LOUGH GARA: PAST & PRESENT, a project celebrating the fascinating archaeology and biodiversity of Lough Gara, began earlier this year. The project stemmed from my lifelong interest in the lake, and local archaeology in general. I wanted to bring its international importance back into public consciousness- we have a site on our doorstep equalling some of the better known archaeological locations in the country.

A quick overview- 200 possible crannog sites are situated in and around the lake. This is an unprecedented density of crannogs for one lake, not seen anywhere else in Ireland or Britain. These man-made islands range in date from the mesolithic (some of Ireland’s earliest known inhabitants) to the early medieval period, spanning some 8,000 years. It is the quintessential multi-period site, containing sites & artefacts for almost every period in the country’s prehistory and early history. Naturally, the lake has had a major role in shaping the local community, identity and geography as we know it today.

The project kicked off in May 2025 with a series of workshops exploring heritage crafts associated with Lough Gara, in collaboration with Ballaghaderreen Men’s Shed and sponsored by Roscommon County Council. It continued in July & August 2025 with two exhibitions to run as part of both Boyle Arts Festival & Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival.