Nora
Bermingham and Caitríona Moore accept Current Archaeology’s prestigious Rescue
Dig of the Year award for 2016, for their work on the Drumclay Crannog
The
award for Rescue Dig of the Year (sponsored by Export and General Insurance for
the second year running) was accepted by Dr Nora Bermingham and Caitríona Moore
who carried out the rare excavation of a crannog (a medieval artificial island)
in Co. Fermanagh on behalf of the Department of the Environment and Department
for Regional Development in Northern Ireland. The well-preserved remains of
timber structures and thousands of artefacts uncovered at this important site,
are set to revolutionise our understanding of crannog life.
The prize forms part of the celebrated
Current Archaeology Awards given each year by Current Archaeology, the UK’s
leading archaeology magazine. TV personality and archaeologist Julian Richards
(of Meet the Ancestors fame) announced the winners of the 2016 awards on
26 February, during the Current Archaeology Live! event, held at the University
of London’s Senate House, which saw a record number of ticket sales for the
conference, and was attended by over 400 people.
Nora Bermingham said:
‘Thank you so much to everyone who
voted for us. This was a tiny little rural excavation in Northern Ireland, and
we’re thrilled to have won. Doing Drumclay was the experience of a lifetime,
and I don’t think it will be matched – it was a real privilege to direct that
excavation and see the wonders that came out of it. We had a wonderful crew,
and we would also like to thank the Department of the Environment and
Department for Regional Development in Northern Ireland.’
John
Mitchell said:
We
are delighted once again to be sponsoring this prestigious award – and we are
very happy that it has been won by the Drumclay Crannog Project. It is well deserved!
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