Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 14 (by Mark Hennessy)'. Ríocht Na Midhe, Records of the Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, 17 :332-337.
2002
Michael Potterton (2002) 'Reviews of Kilkenny: Irish Historic Town Atlas, no. 10 (by John Bradley) and Discover Kilkenny (by John Bradley)'. Irish Arts Review (2002-), 18 (2002):192-193. [Full-Text]
Other Journal
Year
Publication
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) 'Where were we then?'Social Policy and Society, (60) :21-22.
2013
Michael Potterton (2013) 'French connections in late medieval Ireland: the case of Geoffrey de Geneville (c.1226–1314)'SCRIPted, 39 (2) :53-75.
2009
Michael Potterton, Edel Bhreathnach, Elizabeth O’Brien, Elva Johnston, Anthony Corns, Michael Ann Bevivino, John McAuley & Evin McCarthy (2009) 'Mapping Death: burials, boundaries and territories in Ireland, first to eighth centuries AD'TEA: The European Archaeologist, (31) :16-17.
2005
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2005) 'Feeding Dublin: investigating the hinterland of Dublin in the medieval period'Heritage Outlook, Winter 2005/spring 2006 :13-13.
2004
Michael Potterton (2004) 'Annual directory of information on archaeology in the Irish parliament (Oireachtas Éireann) 2003'British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography, 8 (1) :273-277.
2003
Michael Potterton (2003) 'Annual directory of information on archaeology in the Irish parliament (Oireachtas Éireann) 2002'British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography, 7 (1) :227-231.
2002
Michael Potterton (2002) 'Annual directory of information on archaeology in the Irish parliament (Oireachtas Éireann) 2001'British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography, 6 (1) :227-231.
2001
Michael Potterton (2001) 'Annual directory of information on archaeology in the Irish parliament (Oireachtas Éireann) 2000'British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography, 5 (1) :208-215.
2000
Michael Potterton (2000) 'Annual directory of information on archaeology in the Irish parliament (Oireachtas Éireann) 1999'British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography, 4 (1) :224-230.
1999
Michael Potterton (1999) 'Annual directory of information on archaeology in the Irish parliament (Oireachtas Éireann) 1998'British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography, 3 (1) :225-229.
1998
Michael Potterton and John Bradley (1998) 'Annual directory of information on archaeology in the Irish parliament (Oireachtas Éireann) 1997'British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography, 2 (1) :218-221.
Conference Contribution
Year
Publication
2022
Michael Potterton (2022) From caput to caput: the rise and fall of medieval Ferns, c.600–c.1600 Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute for the Study of Irish History and Civilisation, University College Dublin Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute for the Study of Irish History and Civilisation, University College Dublin, 25/11/2022-25/11/2022.
2022
Michael Potterton (2022) Looking back on Trim in the Middle Ages Maynooth University Retired Staff Association Trim, Co. Meath, 01/12/2022-01/12/2022.
2022
Michael Potterton (2022) Towns in medieval Ireland Archaeological Institute of America & Cultural Tourism Ireland Slane, Co. Meath, 06/09/2021-06/09/2021.
2022
Michael Potterton (2022) ’Picking up the Pieces: The Moynagh Lough Excavation Project, Phase 3’ Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 05/09/2022-05/09/2022.
2022
Michael Potterton, Jim Galloway and Margaret Murphy (2022) Town and Country in Later Medieval Ireland, c.1170–c.1600 Irish Historic Towns Atlas Annual Seminar Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 13/05/2022-13/05/2022.
2020
Michael Potterton (2020) Anglo-Norman castles in Ireland, c.1170–c.1320 Lancaster University History Research Seminar Series, 2020–1 Lancaster University, 16/03/2020-.
2020
Michael Potterton (2020) Pottery in medieval Dublin and its region, c.1150–1300 Pre-Modern Towns Conference 2020: ‘Material Culture and the Pre-Modern Town Birkbeck College, London, 25/01/2020-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) Early castles in Ireland Carrig 850 Summer Lecture Series Wexford Library, 18/07/2019-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) Moynagh Lough Crannog: the story of a long-lost ‘island’ and prehistoric settlement site UCD Archaeology Society Dublin, 05/11/2020-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) Trim in the time of Geoffrey de Geneville Blackfriary Archaeology Field School Trim, Co. Meath, 09/03/2019-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) Some archaeological evidence for international trade in Irish towns in the Middle Ages International Commission for the History of Towns Budapest, Hungary, 20/09/2019-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) Looking back on medieval Trim Blackfriary Archaeology Field School Trim, Co. Meath, 25/07/2019-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) The medieval church at Ardrass, Co. Kildare, and its wider context Celbridge Historical Society Celbridge Library, Co. Kildare, 04/03/2019-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) Wexford, Britain and the Continent in the later Middle Ages: evidence for contact and trade Carrig 850 Conference, Irish National Heritage Park Ferrycarrig, Co. Wexford, 18/10/2019-.
