COMHAIRLE CATHRACH PHORT LAIRGE WATERFORD CITY COUNCIL The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society and the editor of DECIES gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Waterford City Council towards the publication costs of this journal. COMHAIRLE CONTAE PHORT LAIRGE WATERFORD COUNTY COUNClZ The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society and the editor of DECIES gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Waterford County Council towards the publica- tion costs of this journal. Cover Illustrations Front Cover: A View of Waterford, Ireland, from The Detroit Publishing Co., Catalogue J - foreign section, Detroit, Mich.: Detroit Photographic Company, 1905, print Number 12050, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D .C., 20540 USA. Back Cover: Ardmore Cathedral: Interior north wall of nave and Romanesque window with pointed bowtell moulding. Courtesy of D6nal O'Connor ISSN 1393-3116 Published by The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society Printed by G.K. Print, Grannagh, Wateiford. r/j 2 .: LC' E r: 0 L 3,: 2 '- r 510 ..a ..a i 0 5 .; 0 3 26 .;mu &-s Wb LC '-30.- 0 >-K ET>u 2:a\ .- I) m.7 4 9 0% s$ WATERFORDARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERSAND COMMITTEEMEMBERS 2007/2008 OFFICERS Chairman: Dr. Eugene Broderick, I Pheasant Walk, Collins Avenue, Waterford. Vice-chairman: Ben Murtagh, Primrose Hill, Threecastles, Co. Kilkenny. Hon. Secretary: Bkatrice Payet, 5 Doyle Street, Waterford. Hon. Treasurer: Tony Gunning, 7 Ballinakill Vale, Waterford. Hon. Editor: Donnchadh 0 Ceallach6in, 5 Doyle Street, Waterford. P.R .O .: Partick Grogan, 4 1 Summerville Avenue, Waterford. COMMITTEE Dr. Niall Byrne William Condon Fergus Dillon George Kavanagh Paddy Kenneally Eileen O'Connor Dr. Jim Stacey Eddie Synnott James Walsh All original contributions are the copyright of the contributors. The views expressed by each contrib- utor are not necessarily those of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society, the Editor, or of the Editorial Committee. Hon. Editor: Donnchadh 0 Ccallachriin Editorial Committee: Eugene Brodel-ick (e.x-oficio),Ben Murtagh, B&akicePayet, Eddie Synnott. 0 Decies 63 N 1987 the SS Poullairge, last working steam ship in Ireland sailed out of Waterford harbour on her final voyage. As Sonny Condon points out in the cur- rent issue of Decies, the Porllnirge could have becn an ideal museum, serving as a fitting symbol of Waterford's proud maritime history. This did not happen, and the ship now lies rotting on the Wexford coast. Hopefully, we are learning from the mistakes of our recent past as plans are being drawn up to refurbish Watcrford city's historic quarter in order to create a world-class heritagc site. This proposcd development, part of Watcrford City Council's Project 2014 showcasing 1,000 years of the city's history, is a brave ini- tiative and deserves the support of our society. The ongoing success of heritagc sites in VIIjterford county such as the Copper Coast Geopark is testimony to the importance of preserving our past and making it accessible. Another positive development in the field of local studies is the establishment of the South Kilkenny Historical Society, with Eddie Synnott, committee member of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society elected as its first Chairman. Congratulations are due to all involved in this ncw exciting venture, which will do much to highlight the rich history and traditions of south Kilkenny. Heritage and conservation issues remain however, with concern over the grave- yard of the Abbey Church at Kilcullaheen in particular. Ba bhre6 liom mo bhuiochas a ghabhail le gach &me a chabhraigh lion1 iris na bliana seo a fhoilsi6 - coiste an chumainn, an coiste eagarthciireachta agus go hairithe ddair na n-alt. Eddie Synnott who typeset the journal and scanned the images once again deserves the gratitude of the society. I would like to point out to intending contributors that the final deadline for the submission of articles for Decies 64 (2008) is 1 May 2008. Articles received after that date will be held over for publication in the following year's journal. vii * Decies 63 * Anna Brindley, MA PhD, is an expert in the study of prehistoric pottery. Eugene Broderick is Chairman of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society. He has MA and PhD degrees in Modern History from University College, Cork. He teaches in the Mercy Secondary School in Waterford city. Niall Byrne was reared in Trainore, Co. Waterford and was educated at CBS Tramore, and at Waterpark College, Waterford. He graduated from University College, Dublin with an MVB degree, also qualifying as an MRCVS at the Veterinary College, Ballsbridge, Dublin. Thereafter he engaged in post-graduate work at the Royal Dick Veterinary College, Edinburgh. On his return to Ireland, he commenced the practice of Veterinary Medicine in Waterford, spending most of his career as a general practitioner. He currently holds the position of Veterinary