Viking site at Woodstown in Waterford to receive major funding under new scheme

The Royal Irish Academy is pleased to announce the allocation of €190,000 for projects under the Archaeological Research Excavation Grants, Archaeology Legacy Grants and Archaeological Archival Research Grants schemes.

The grants schemes are generously supported by the National Monuments Service (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) and will enable archaeological research projects to take place across the country in 2026.

Among the most significant of these is new research, that falls under the Archaeology Research Excavation grants, aimed at uncovering further insights into the internationally important Viking site at Woodstown, County Waterford.

The proposed project is built on a partnership that includes The Discovery Programme and The University and Museum of Stavanger. Led by archaeologist Neil Jackman (Abarta Heritage) who is also the project manager for the Woodstown Viking Site on behalf of the Woodstown Steering Committee and Waterford City & County Council, the Woodstown project will see continuing efforts to shed new light on the Viking presence along the River Suir.

Discovered in 2003, Woodstown Viking Site has been regarded as one of the most significant discoveries in Irish archaeology. In recent years, intensive survey using multiple geophysical techniques has revealed greater insights into the scale and nature of the site.

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The results suggest that the site comprises at least sixty-one structures with other hallmarks of a significant, and substantial, settlement. Jackman’s project will target one of these structures, aiming to examine questions of building type, material, function and chronology leading to an improved understanding of the settlement as a whole.

Other excavation projects funded by the Archaeology Research Excavation grants include investigations at Castlepook in Co. Cork, excavations of the enigmatic Ballymoon Castle in Co. Carlow and analysis of a destroyed court tomb on the Maree peninsula in Co. Galway.

Under the Archaeological Archival Research grants scheme, Cathy Moore will review and assess peatland archaeological legacy samples and Jess Beck will examine the prehistoric burials of the Phoenix Park.

The Archaeology Legacy grants scheme which supports post-excavation work on RIA-funded excavations that took place over five years ago will fund three significant projects: Mick Monk’s Lisleagh Ringforts project in Co. Cork, Michael Potterton’s continued work on Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath and Chris Read’s post-excavation analysis of Kilteasheen in Co. Roscommon.

Mary Deevy, Chair of the Standing Committee for Archaeology at the Royal Irish Academy, said: "These three distinct but complementary grant schemes, will facilitate a diverse range of research centred on archaeological excavation - whether new, old or from the archives.  Exciting results are anticipated some of which will change the face of Irish archaeology as we know it!".