In collaboration with Galway City Museum, Corrib Beo invites you to the sixth talk in its Lunchtime Talk Series. Join guest speaker Karl Brady for a talk entitled Beneath the Surface – Exploring the Mysteries of Lough Corrib’s Ancient Logboats.

For the past twelve years, the Underwater Archaeology Unit (UAU) of the National Monuments Service has been engaged in an extensive program of archaeological survey and excavation in Lough Corrib, Co. Galway. This endeavour has yielded remarkable results, with the identification and investigation of over 30 logboats to date. The logboats discovered in Lough Corrib span a remarkable timeline, ranging from approximately 3,500 BC to the 16th Century AD. What makes these discoveries even more remarkable is that many of the logboats have been found in an almost fully intact state and have yielded a wide array of tools and weapons, including iron, bronze, and wooden spears and axes. Beyond their significance in enhancing our understanding of the development and changing nature of watercraft in Ireland overtime, these logboats also provide evidence of various activities that took place on the lake. From raiding and hunting to wood working, boat building, and even ritual deposition, the logboats offer a glimpse into the diverse range of practices and traditions that occurred in this area throughout history. The ongoing work of the UAU in Lough Corrib is not only expanding our knowledge of Ireland’s maritime past but also highlighting the importance of preserving and protecting these invaluable archaeological sites.

About the Speaker:
Karl Brady is senior manager of the Marine Licensing and Planning Unit and the Wreck Inventory of Ireland Unit. Karl has directed many surveys and excavations of multi-period underwater sites, including the ongoing extensive work in Lough Corrib on multi-period logboats and associated artefacts. Karl has a broad publication record, in peer reviewed journal and chapters in books. These include his work on sites and topics ranging from early maps, medieval ship graffiti, the Spanish Armada, World War I and World War II wrecks, early medieval ecclesiastical remains, Lough Corrib, logboats, management of maritime cultural heritage and shipwrecks. Karl has co-authored three books: The Shipwreck Inventory of Ireland: Louth, Meath, Dublin & Wicklow (2008), Warships, U[1]boats & Liners: A Guide to Shipwrecks Mapped in Irish Waters (2012), and RMS Lusitania: the Story of a Wreck (2019).

Admission is FREE but attendees are encouraged to register on Eventbrite.