Officer in Waterford City Council. In 1996 he obtained a BD (Hons) in Divinity and Theology from Heythrop College, University of London. He gained his MA with First Class Honours, in 1998, and was awarded his PhD in 2002, both courses being completed in University College, Cork. His edition of The Great Parchme~zt Book qf Waterford was published by the Irish Manuscripts Commission in 2007. His forthcoming book, The Irish Crusade: A History of tlze Knights Hospituller, Tlze Knights Tenzplar, and Tlze Kniglzts of Malla in tlze South-east of Irelmzd, is cur- rently in the process of publication. A regular contributor to Decies, his articles have also been published in other regional history journals. In a unique family con- tribution to Waterford historiography Dr. Niall J. Byrne and his son Dr. Michael V. Byrne, have both lectured to the Waterford Historical and Archaeological Society. Mark Chapman is a self-employed decorating contractor with a special interest in the geology and archaeology of the Comeragh Mountains. This is his second con- tribution to Decies. Sonny Condon has a life-long interest in maritime and military history. He is retired from Waterford Harbour Commissioners, and has lectured frequently on Waterford's proud maritime tradition. Penny Johnston, BA MSc is a post-excavation manager and archaeobotanist for Eachtra Archaeological Projects. Padraig 6. Lane is a retired teacher, and taught History at Capuchin College, Rochestown, Cork. He was co-editor of Laois: History and Society, and a contribu- tor to Galway: History and Society and Carla King (ed.), Fmzi~ze,Lad and Cult~rre.He also wrote Bastille ag~rsScialta Eile in Irish. Conor O'Brien attended University College, Dublin and holds a PhD in Chemistry and the Fellowsl~ipof the Royal Society of Chemistry. He retired from a career in the pharmaceutical industry in his native County Wicklow in 1998. Over the years he has devoted much of his free time to researching old Irish silver, and has written widely on the subject in specialist publications. Donrzchadh 0 Ceallaclza'in has a degree in Irish and Folklore from University College, Cork. He was a contributor to The Famine in Waterford: Teaclzt nu bPrdlai Dubha, edited by Des Cowman and Donald Brady, and has also con- tributed articles to Decies. Do'nal O'Connor was Professor of Old Testament at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth until 1985 when he was appointed parish priest of Ardmore Co. Waterford. His articles in Decies explore the importance of the D6ise in twelfth- century Ireland: Lismore under the guidance of Bishop Malchus, as the foremost centre of Church Reform; Ardmore's achievement in architecture and figure sculp- ture, coinciding with its brief period of diocesan status under Bishop Eugene. ~ineRichardson, BA has excavated numerous archaeological sites and she direct- ed excavations at Knockhouse Lower in 2003 while working for Eachtra Archaeological Projects. ent site a us ~ineRichardson and Penny Johnston, with specialist contrib~~tionsby Anna Bvindley acid Penny Johnston. Introduction The prehistoric archaeology of County Waterford is rich and varied. From the times of the earliest known human settlement in Ireland (thc Early Mesolithic) there are traces of human occupation in the county, with lithic (flint) scatters found along the southern stretch of the River Barrow; Late Mesolithic and Neolithic lithics werc also recovered (Zvelebil et al. 1996). Moving further forward in time, the evidence for human occupation of the landscape becomes more tangible with megalithic tombs, reflecting Neolithic (and later) ceremonial and burial practices at Harristown (passage tomb) and at Gaulstown, Knockeen and Ballinadud (portal tombs) (Moore 1999). Later sites that continue the megalithic tradition include standing stones, an example is found at Gibbethill (RMP WA009:015), 3km north- west of the site at Knockhouse Lowcr. Burnt mounds (li~krclztaififi'a),the ubiquitous monuments of the Irish Bronze Age are found throughout the county, with one located just to the north of the site at Knockhouse Lower. Combined with this is the cvidence from settlcment sites that have been discovered in the county over recent years: there are Neolithic, Beaker and Bronze Age settlement sites at Ahanaglogh (Tierney 2005; Tierney et al. 2002), c.18kln to the southwest of Knockhousc Lower. Closer by, there is cvidence for more Neolithic, Beaker and Bronze Age settlement in the adjoining townland of Carrickpherish as well as in Knockhouse Lower itself (McQuade 2006). When the land in this area, owned by the Industrial Development Authority Ireland, was zoned for industrial develop- ment it provided an opportunity to excavate a site that emerged as a relatively rare example of an enclosed Middle Bronze Age settlement. The Site The site was low-lying and situated on undulating ground approximately 3 km west of Waterford City (Figure I). It was c.10.5km north of the sea and was situat- ed within a bend in the River Suir, located roughly 1.25km to the northwest.