Nora Bermingham, Excavation Director at the Drumclay Crannog holds a delicate bone needle excavated from the Drumclay Crannog.
TWO Northern Ireland ministers, Alex Attwood (DoE) and Arlene Foster (Tourism) officially opened the first-ever ‘Drumclay Crannog’ exhibition last week in the Fermanagh County Museum.
The exhibition is now open to the public, and will remain open for the next few months.
A total of 5,497 artefacts were retrieved from the ‘dig’, which was on the flight-path of the recently-opened Cherrymount Link.
Visitors will be able to see several dress pins, bone combs, whetstones, pin beaters, a needle and weaving tablet. It will feature some of the most significant artefacts retrieved.
It was Alex Attwood in his ministerial (planning) role who ordered the road scheme to stop to allow the dig to go ahead.
He described the Drumclay crannog as, ‘the the most significant archaeological excavation on this island for a generation’.
“I recognised last year the importance of the Drumclay archaeological project. Given the G8 Summit, this is a good time to highlight what this county has to offer.”
He said the north’s built heritage had so much economic potential, much of it untapped.
He commented: “The Crannog is one vivid example, as is the work we are doing to uncover the lost town of Dunluce, our own mini ‘Pompei’. This is all part of DoE being the lead environment department and a leading economy department.”
Arlene Foster said the exhibition was another wonderful example of Northern Ireland’s rich historic past.
“By sharing Northern Ireland’s cultural heritage with visitors, we can reap the economic benefits of tourism.
“Fermanagh has so much to offer visitors, as the world will discover when the global spotlight shines on this beautiful and historic county when the Lough Erne Resort hosts the G8 Summit.”
For the newly-elected chairman of Fermanagh District Council, his attendance was his fifth public duty in four days.
He noted explained that the exhibition was made possible as a result of successful partnership working between the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Fermanagh Council.
Museum opening hours up to Sunday, 16th June are: Mon 2-5pm, Tue-Sun 10am-5pm.
People are asked to phone 028 6632 5000 for further information.