Latest news with #NoelMcCarthy
BreakingNews.ie
20-07-2025
- Science
- BreakingNews.ie
Ancient nobles' ringfort revealed by archaeologists
A ringfort overlooking Galway Bay has been confirmed as a settlement for rulers and nobles in Ireland's Early Medieval period, according to archaeologists. Rathgurreen Ringfort, in the Maree area of Co Galway, has been described as an impressive 'high-status' settlement that could date anywhere from the 5th to 12th century AD. Advertisement An eight-week archaeological excavation, directed by Dr Michelle Comber and Dr Noel McCarthy of the Discipline of Archaeology at University of Galway, has also revealed exciting new layers to the story of the panoramic site with views south to the Burren, west to the Atlantic, and north across Galway. University of Galway's Dr Michelle Comber, right, and Susan Curran from the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland (Aengus McMahon/University of Galway/PA) The ringfort was first investigated and proposed as a high-status settlement – home to a local ruler such as a king or lord – by Professor Michael Duignan, then chairman of archaeology at the university, in the late 1940s. Excavations now suggest that parts of the site are potentially 1,000 years older than previously thought, with evidence of contact with Rome, Scotland, France, and Scandinavia, possibly including the trade of valuable purple dye made at Rathgurreen. A team of professionals, students and volunteers took part in the archaeological dig this summer on a section of the 100m-diameter ringfort. Advertisement Dr Michelle Comber holding a turquoise and red glass bead found at the Rathgurreen Ringfort and believed to date from Early Medieval Ireland (Aengus McMahon/University of Galway/PA) Dr Comber, lecturer in archaeology at the university, said: 'What we can say with some certainty is that Maree is an ancient territory. 'Our research confirms that Rathgurreen was the home of a noble family – hence the description as high-status. 'But the story is much deeper and richer. We have evidence of continuity and change at this site – a settlement that possibly dates back to the Iron Age, that was later developed into a very fine ringfort. 'A new home with links to ancestors would certainly have been very attractive to Early Medieval nobility.' Advertisement Glass and amber beads, an Iron Age knife, ancient axe heads and stone tools, and French pottery were found at the ringfort (Aengus McMahon/University of Galway/PA) The archaeology team found a number of glass beads, some coloured blue and another turquoise and red. These have parallels in other parts of Ireland and Scotland in the Iron Age – the era that immediately precedes the Early Medieval period. The dig has also confirmed the presence of Early Medieval pottery from northern France and amber beads likely connected with Scandinavian trade routes used by the Vikings. Evidence of the manufacture of purple dye at Rathgurreen comprises the remnants of dog-whelk shellfish that were processed at the settlement to produce the rare and valuable colouring. Advertisement Dr Comber added: 'We are working in an ancient high-status settlement located roughly mid-way along the Atlantic seaboard. 'In no sense, though, would it have been viewed as 'wild' or isolated – on the contrary it was part of a wider community and had links with other parts of Ireland, Scotland and mainland Europe. A dog-whelk shell found at Rathgurreen Ringfort which was used to manufacture rare and valuable purple dye (Aengus McMahon/University of Galway/PA) 'The big takeaway from this site is that a place like Galway had a wider significance in the past, and that significance translates into the present.' The excavation marks the launch of a research project exploring land use through time on the Maree peninsula in Galway, with the university team hoping to continue digs at the site in 2026 and to pursue other locations in the area in future years. Advertisement Community volunteers, University of Galway archaeology students, and international students from Uppsala University in Sweden came together to investigate the site and put into practice skills vital to careers in the archaeological profession. The wider project involves work with local, national and international communities as well as the development of a conservation management plan for Rathgurreen in conjunction with landowners and experts, through a community monuments fund with Galway County Council.
Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Science
- Irish Times
‘Deep and rich' story of medieval high rulers and nobles determined by archaeologists in Galway
A ringfort overlooking Galway bay was a settlement for high-status rulers and nobles in Ireland's early medieval period, archaeologists have determined. Rathgurreen Ringfort, in the Maree area of Co Galway, has been described as an impressive, 'high-status' settlement that could date anywhere from the 5th to 12th century AD, with evidence of contact with Rome, Scotland, France and Scandinavia, possibly including the trade of valuable purple dye. An eight-week archaeological excavation, directed by Dr Michelle Comber and Dr Noel McCarthy of the discipline of archaeology at University of Galway , determined the ringfort was the settlement of a king or a lord. Glass and amber beads; an Iron Age knife; ancient axe heads and stone tools; French pottery found at Rathgurreen Ringfort. Photograph: Aengus McMahon The ringfort, on a panoramic site with views south to the Burren, west to the Atlantic and north across Galway was first investigated and proposed as a high-status settlement by professor Michael Duignan, then chair of archaeology at the university, in the late 1940s. Excavations now suggest that parts of the site are potentially 1,000 years older than previously thought. A team of professionals, students and volunteers took part in the archaeological dig this summer on a section of the 100m diameter ringfort. Dr Comber, lecturer in archaeology at University of Galway, said it could be asserted with some certainty that Maree is an ancient territory. There are up to 40 ringforts in the area, most of which are only a third the size of Rathgurreen, as well as a number of earlier prehistoric sites. The name Mearaí (Maree) appears in several early legends, often associated with warriors or other figures bearing that name. Dr Comber said the team's research confirms that Rathgurreen was the home of a noble family – 'hence the description as high-status.' 'But the story is much deeper and richer. We have evidence of continuity and change at this site – a settlement that possibly dates back to the iron age, that was later developed into a very fine ringfort. A new home with links to ancestors would certainly have been very attractive to early medieval nobility.' Dr Michelle Comber holding a turquoise and red glass bead found at the Rathgurreen Ringfort and believed to date from Early Medieval Ireland. Credit: Aengus McMahon The archaeology team found a number of glass beads, some coloured blue and another turquoise and red. These have parallels in other parts of Ireland and Scotland in the Iron Age – the era that immediately precedes the early medieval period. The dig has also confirmed the presence of early medieval pottery from northern France and amber beads likely connected with Scandinavian trade routes used by the Vikings. Evidence of the manufacture of purple dye at Rathgurreen comprises the remnants of dog-whelk shellfish that were processed at the settlement to produce the rare, and therefore, valuable colouring. Dr Comber said: 'We are working in an ancient high-status settlement located roughly midway along the Atlantic seaboard. In no sense, though, would it have been viewed as 'wild' or isolated – on the contrary it was part of a wider community and had links with other parts of Ireland, Scotland and mainland Europe. The adjacent coast provided relatively easy access to the outside world – seaways were the motorways of their day. 'The big takeaway from this site is that a place like Galway had a wider significance in the past, and that significance translates into the present. This one site has many tales to tell and roles to play. People come to the west of Ireland and they think it's isolated and remote, but Maree's ancient remains tell us that western Ireland was not cut off from the wider world, geographically or culturally.' The modern excavations began with geophysical surveys that provided hints of what might be present beneath the grass. In conjunction with the results from the 1940s, these helped guide the work this summer. The excavation marks the launch of a new research project exploring land use through time on the Maree peninsula in Galway with the university team hoping to continue digs at the site in 2026 and to pursue other locations in the area in future years. The larger project is supported by the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland. It also involves local, national and international communities – developing a conservation management plan for Rathgurreen, in conjunction with landowners, ecological and archaeological experts and funded by the National Monuments Service Community Monuments Fund via Galway County Council.