2019
Michael Potterton (2019) The Archaeology of Anglo-Norman Overseas Trade in Ireland National Museum of Ireland, Lunchtime Lecture Series National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin, 02/10/2019-.
2018
Michael Potterton (2018) An Irish Renaissance? Contact between Ireland and the European Continent in the sixteenth century State University of New York: Brockport, USA The Maynooth Lecture, 30/10/2018-.
2018
Michael Potterton (2018) Moynagh Lough: the story of a long-lost royal island and prehistoric settlement site Archaeological Institute of America Trim Castle Hotel, Co. Meath, 19/06/2018-.
2017
Michael Potterton (2017) Trowelling back the years: what has archaeology taught us about medieval Trim? Archaeology Ireland Conference Dublin Castle, .
2017
Michael Potterton (2017) Feeding medieval Dublin: the hinterland of Ireland’s capital Archaeological Institute of America and Cultural Tourism Ireland Trim, Co. Meath, .
2017
Michael Potterton (2017) Urban defences in medieval Ireland Illuminating Heritage Seminar Athy Heritage Centre Museum, Co. Kildare, .
2017
Michael Potterton (2017) Anglo-Norman castles in Ireland Kilbarron Terryglass Historical Society Terryglass Hall, Co. Tipperary, .
2017
Michael Potterton (2017) Unearthing the past: archaeological excavations at Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath Maynooth University: Department of History Postgraduate Seminar Maynooth University, .
2016
Michael Potterton and Brian Ayers (2016) The church in two regional capitals: Kilkenny and Norwich Irish Historic Towns Atlas seminar Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, .
2016
Michael Potterton (2016) Town development in Ireland under the Anglo-Normans County Kildare Archaeological Society Kilcullen Heritage Centre, Co. Kildare, .
2016
Michael Potterton (2016) The monastic town in Ireland: fact or fiction? Slattery Lecture Series Carlow College, Co. Carlow, .
2015
Michael Potterton (2015) Feeding the city: Dublin and its hinterland in the Middle Ages Department of History Postgraduate Seminar Maynooth University, .
2014
Michael Potterton (2014) Looking back on medieval Trim Irish Archaeological Field School Trim, Co. Meath, .
2014
Michael Potterton (2014) Trim in international context: the medieval Mortimers Mortimer Society (UK) Dublin, .
2014
Michael Potterton (2014) Heritage Week The medieval town of Trim Office of Public Works Head Quarters, .
2013
Michael Potterton (2013) Caput: the rise and fall of medieval Trim, Co. Meath Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement Trim, Co. Meath, .
2012
Michael Potterton (2012) Staying in Trim: Geoffrey de Geneville (c.1226–1314) and French connections in late medieval Ireland French Across Borders (1200–1600): cultural and political exchanges East Carolina University, North Carolina, USA, .
2012
Michael Potterton (2012) Verging on a Renaissance? Contact between Ireland and the Continent in the sixteenth century Space and Settlement in the Middle Ages conference Trinity College Dublin, .
2012
Michael Potterton (2012) Discovering Dublin – the medieval city and its hinterland: archaeological evidence UCD Archaeology Postgraduate Seminar University College Dublin, .
2011
Michael Potterton (2011) Feeding the city: Dublin and its hinterland in the Middle Ages UCD Archaeology Society University College Dublin, .
2011
Michael Potterton (2011) Communicating archaeology: printed publications Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland/National Roads Authority forum on Communicating Archaeology Galway, .
2010
Michael Potterton (2010) Rural settlement in medieval Meath Lismullin Heritage Series Lismullin Conference Centre, Co. Meath, .
2010
Michael Potterton (2010) Defence and fortification in the Dublin Region, c.1170–c.1650 Fingal County Council and the Discovery Programme Seminar Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin, .
2010
Michael Potterton (2010) “A soil gnarled by ploughs”? Tara in AD1210 Annual Tara Lecture Series Tara, Co. Meath, .
2009
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2009) Agriculture in Tara and its hinterland, AD1200–1650 Tara Symposium University College Dublin, .
2009
Michael Potterton and Michael Ann Bevivino (2009) The Mapping Death Project Archaeology Society, NUI Galway NUI Galway, .
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) An overview of burials, religious conversion and external influences in early Ireland Mapping Death Symposium Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Dublin, .
