Kilcullen News Update

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Big attendance at last Dun Ailinne Open Day

With around 150 people trekking to the top of Dun Ailinne yesterday afternoon, it was a really good turnout for what was the last Open Day on the hill for the foreseeable future, writes Brian Byrne. The annual summer excavations by groups of American archaeology students have been a fixture of Kilcullen life since 2016, but these have come to an end this year.

“It’s not that we have found everything; there are two or three lifetimes of work which could still be done on Dun Ailinne,” says Dr Susan Johnston from George Washington University, who, with her colleague Dr Suzanne Garrett, has been leading the investigations on the ancient site for almost two decades. "When we did the geophysics, we found there are hundreds of little circles and squiggles and things that you could investigate. But as far as the archaeology goes, I feel I'm at a stopping point; I've done this thing. The next stage is to write up the findings for publication in a formal way. The goal is to do that for next year.”

Dr Suzanne Garrett and Dr Susan Johnston.

The work over the years has confirmed the results of the excavations by Dr Bernard Wailes in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and also found significantly more areas of interest under the topsoil of Dun Ailinne. "In addition to those structures discovered by Bernard, we found three more that are slightly smaller, but with a similar pattern of getting more and more elaborate with time."

The use of technologies which weren’t available to Dr Wailes’s investigations, including magnetometry and carbon dating, has added to the bank of knowledge about the site. For instance, Susan Johnston now believes the active period of Dun Ailinne as a place of ritual may have been as short as around 200 years. But that doesn’t diminish its importance as one of the royal sites that are collectively on Ireland’s Tentative List in consideration for UNESCO World Heritage status. "The argument has always been, and I think there's merit to it, is that when Christianity comes in, this place gradually becomes less relevant in ritual terms. But it's still important in historical ways, and I think it's pertinent that they put the Christian monastery on a different hill, instead of plonking it here."

The fact that Dun Ailinne is continuously mentioned in documents from after the early medieval period is significant, she feels. "It's a place that is never really forgotten, a place of importance, and even when O'Donovan came through with his ordnance survey in the 19th century, he said that everybody knows this is Dun Ailinne. So even though it's not in continuous use, it's still known and is still important."

Vanessa and Claire.

Since 2016, Dun Ailinne has been a place for American archaeology students to get down and dirty for a month in the summer and see what field excavations in Ireland are like. This year, six of the cohort were from George Washington University and one from Gettysburg College. For Vanessa, majoring in archaeology and history, and Claire, majoring in anthropology, their first field experience has been both fascinating and enjoyable. "You get thrown into it completely," says Vanessa. "At first it's very heavy work, digging the sod and then you get down and doing more delicate work with the trowel and it's so exciting to see all the features come up." 

For Claire, having the practical experience has helped her to really understand things previously only covered in a classroom. "You have so much more a connection to it when you're actually doing it, and that's been great," she says. Both students say the Kilcullen sojourn — "it's such a cute town, with the river running through it," Claire says — will encourage them to continue in their fields. "I've had such a great experience here," says Vanessa, "and it has been really cool to get to see history up close and learn about it."

The tours of the 13-hectare site conducted by Susan Johnston yesterday reflected both her four decades as a teacher and the underlying humour of her personality, which has a refreshing irreverence. It was very much a two-way interaction as she answered questions and built up a picture of the site's probable role in community identity and hierarchy in a mobile cattle and agriculture economy. Although there's no evidence that Dun Ailinne was a place where kings were inaugurated, as at other royal sites, she suggested that it was used to 'anchor' people through annual or semi-annual rituals, and was still about important people. "The idea is that you're moving around, but you're still part of a community. And every year, perhaps at Bealtaine or whatever, people come back here and do various kinds of rituals. That's what gives them their sense of community, that they are all part of the same group."   

Almost like the place Dun Ailinne was for its own mobile community two thousand years ago, the annual arrival of Susan Johnston and her team to Kilcullen has been its own anchoring of connections since 2006. Now that the current investigations have come to an end, the archaeologists have mixed feelings. But a constant is their view of Kilcullen and its people, especially the Thompson family who own the Dun Ailline land and gave their permission readily for the excavations. "They have been so incredibly good all over the years," Susan Johnston says. "And this community is amazing, and I will miss that. I'll be coming back, but, you know, it won't be quite the same."