Agriland
07-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Cork to host major event on dairy powders and recombined milk
Dairy drying technology and recombined milk products will be the focus of a major international event taking place in Cork this month. The International Dairy Federation (IDF) Joint Symposium will take place from May 13 to 15 at the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cork. The event, co-organised by Teagasc, IDF, and University College Cork (UCC), will bring together over 250 delegates from 25 countries to explore the latest scientific and industrial advances in dairy powders and recombined milk technologies. This three-day international symposium features a programme of keynote lectures, technical presentations, and panel discussions. Among those in attendance will be academics, industry leaders, technologists, policymakers, and students. Dairy With confirmed participants from Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, the symposium highlights Ireland's leadership in global dairy research. Seven internationally recognised experts will headline the symposium, including representatives from: Université de Lorraine (France); University of Minnesota (USA); Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands); Jiangnan University (China); Federal University of Juiz de Fora (Brazil); University of Auckland (New Zealand); University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA). The speakers will address cutting-edge topics in dairy science, processing innovation, and sustainable food systems. The symposium will feature several expert contributions from the Teagasc Food Programme. Researchers will present on key themes, including Dr. Noel McCarthy on powder morphology and reconstitution challenges; Dr. Jonathan Magan on seasonal optimisation of skim milk powder manufacturing; and Dr. Norah O'Shea on the use of advanced process analytical technologies in dairy powder production. Symposium Speaking in advance of the symposium, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Noel Grealish, said: 'As minister with responsibility for new markets and research, I have seen first-hand the importance of building a sustainable and competitive dairy industry. 'As we look to the future, events like this strengthen our international partnerships and display Ireland's leadership in dairy science and technology. 'They play a key role in sustaining a competitive, research-driven agri-food economy'. Professor Frank O'Mara, director of Teagasc added: 'Teagasc is proud of its longstanding role in delivering research and innovation to support the advancement of Ireland's dried dairy sector, an industry with exports valued at approximately €3 billion annually and vital to rural communities across the country'.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This massive map helps Altadena fire victims feel seen
In the hours, weeks and months since the Eaton fire, pictures of Altadena's destruction have been almost unavoidable. Tens of thousands of photos and videos of burned homes have found their way online, a relentless stream of devastation for weary eyes. And yet, the scale of what happened in Altadena is hard to fully comprehend, no matter how many images you've seen. In Altadena, where more than 9,000 total structures burned and most residents are still dealing with the fire's effects on a daily basis, a massive new physical map is helping some come to terms with the destruction — or at least start to mourn the community they've lost. Read more: In Altadena, a community wrestles with its future: Stay and rebuild, or move on? Created by Highland Park resident Noel McCarthy and set up in the parking lot of West Altadena Wine and Spirits, the 8-by-13.5-foot map is a stylized update of L.A. County's Eaton fire damage map, which uses field damage reports to visualize the number of structures affected on a web-based map. McCarthy's map, which has been attached to plywood pieces and mounted on what amounts to a faux wall, sits amid blocked-off parking spaces just steps from burned-out lots. McCarthy, a production designer by trade, says he's been working in Austin, Texas, lately and has found that, while people ask him about the fires, they don't really understand the scale. 'I would literally pull out my phone, pull up the [official L.A. County] map and zoom in on a neighborhood,' he says. 'I'd scroll around, and peoples' faces would drop, like their whole demeanor would change.' Seeing the map, he said, was the only thing that effectively showed the devastation, but it was hard to get a sense of just how much of the town the fire took on a phone screen or a laptop. A large-scale map that people could stand in front of and ponder in person, he thought, would help people absorb the tragedy in its totality. As a visual person, he also felt a map would help deliver a 'quick read,' meaning it would convey maximum information and impact at a single glance. And it certainly does. The size of a small billboard, positioned to get views from customers and passersby of Altadena Wine and Spirits (where McCarthy — who has been friends with store owner Randy Clement for years — got permission to display his work), the map has attracted quite a bit of social media attention from Altadenans scattered to the winds, as well as those either back in or visiting town. People have been posting pics of it on Instagram, writing about how the map helped them bear witness to the devastation and posting remembrances of the town they love. As one Instagram user wrote, '[The map] will make you grateful for what you do have and remind you that it can all be taken away within minutes.' Read more: In Altadena, RV dwellers live next to their homes, straddling burn zone and normalcy McCarthy is loath to say what he wants people to feel looking at the map, but, like all good works of art, it's meant to not only convey a message but also to draw something out of those who see it. It's beautiful and sad, horrifying and tragic, all-encompassing but also supremely lonely. You can look at it and point out your house, or you can view it and mourn those who died in the fire, taking in the black-and-white circles that mark the spots where their bodies were found. 