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) The archaeology of the Pale boundary Dublin and the Pale in the Renaissance Seminar Trinity College Dublin, .
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) Geoffrey de Geneville (c.1226–1314) and his career in Ireland Dublin Medieval Society Trinity College Dublin, .
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) Brú na Bóinne in the medieval and post-medieval periods (to c.1700): a research agenda Public seminar on developing a research strategy for Brú na Bóinne Slane, Co. Meath, .
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) “Fensible in fastness of ditches and castles”: the archaeology of the English Pale Sixteenth-Century Society Conference St Louis, Missouri, USA, .
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) The Mapping Death Project: summary and future directions Mapping Death Symposium University College Dublin, .
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) Medieval Trim: the known and the unknown Uncovering Trim Town Seminar Trim, Co. Meath, .
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) Archaeological research in the twenty-first century Wellington College: Presentation to A-Level students Wellington College, Berkshire, UK, .
2007
Michael Potterton (2007) Commercial intercourse between medieval Dublin and its hinterland International Medieval Congress University of Leeds, UK, .
2007
Michael Potterton (2007) The archaeology, history and cultural heritage of Ireland Odyssey Tours (Australia & New Zealand) Holiday Inn, Pearse St., Dublin, .
2007
Michael Potterton (2007) Champagne Crusaders: French connections in thirteenth-century Meath International Congress on Medieval Studies Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, .
2006
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2006) Settlement and society in the hinterland of medieval Dublin Annual Conference of the Society for Medieval Archaeology Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo, .
2006
Michael Potterton (2006) Trim and the medieval lordship of Meath International Medieval Congress University of Leeds, UK, .
2006
Michael Potterton (2006) Standards of living in medieval Dublin and its hinterland Cork Archaeological and Historical Society Crawford Gallery, Cork, .
2006
Michael Potterton (2006) Town development under the Anglo-Normans Kilmallock Walled Towns Conference Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) Queen’s University Belfast Archaeology and Palaeoecology Postgraduate Seminar Rural settlement in the medieval Dublin region Queen’s University Belfast, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) The archaeology of Meath Dunshaughlin Community College, Co. Meath Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) The Dublin Module of the Discovery Programme’s Medieval Rural Settlement Project European Association of Archaeologists’ 11th Annual Meeting Cork, .
2005
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2005) Feeding the city: reconstructing diet, lifestyle and health in medieval Dublin Archaeology Ireland conference on ‘Food, culture and identity’ University College Dublin, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) All creatures great and small: the animals of medieval Trim Annual General Meeting of the Meath Archaeological and Historical Society Public Library, Trim, Co. Meath, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) Early castle-building in medieval Ireland East Carolina University Medieval Irish History and Archaeology Lecture Series, 2005–7 Greenville, North Carolina, USA, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) Talking heads: learning from dead bodies British Association for the Advancement of Science annual Festival of Science Trinity College Dublin, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) Trim Castle, Co. Meath: the historical archaeology of an Irish castle Appalachian State University: Presentation to Medieval Studies Seminar Appalachian State University—Boone, North Carolina, USA, .
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) Bone and antler as raw materials in medieval Ireland Ruralia VI: Arts and Crafts in Medieval Rural Environments Szentendre-Dobogókő, Hungary, .
2004
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2004) Rural settlement in the medieval Dublin region: interdisciplinary approaches Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute for the Study of Irish History and Civilisation University College Dublin, .
2004
Michael Potterton (2004) An introduction to the history and culture of Ireland Odyssey Tours (Australia & New Zealand) Holiday Inn, Pearse St., Dublin, .
2004
Michael Potterton (2004) What can pottery tell us about commercial interaction in Ireland in the Middle Ages Rathmichael Summer Lecture Series on Archaeology Shankill, Co. Dublin, .
2004
Michael Potterton (2004) What is archaeology? St Dympna’s National School, Kildalkey, Co. Meath Kildalkey, Co. Meath, .
2004
Michael Potterton (2004) Archaeology and local history St Finnian’s College, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, .
2004
Michael Potterton (2004) Pottery as evidence for interaction and trade in medieval Ireland International Medieval Congress University of Leeds, UK, .
2004
Michael Potterton (2004) The medieval town and liberty of Trim, Co. Meath Trinity College Dublin History Postgraduate Seminar Trinity College Dublin, .
2004
Michael Potterton and Margaret Murphy (2004) Standards of Living in the medieval Dublin region: documentary and archaeological approaches Friends of Medieval Dublin Symposium Trinity College Dublin, .
2003
Michael Potterton (2003) The castle and town of Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland 38th International Congress on Medieval Studies Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, .
