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Saturday 25 March 2023 Dublin: 11°C

# Neil Jackman

All time
# heritage ireland
A ghostly Famine-era village and a Pirate Queen castle: Put Achill on your 'to-do' list
Archaeologist Neil Jackman explores the historical treasures of Achill Island as part of his new book on the Wild Atlantic Way.
# job goals
This man has your childhood dream job: Neil the archaeologist
DailyEdge.ie speaks to the people who have the jobs you wanted as a kid.
# montpelier hill
Five thousand years of death: The secrets uncovered at Hellfire Club site
TheJournal.ie was invited to explore the first archaeological dig into a passage tomb on Montpelier Hill. How could we resist?
# passage grave
Watch: Archaeologists explore an ancient tomb beside the Hellfire Club
A team led by Neil Jackman are attempting to uncover the site’s secrets.
# heritage ireland
The bizarre way this castle protected itself from deadly attackers
Plus: a group of aristocratic playboys who drank, caroused and got up to all manner of blasphemy and badness in Ireland.
# heritage ireland
Brian Boru's 'Island of Churches' is the perfect place to relax and unwind
Plus: the ancient monastery of Iniscealtra.
# heritage ireland
The doctor who wanted to turn a castle into a mental asylum but blew it up with dynamite
Plus: The castle owner and King’s manin Carlow who married the Pirate Queen’s granddaughter
# heritage ireland
These mysterious caves in a Sligo hillside carry secrets from the Ice Age
Archaeologist Neil Jackman explores two of Ireland’s most intriguing ancient sites – the Caves of Keash and Dun Aonghasa.
# heritage ireland
Step from Ireland's pre-Famine past to life in the New World in the Sperrins
Fancy stretching the legs over the Easter weekend? Archaeologist Neil Jackman has more suggestions for great historical sites to visit around the island of Ireland.
# hidden heritage
Did you ever climb 121 steps up through Irish history? You should
St Canice’s Cathedral – and its fantastically-preserved round tower – is a jewel in the centre of medieval Kilkenny.
# heritage ireland
This dramatic Derry clifftop estate was a magnet for high society
Archaeologist Neil Jackman finds medieval magic in Limerick and a splendid demesne in Derry.
# heritage ireland
Ever heard of Darby's Bed? Diarmuid and Gráinne 'slept' here...
Discover this magical ancient site in Co Limerick, and a monastic complex that saved locals from slaughter in Kilkenny as Neil Jackman’s Heritage Ireland returns.
# hidden history
Heritage Ireland: The church at the crossroads of Dublin's ancient past
St Audoen’s in Dublin city centre stands by the most ancient road into Dublin. (And learn, too, about where the monks from Skellig Michael fled from their lonely rock in the sea.)
# hidden history
Heritage Ireland: The oldest lighthouse still in use in the world
Let archaeologist Neil Jackman lead you through the amazing past and present of Hook Lighthouse as well as trips to a major ancient monastery and Georgian splendour.
# heritage ireland
Heritage Ireland: A magnificent doorway into Laois's sacred past
Archaeologist Neil Jackman guides us to an ancient monastery with breathtaking sculpture, a medieval fortress built by an Irish lord – and a manor house fit for a queen…
# heritage ireland
Digging Tlachtga: Getting into the trenches with Ireland's past
Archaeologist Neil Jackman with part two of his three-part series on the momentous dig on the ancient site of Tlachtga in Meath.
# heritage ireland
Dig this: How we plan to get to heart of one of Ireland's most mysterious sites
The first in a series of three articles which follows the discoveries being made at Tlachtga – one of Ireland’s most enigmatic archaeological sites.
# take a walk
Heritage Ireland: Discovering the ancient Slí Mhór among the bluebells
Archaeologist Neil Jackman guides us through an ancient roadway that traversed Ireland, a fine medieval priory and an intriguing hermit cell hidden in a church.
# History
Heritage Ireland: 3 amazing sites to see this Easter weekend
Lovely Doneraile Park, ancient Derrynaflan and iconic Clonmacnoise – archaeologist Neil Jackman guides you through these magical sites.
# Heritage
Hidden Ireland: Where was St Brigid's firehouse and why did the flame go out?
This week, archaeologist Neil Jackman guides us through a mysterious and massive Bronze Age complex in Tyrone and medieval treasures in Kildare and Kilkenny.
# Heritage
Hidden Ireland: Were these giant tombs a big show of oneupmanship?
This week, Neil Jackman looks at three off-the-beaten-track places to visit this weekend in Tipperary, Kerry and the Dublin mountains.
# waterford 1100
Neil Jackman's guide to the historical gems of Waterford
That’s 1100 years of history in the making, you know.
# walk it off
Hidden Ireland: Where to get in your St Stephen's Day walk
Archaeologist Neil Jackman picks fascinating sites nationwide for a stroll today.
# Heritage
Hidden Ireland: Ready to meet Ireland's very first farmers?
This week, archaeologist Neil Jackman is awed by the Neolithic treasures of Lough Gur, as well as a stunning Kerry fort complex and a Galway medieval cathedral.
# spooky sites
Hidden Ireland: Step into the site where Halloween began
Archaeologist Neil Jackman steers us around some spooky ancient Samhain spots in Roscommon, Dublin, Meath and Wexford. Hold us.
# Heritage
Hidden Ireland: 3 amazing heritage sites to see this autumn
Archaeologist Neil Jackman leads us through a mystical stone circle in Donegal, an abbey with a bloody past in Mayo and a medieval village in Cork.
# Hidden Ireland
Hidden Ireland: Have you seen this ancient carving of a hurley and sliotar?
For the All-Ireland hurling replay day that’s in it, check out that historic gem (in Donegal!) and others in Tipperary and Tyrone as part of Neil Jackman’s bi-weekly series.
# Heritage
Hidden Ireland: 7 reasons to see the amazing Faughan Valley
Highest waterfalls, venerable mansions, ancient tombs, rare bog flora, proud forts of lost chieftains. Head to Co Derry if all that tickles your fancy.
# Heritage Week
Hidden Ireland: Heritage Week and the treasures of Waterford
As part of the Hidden Ireland series, Neil Jackman focuses on the historical gems of Waterford – and what you can see in Heritage Week, kicking off today!
# Heritage
Hidden Ireland: How a shipwreck turned into an abbey
As part of the Hidden Ireland series, Neil Jackman looks at three fascinating places to visit this weekend in Wexford, Galway and Meath.
# hidden history
History hotspot: Carlingford, Co Louth
As part of the Hidden Ireland series, Neil Jackman shines a spotlight on a town chock-full of interesting sites for you to visit this weekend.
# Hidden Ireland
Ever wondered where medieval Dubliners went for a pint?
A bloody massacre at a picnic in Ranelagh, mass graves of Black Death victims in Dublin 8: this and more in our illustrated guide of Viking and medieval Dublin.
# Hidden Ireland
4 more off-the-beaten-track places you really should visit
As part of the Hidden Ireland series, Neil Jackman suggests four (free) heritage sites to visit in Cork, Galway, Louth and Laois.
# Hidden Ireland
4 Irish sites to visit to get close to St Patrick mythology
Follow in the footsteps of St Patrick this weekend… or at least to the places he’s reputed to have visited for special events.
# Abarta
Archaeologist brings Ireland's heritage to life in new audio guide
Irish archaeologist Neil Jackman says wanted to “create something positive” when he found himself unemployed – and so he rounded up a talented team to bring Ireland’s history to life.