'Until the map, I don't really think I saw [the damage] in totality,' said Clement. 'It's like the Grand Canyon. You haven't really seen it until you've seen it.' Catherine Schuler, an Altadena resident who visited the map, called the image 'unmooring,' saying, 'When you look at it like this, it's such an erasure … it puts me in a place of thinking about a future that I am not ready to think about yet.' Julianne Vordtriede, an Altadenan who lost her home in the fire, agreed, saying, 'It's one thing to drive down the streets and see empty lots, but it's another when you see the individual dots, because they represent all the lives that were totally changed forever because of what happened.' McCarthy knew it would be a conversation piece almost from the moment he built it. He enlisted the help of a friend at a set company and the two put the map together at the friend's set design shop. With bad weather on the horizon, the pair decided to leave the map in the shop for a few days, where it could be seen by clients and visitors. 'My friend kept calling me, like, 'Dude, this map is affecting people,'' McCarthy said. 'Stories were pouring out of people visiting his shop, and a couple people who grew up in Altadena actually ended up standing in front of the map and weeping.' When McCarthy and his friend finally loaded the map onto a trailer and took it to Altadena, it drew a crowd before they could even put it on the ground. 'We stood there for an hour and a half with it still on the trailer,' he said. 'People were pointing to their houses and telling stories, and I knew immediately that it was going to be a good thing.' Read more: His impressive basement saloon was like 'Cheers' — until it burned in the Eaton fire Now, people can stop by and visit the map any time of the day or night. It's become a de facto gathering point for locals who are no longer able to chat up a neighbor at Altadena Hardware, Rancho Bar, Side Pie or any number of other local businesses and hangouts lost to the fire. While they might have come together over a cup of coffee or a slice of pizza before, now they're meeting to mourn together. McCarthy says it's been fascinating to watch, from afar, how people receive the map. Most visitors, he says, seem to want to spend time taking it all in. 'It's funny,' he said. 'When they first get there, they sort of reenact the fire, like you can see them gesturing, 'The wind came in this way, this is where we were …' and that goes on for a while, and then you see them starting to point to different places, like where they live, where they go to school, where they walk. … It seems like it's been important for people to walk through that process, and I'm very happy about that.' Clement, who lives in Altadena, says he's seen a whole range of emotions from his vantage point inside the store. 'A lot of people get very, very upset, but I've also seen people experiencing this kind of profound realness about what happened,' he explained. When people come alone, he says, they'll often end up standing silently alongside others who have also come to pay their respects, something he likens to nodding to a neighboring stranger while finding your seat at a funeral. These days, Clement says with a sigh, it's rare to have a chance to show your emotions in public, or to have a place where you can really vent your anger. 'But in our parking lot,' he said, 'in front of that map, they're happening all the time.' Sign up for The Wild newsletter to get weekly insider tips on the best of our beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
02-04-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
This massive map helps Altadena fire victims feel seen
In the hours, weeks and months since the Eaton fire, pictures of Altadena's destruction have been almost unavoidable. Tens of thousands of photos and videos of burned homes have found their way online, a relentless stream of devastation for weary eyes. And yet, the scale of what happened in Altadena is hard to fully comprehend, no matter how many images you've seen. In Altadena, where more than 9,000 total structures burned and most residents are still dealing with the fire's effects on a daily basis, a massive new physical map is helping some come to terms with the destruction — or at least start to mourn the community they've lost. Created by Highland Park resident Noel McCarthy and set up in the parking lot of West Altadena Wine and Spirits, the 8-by-13.5-foot map is a stylized update of L.A. County's Eaton fire damage map, which uses field damage reports to visualize the number of structures affected on a web-based map. McCarthy's map, which has been attached to plywood pieces and mounted on what amounts to a faux wall, sits amid blocked-off parking spaces just steps from burned-out lots. McCarthy, a production designer by trade, says he's been working in Austin, Texas, lately and has found that, while people ask him about the fires, they don't really understand the scale. 