2003
Michael Potterton (2003) Life and Death in the Middle Ages St Andrew’s College, Booterstown, Co. Dublin Booterstown, Co. Dublin, .
2003
Michael Potterton (2003) Feeding Dublin: recent research on the hinterland of the medieval city University of Toronto: New Perspectives in Celtic Archaeology University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, .
2002
Michael Potterton (2002) The lordship of Meath and the liberty of Trim, Ireland, 1172–1425 3rd International Conference of Medieval and Later Archaeology Basel, Switzerland, .
2002
Michael Potterton (2002) Daily life in medieval Trim Boyne Adult Education Programme, Boyne Community School Trim, Co. Meath, .
2001
Michael Potterton (2001) The development of the lordship of Trim, 1172–1494 NUIM Department of Modern History Postgraduate Research Seminar Maynooth, 16/02/2001-.
2001
Michael Potterton (2001) The archaeology of medieval Trim, Co. Meath NUIM Department of Modern History Postgraduate Research Seminar Maynooth, 06/12/2001-.
Article
Year
Publication
2017
Michael Potterton (2017) The Anglo-Norman town. [Article] [Link]
Newsletter
Year
Publication
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 32. [Newsletter]
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 31. [Newsletter]
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 30. [Newsletter]
2008
Michael Potterton (2008) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 29. [Newsletter]
2007
Michael Potterton (2007) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 28. [Newsletter]
2007
Michael Potterton (2007) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 27. [Newsletter]
2006
Michael Potterton (2006) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 26. [Newsletter]
2006
Michael Potterton (2006) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 25. [Newsletter]
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 24. [Newsletter]
2005
Michael Potterton (2005) TEA: The European Archaeologist. The newsletter of the European Association of Archaeologists, 23. [Newsletter]
Gov. Report or Document
Year
Publication
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site: research framework. Kilkenny: [Gov. Report or Document]
Podcast
Year
Publication
2022
Michael Potterton (2022) Moynagh Lough. Dublin: [Podcast] [Link]
Pamphlet
Year
Publication
2009
Michael Potterton (2009) Trim in the Middle Ages: a market town on the River Boyne. Bray: [Pamphlet]
Archaeology Research Excavation Grant (Moynagh Lough Project)
Royal Irish Academy
01/11/2019
Archaeology Research Excavation Grant (Moynagh Lough Project)
Royal Irish Academy
01/03/2019
Heritage Grant for Moynagh Lough Project
Meath County Council
01/03/2019
Publication Grants for Towns in Medieval Ireland
County Councils (KE, KK, MH, RN, TY, WH, WX, W)
01/01/2019
Publications Grant for Towns in Medieval Ireland
Maynooth University
01/11/2018
Archaeology Research Excavation Grant (Moynagh Lough Project)
Royal Irish Academy
01/01/2017
Grant for seminar on Towns in Medieval Ireland
Irish Walled Towns Network
01/01/2016
Heritage grant for Moynagh Lough Excavations Project
Meath County Council
01/01/2014
Grant for The church in early medieval Ireland
Heritage Council of Ireland
01/01/2012
Grant for Life and death in Iron Age Ireland
Heritage Council of Ireland
01/01/2011
Bevir Trust grant for Settlement in early medieval Ireland
Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
01/01/2011
Environment Fund Grant for Life and death in Iron Age Ireland
Government of Ireland: Dept. Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht
01/01/2010
Heritage Education and Community Outreach Grant for Settlement in early medieval Ireland
Heritage Council of Ireland
01/01/2009
Unpublished Excavations Grant for Uncovering medieval Trim
Heritage Council of Ireland
01/01/2009
Unpublished Excavations Grant for Rural settlement in medieval Ireland
Heritage Council of Ireland
01/01/2007
Publication Grant for Ireland in the Renaissance, c.1540–1660
Heritage Council of Ireland
01/01/2005
Publication Grant for Medieval Trim: history and archaeology
Heritage Council of Ireland
01/10/2000
Archival Bursary
Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences
01/01/1999
Government of Ireland Scholarship
Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences
01/01/1998
Postgraduate Studentship
National University of Ireland
01/01/1994
Erasmus Scholarship
University College Dublin
Committees
Committee
Function
From / To
Moynagh Lough Project
Principal Investigator
01/09/2015 -
