Friday 26th July – Official Opening of Carrig Interpretive Centre
On Friday July 26th we will be officially opening the Carrig Interpretive Centre at The Irish National Heritage Park. The Carrig project, which has been running since January 2018, is centered on a live archaeological dig at the site of the first recorded Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, built in the autumn of 1169. To date the excavation has unearthed hundreds of artefacts and uncovered archaeological structures dating from the 12th to 14th centuries; the project has also welcomed 100’s of international students to Wexford to stay with local families – many of whom have gone home as committed Wexford hurling fans!
Today the Carrick site is dominated by the 19th century replica round tower, but at the zenith of its power Carrick’s medieval settlement included a stone castle, a town with c. 111 houses, two watermills, its own ferry service, a church and one of the first Anglo-Norman deerparks in all of Ireland! The Carrig project aims to uncover the stories of the people who worked and lived here, to understand their lives and how their culture continues to influence ours!
To launch the centre on July 26th there will be a full day of activities at The Irish National Heritage Park, including: ‘Horsemen of Eire’ will be showcasing the skills of mounted knights that are the hallmark of the Anglo-Norman military strategy; the ‘Bemusement Games’ will re-introduce medieval games to Wexford; ‘Dig it Kids’ will run an archaeological camp for children; University College Dublin will provide a pottery workshop, focused on the medieval potteries from Carrick; the Discovery Programme will host a session looking at archaeological artefacts and replicas through time; Baya the storyteller will regale children with stories of knights, maidens and kings; the Irish Archaeology Field School will provide tours of the site and a ‘pop up museum’ focusing on this site’s history.
Normal admission rates apply on the day and the Park is open to the public from 9.30am to 6.30pm.The activities will run throughout the day and will be followed by the official launch of the Carrig Interpretive Centre at 3pm by Arthur Murphy, a local engineer who oversaw the construction the Park in the early 1980’s.