Explaining the finds on Dun Ailinne.

NOTE: Dun Ailinne is on a private working farm and not open to the public.

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Acting workshop in Kilcullen

An acting workshop will be held by Kilcullen Drama Group on Sunday 13 July. It's open to everybody over 16.

The workshop will run from 11.30am, in the Town Hall theatre.

A great opportunity for both experienced actors and those interested in taking to the boards.

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Dun Ailinne Open Day 2025 today

A reminder that the annual Open Day at the Dun Ailinne excavations will be TODAY, Sunday, 6 July, from 1pm-4pm, writes Brian Byrne. Dr Susan Johnston will give site tours at 1.30pm and 3pm.

A fee of €5 will be charged, which will be donated to charity. The event is by kind permission of the Thompson family, as the site is part of their working farm.

Dr Johnston, who is based at the Department of Anthropology at George Washington University, has been investigating the site since 2006. With colleague Dr Suzanne Garrett, she has led teams of American archaeology students on summer digs on Dun Ailinne since 2016, in association with the Black Friary Archaeological School in Co Meath. The students gain practical field experience on the site as well gaining an introduction to archaeology of Europe.

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New song by Elle León Gallagher a tribute to Jeremy Burke

A new song by Kilcullen-born singer-songwriter Elle León Gallagher is a tribute to her friend from childhood, Jeremy Burke, who died unexpectedly in 2023, writes Brian Byrne. Music & Memories was released on Spotify and other major music platforms this week. 

The song is a timeline of close friendship and inspiration — Elle has many times related how Jeremy's singing and songwriting were what encouraged her to get into the music that now underpins her own life path.

The lyrics trace memories from a nine-year-old girl writing a Guns N' Roses rhyme on a Valentine card ("You could have laughed straight in my face, but you didn't") through a storyboard of reconnections until the last time Elle saw Jeremy as he was about to do a set at Dublin music venue Fibber Magees ("If I'd known, I'd have stayed out longer, to catch up properly"). It's solid rock storytelling, with just the right level of sentiment that only comes from an appreciation of friendship moments even in a too-short lifetime ("You live on through music and memories.")

The production by Elle herself and fellow Barcelonian Guille Harrison makes the most of a deceptively simple narrative, providing several instrumental bridges that allow for reflection. Overall, it's four minutes of very replayable music.

When news of Jeremy Burke's passing came through in January 2023, Elle wrote a Twitter post saying "I really and truly wouldn't have got into music the way I did if it wasn't for him and I wish I could have told him."

She just did.

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DP: The Orchard, Crookstown, Kilcullen, Co Kildare

Welcome to The Orchard. Every so often a special property comes for sale and this is one of those occasions. Dowling Property is delighted to present to the market this very special property for sale that will certainly create a stir! This country home is in need of complete renovation and is located in the village of Crookstown, just south of Kilcullen and c.3-minute drive to the M9/M7. 

This handsome, double-fronted home has been vacant for many years and will no doubt be eligible for the Vacant Home/Derelict grant for its lucky new owners (NB: successful purchasers need to make their own enquiries on this grant). Standing on an enchanting c.0.6 acres site with a mature orchard, stone walls and charming, cut stone out-buildings, which would make for a gorgeous studio or home office. Although in need of complete renovation, what we have an offer here is a rare occasion for the lucky new owner to create their dream home. With its wonderful site, first-class location and presumed grants available, we must advise on early viewings to avoid disappointment. One not to be missed!

AMV €260,000; dowlingproperty.ie; Call DP Kildare office on 045 482189

After a very busy sales season, Dowling Property is now gearing up for our autumn selling season. If you are thinking of selling, then we would love to hear from you. With our two Dublin offices on the north and south side of the Dublin city and our Kildare office, we can assure you of maximum exposure for your property. We’d be delighted to answer any questions you have and arrange a call out.

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