1945 Uncorked: The Founding of Cork Public Museum

1945 Uncorked: The Founding of Cork Public Museum This exhibition is curated by
UCC's Museum Studies MA programme
in celebration of the 80th anniversary of
Cork Public Museum.

M.J. O’Kelly and Taoiseach Éamon de Valera at Cork Public Museum’s Easter Rising exhibition, 1946.This exhibition marked...
31/08/2025

M.J. O’Kelly and Taoiseach Éamon de Valera at Cork Public Museum’s Easter Rising exhibition, 1946.

This exhibition marked a major moment for the newly opened museum, commemorating 30 years since the 1916 Rising - and drawing the Taoiseach himself to view the displays. Behind it was M.J. O’Kelly, the museum’s first curator, who had already begun reshaping how Irish history and archaeology were presented to the public. O’Kelly brought academic training, creativity, and an eye for detail to everything he did.

A graduate of UCC and protégé of Professor Seán P. Ó Ríordáin, O’Kelly had already led excavations at Lough Gur and Garryduff, and would go on to direct some of the most significant archaeological digs in Ireland.

His most famous work was at Newgrange, where he uncovered evidence of the site's prehistoric solar alignment - placing Irish Neolithic engineering at the centre of global archaeological interest. At the same time, he revolutionised museum displays by combining accurate reconstructions, innovative interpretation, and tactile engagement.

Under his curatorship, Cork Public Museum became not just a repository of artefacts, but a dynamic space for learning and discovery.

Illustrations of early models displayed in Cork Public Museum, 1945.These illustrations are featured in Cork Public Muse...
26/08/2025

Illustrations of early models displayed in Cork Public Museum, 1945.

These illustrations are featured in Cork Public Museum’s ‘Souvenir Guide to the First Exhibition’, which was published for its official opening in April 1945. As the caption on the page states, these are models of New Stone Age (Neolithic) houses.

Curator M.J. O’Kelly and his team often incorporated models and other dynamic displays into the museum’s exhibitions to help bring the past to life for visitors.

Illustrated reconstruction of the Garryduff II site by Edward Fahy, from M.J. O’Kelly’s 1963 excavation report.Unlike it...
20/08/2025

Illustrated reconstruction of the Garryduff II site by Edward Fahy, from M.J. O’Kelly’s 1963 excavation report.

Unlike its neighbouring site, Garryduff I - where excavation revealed clear evidence of settlement, metalworking, and fine craftsmanship - Garryduff II offered far fewer archaeological finds. Situated on higher ground and enclosed by earthworks typical of hillforts, the site at Garryduff II was initially thought to be of similar significance. However, excavations revealed a surprising lack of domestic material or structural remains, suggesting that the site may not have been a permanent habitation.

Instead, M.J. O’Kelly proposed that Garryduff II likely functioned as a seasonal enclosure or animal pen, possibly used to corral cattle or other livestock. This interpretation reflects a broader understanding of early medieval land use, where hillforts and ringforts were often repurposed over time. Fahy’s detailed reconstruction helps visualise the scale and layout of the enclosure, offering insights into how early communities may have managed agriculture and livestock near domestic settlements. Though sparse in artefacts, Garryduff II remains an important part of the site’s overall story, highlighting the varied and multifunctional nature of early Irish rural landscapes.

Illustrations of iron objects discovered during the excavation of Garryduff I, by Edward Fahy, published in M.J. O’Kelly...
15/08/2025

Illustrations of iron objects discovered during the excavation of Garryduff I, by Edward Fahy, published in M.J. O’Kelly’s 1963 excavation report.

During the 1940s excavations at Garryduff, Co. Cork, M.J. O’Kelly and his team uncovered a significant range of artefacts, offering a rare glimpse into early medieval settlement life.
Among these were numerous iron objects - tools, fittings, and possible weapon fragments - that provided vital clues about daily life, craft production, and technological skill during the period. However, with conservation techniques still in their infancy at the time, iron finds were difficult to preserve, and many of these pieces began to corrode rapidly upon exposure to air and moisture.

To prevent the complete loss of knowledge, assistant curator Fahy meticulously recorded and illustrated the iron objects before they disintegrated. His drawings, later published in O’Kelly’s formal excavation report, remain the only surviving visual records of several items from the site.

These illustrations are more than technical documentation - they are now essential historical records that capture the fragile material culture of early medieval Ireland. The Garryduff excavation, along with O’Kelly and Fahy's contributions, continues to inform archaeological scholarship and reflects the innovative practices that were beginning to define Cork Public Museum’s approach to fieldwork and research.

Evening Echo article on Edward Fahy’s excavations at Drombeg Stone Circle, 7 September 1957.While serving as assistant c...
11/08/2025

Evening Echo article on Edward Fahy’s excavations at Drombeg Stone Circle, 7 September 1957.

While serving as assistant curator at Cork Public Museum, Edward Fahy developed a keen interest in archaeology and supervised several notable excavations across Cork. His work at Drombeg Stone Circle, near Glandore, was especially significant. In 1957, Fahy led excavations that uncovered the first-known cremated human remains ever found at an Irish stone circle. This discovery added compelling evidence to the theory that such sites were not only ceremonial but also served as burial places, potentially linked to ritualistic or communal funerary practices.