International Commission for the History of Towns
Board Member
01/01/2018 -
Kilkenny Archaeological Project
Academic Researcher
01/01/2014 -
Maynooth University SPUR Programme
Mentor
01/09/2017 -
Eolas: the Journal of the American Society for Irish Medieval Studies
Reviews Editor
01/01/2006 - 31/12/2009
TEA: The European Archaeologist
Editor
01/01/2005 - 31/12/2010
Maynooth University Project Live
Collaborator
01/09/2020 -
Urban Archaeology Survey
Principal Investigator
01/09/2015 -
‘Centering Spenser: A Digital Resource for Kilcolman Castle’, East Carolina University
Academic Advisor
01/01/2018 -
Research Papers in Irish Archaeology
Series Editor
01/01/2009 -
Blackfriary Archaeology Field School, Trim, Co. Meath
Academic Advisor
01/01/2012 -
Maynooth Studies in Local History series
Series Editor
01/10/2021 -
Irish Historic Towns Atlas
Chair
01/01/2021 -
The Medieval Trust
Director
01/01/2021 -
Wilson’s Hospital School
Director
01/06/2022 -
Dublinia
Director
01/01/2021 -
Irish Historic Towns Atlas
Board Member
02/01/2017 -
European Association of Archaeologists
Board Member
02/01/2005 - 31/12/2010
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy
Board Member
01/09/2016 -
Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
Council Member
01/01/2004 - 01/01/2008
Irish Archaeological Field School
Committee Member
01/01/2010 -
Journal of Irish Archaeology
Board Member
01/01/2005 - 31/12/2009
Employment
Employer
Position
From / To
Four Courts Press
Editor
01/05/2009 - 31/08/2015
The Discovery Programme
Senior Research Archaeologist
03/02/2003 - 30/04/2009
School of Archaeology, University College Dublin
Lecturer
01/09/2008 - 30/06/2009
Department of Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway
Temporary Lecturer
01/09/2006 - 30/06/2007
St Michael’s College, University of Toronto, Canada
Visiting Professor
01/01/2003 - 30/06/2003
Department of History, Maynooth University
Occasional Lecturer
01/09/1998 - 31/01/2003
Université de Paris–IV (La Sorbonne), France
Temporary Lecturer
02/09/1996 - 30/06/1997
Education
Start date
Institution
Qualification
Subject
National University of Ireland, Maynooth
PhD
History
University College Dublin (NUI)
BA (Int.)
Archaeology & French
Languages
Language
Reading
Writing
Speaking
English
Fluent
Fluent
Fluent
French
Fluent
Functional
Functional
Teaching Interests
Michael Potterton currently (University
Year 2022–2023) provides the following modules: FIRST
YEAR HY121
Introduction to Medieval History: Vikings
and Normans (x2 hours per week), 7.5CR core
SECOND YEAR HY224
Settlement and Society: Ireland in the
Middle Ages (x2 hours per week) 5CR elective
HY292
Ireland in Prehistory (x2 hours per
week) 5CR elective
THIRD YEAR HY387
Towns in Medieval Ireland (x2 hours per
week), 5CR elective
Some
of Dr Potterton’s previous teaching is outlined below 2011: School of Archaeology, UCD.
Taught Adult Education courses on ‘The castles of the Dublin region: creating
the medieval world’ and (jointly) ‘Expanding horizons: Ireland and the wider
world, AD600–1800’ (including fieldtrips).
2010: School of Archaeology, UCD.
Taught Adult Education course on ‘The archaeology of medieval Ireland’.
2008–2009: Lecturer, School of
Archaeology, UCD. Taught courses on ‘Expanding horizons: Ireland, Europe and
the Atlantic world, AD800–1800’; ‘The archaeology of identity’; ‘Historical
archaeology’ (MA); supervised 7 MAs.
2006–2007: Lecturer, Department of
Archaeology, NUI Galway. Contributed series of lectures to postgraduate, first-
and second-year courses; taught complete third-year courses on: ‘Ireland from
the Viking Age to the coming of the Anglo-Normans’ and ‘Gaelic and Plantation
settlement and society’; supervised 2 MAs.
2003: Visiting Professor, Department
of Celtic Studies, St Michael’s College, University of Toronto (one semester).
Taught course on the archaeology and history of medieval Ireland.
2000–2005: Regular contributor to
medieval courses in Department of Archaeology, NUI Galway.
1996–1997: Temporary Lecturer,
Department of English, Université de Paris–IV (La Sorbonne). 1998–2005, 2009: Occasional Lecturer,
Department of History, Maynooth University: designed, co-ordinated and taught
24-lecture courses on ‘Ireland 1014–1400’, ‘Research Methods for Historians’,
‘Irish Historic Settlement’ and ‘The Medieval Irish Town’; contributed to BA in
Local and Community Studies Modular Degree Programme, BA in Local and Community
Studies (Summer School in University of Wales, Lampeter), Modular Degree
Programme (Outreach Campus, Kilkenny), Diploma in Cultural Tourism.