'I would literally pull out my phone, pull up the [official L.A. County] map and zoom in on a neighborhood,' he says. 'I'd scroll around, and peoples' faces would drop, like their whole demeanor would change.' Seeing the map, he said, was the only thing that effectively showed the devastation, but it was hard to get a sense of just how much of the town the fire took on a phone screen or a laptop. A large-scale map that people could stand in front of and ponder in person, he thought, would help people absorb the tragedy in its totality. As a visual person, he also felt a map would help deliver a 'quick read,' meaning it would convey maximum information and impact at a single glance. And it certainly does. The size of a small billboard, positioned to get views from customers and passersby of Altadena Wine and Spirits (where McCarthy — who has been friends with store owner Randy Clement for years — got permission to display his work), the map has attracted quite a bit of social media attention from Altadenans scattered to the winds, as well as those either back in or visiting town. People have been posting pics of it on Instagram, writing about how the map helped them bear witness to the devastation and posting remembrances of the town they love. As one Instagram user wrote, '[The map] will make you grateful for what you do have and remind you that it can all be taken away within minutes.' McCarthy is loath to say what he wants people to feel looking at the map, but, like all good works of art, it's meant to not only convey a message but also to draw something out of those who see it. It's beautiful and sad, horrifying and tragic, all-encompassing but also supremely lonely. You can look at it and point out your house, or you can view it and mourn those who died in the fire, taking in the black-and-white circles that mark the spots where their bodies were found. 'Until the map, I don't really think I saw [the damage] in totality,' said Clement. 'It's like the Grand Canyon. You haven't really seen it until you've seen it.' Catherine Schuler, an Altadena resident who visited the map, called the image 'unmooring,' saying, 'When you look at it like this, it's such an erasure … it puts me in a place of thinking about a future that I am not ready to think about yet.' Julianne Vordtriede, an Altadenan who lost her home in the fire, agreed, saying, 'It's one thing to drive down the streets and see empty lots, but it's another when you see the individual dots, because they represent all the lives that were totally changed forever because of what happened.' McCarthy knew it would be a conversation piece almost from the moment he built it. He enlisted the help of a friend at a set company and the two put the map together at the friend's set design shop. With bad weather on the horizon, the pair decided to leave the map in the shop for a few days, where it could be seen by clients and visitors. 'My friend kept calling me, like, 'Dude, this map is affecting people,'' McCarthy said. 'Stories were pouring out of people visiting his shop, and a couple people who grew up in Altadena actually ended up standing in front of the map and weeping.' When McCarthy and his friend finally loaded the map onto a trailer and took it to Altadena, it drew a crowd before they could even put it on the ground. 'We stood there for an hour and a half with it still on the trailer,' he said. 'People were pointing to their houses and telling stories, and I knew immediately that it was going to be a good thing.' Now, people can stop by and visit the map any time of the day or night. It's become a de facto gathering point for locals who are no longer able to chat up a neighbor at Altadena Hardware, Rancho Bar, Side Pie or any number of other local businesses and hangouts lost to the fire. While they might have come together over a cup of coffee or a slice of pizza before, now they're meeting to mourn together. McCarthy says it's been fascinating to watch, from afar, how people receive the map. Most visitors, he says, seem to want to spend time taking it all in. 'It's funny,' he said. 'When they first get there, they sort of reenact the fire, like you can see them gesturing, 'The wind came in this way, this is where we were …' and that goes on for a while, and then you see them starting to point to different places, like where they live, where they go to school, where they walk. … It seems like it's been important for people to walk through that process, and I'm very happy about that.' Clement, who lives in Altadena, says he's seen a whole range of emotions from his vantage point inside the store. 'A lot of people get very, very upset, but I've also seen people experiencing this kind of profound realness about what happened,' he explained. When people come alone, he says, they'll often end up standing silently alongside others who have also come to pay their respects, something he likens to nodding to a neighboring stranger while finding your seat at a funeral. These days, Clement says with a sigh, it's rare to have a chance to show your emotions in public, or to have a place where you can really vent your anger. 'But in our parking lot,' he said, 'in front of that map, they're happening all the time.'