The Drombeg excavation also revealed a nearby fulacht fiadh (ancient cooking site), a stone-built hearth, and a water trough, suggesting that the site may have held broader social or ritual functions. Fahy’s careful recording and interpretation helped shape the modern understanding of prehistoric monuments in Ireland.

Many of the artefacts recovered during this excavation remain part of Cork Public Museum’s collection today, reflecting both the historical importance of the site and Fahy’s lasting legacy in Irish archaeology.

Sketch of a fulacht fiadh by Edward Fahy during his 1955 survey of the Lee Valley.Before the Lee Hydroelectric Scheme pe...
06/08/2025

Sketch of a fulacht fiadh by Edward Fahy during his 1955 survey of the Lee Valley.

Before the Lee Hydroelectric Scheme permanently altered the landscape, then-assistant curator Fahy documented archaeological features across the valley - including Bronze Age burnt mounds like this one.

Known as fulachtaí fia, these sites typically include a shallow cooking pit surrounded by heat-shattered stone and charcoal-rich soil.

As part of the same project, Fahy also built a working model of the Mashanaglass mill - look out for it in the Cork Public Museum after your visit to 1945 Uncorked exhibition!

Edward Fahy building a scale model of the Carrigillihy excavation site, 1950s.Then an assistant at Cork Public Museum, F...
30/07/2025

Edward Fahy building a scale model of the Carrigillihy excavation site, 1950s.

Then an assistant at Cork Public Museum, Fahy brought early exhibits to life with electric, working models, and detailed reconstructions. His creative and academic contributions - shaped under the curatorship of M.J. O’Kelly - helped set a new standard for how archaeology was shared with the public. While helping to shape the museum’s exhibitions, he earned the Diploma of the Museums Association with distinction - a qualification that involved both written research and specialist training in England.

Fahy’s academic path continued at UCC, where he achieved first-class honours in Archaeology and Geography, later earning a Master’s degree for his excavation work in the Lee Valley. He went on to become the first person at UCC to be awarded a PhD in Archaeology and eventually joined the university’s Department of Geography.
Among his earliest and most celebrated excavations was Drombeg stone circle, a site he quite literally put on the map through media attention and scholarly publication.

One of the most remarkable finds from Garryduff: a tiny gold bird! Its delicate spiral patterns are crafted in gold wire...
27/07/2025

One of the most remarkable finds from Garryduff: a tiny gold bird!

Its delicate spiral patterns are crafted in gold wire using filigree – a technique where fine threads of metal are twisted to create intricate designs. Thought to be part of a larger object, this ornament is one of the earliest examples of gold filigree in Ireland, and features the La Tène style. The discovery, made thanks to one final sweep of turf by M.J. O’Kelly, highlights the exceptional craftsmanship and status of early medieval Munster.

This object is on display at the Cork Public Museum.

Ring pins discovered during excavations at Garryduff, Co. Cork, 1945.Archaeologist and curator M.J. O’Kelly led excavati...
21/07/2025

Ring pins discovered during excavations at Garryduff, Co. Cork, 1945.

Archaeologist and curator M.J. O’Kelly led excavations at Garryduff in the summers of 1945 and 1947. These ~7th-8th centuries bronze ring pins were used to fasten clothing – similar to how we use buttons today.

They were uncovered in different areas during the Garryduff I excavation, and exhibit a range of craftsmanship techniques. This gives us a glimpse into how daily life and fashion varied during the period of the site’s occupation.

Stone trial pieces discovered during excavations at Garryduff, Co. Cork, 1945.These carved stone pieces were uncovered d...
17/07/2025

Stone trial pieces discovered during excavations at Garryduff, Co. Cork, 1945.

These carved stone pieces were uncovered during excavations of two medieval ring-forts in Garryduff, led by archaeologist and curator M.J. O’Kelly.

While these were originally sharpening stones, they were repurposed as stone trial pieces by skilled craftspeople trying to refine their designs. The stones date to the site’s occupation in the 7th and 8th centuries, and their carvings feature interlace patterns, symmetrical knot-work, and the spiraling La Téne style.

Look closely, and you may spot a stylised bird (or two)!

Illustrations by Edward Fahy, displaying motifs from artefacts uncovered at Garryduff, 1945.In the summers of 1945 and 1...
13/07/2025

Illustrations by Edward Fahy, displaying motifs from artefacts uncovered at Garryduff, 1945.

In the summers of 1945 and 1947, archaeologist and curator M.J. O’Kelly led the excavations of medieval ring-forts at Garryduff, Co. Cork.

The most famous find was the incredibly tiny and expertly crafted Garryduff Bird ornament.
This and other Garryduff artefacts feature various decorative motifs, including knot-work patterns and La Téne style, as expertly illustrated by Fahy.

To see these motifs in person, visit the 1945 Uncorked exhibit at the Cork Public Museum.

Address

Fitzgerald Park, Mardyke
Cork
T12V0AA

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

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+353214270679

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