The West continues to bring us wonderful archaeological discoveries, the latest being at the summit of Croagh Patrick. There, radio-carbon dating of a boat-shaped oratory has shown that it dates from the time of Patrick. And in the words of Michael Gibbons, who, under the direction of the Mayo County archaeologist Mr Gerry Walsh (according to Sean MacConnell's report in this newspaper), states carefully that it is "St Patrick is unlikely to have ignored such a place because of its importance as a sacred mountain.
In another publication Michael Gibbons writes that in many ways the Irish west is a vast open-air museum of European culture, a zone of survival of Celtic culture, language and monuments." Archaeological research in recent years has pushed back evidence for settlement in Ireland to almost 10,000 years ago. Thousands of new sites, he tells us, have been discovered by a young, vigorous generation of archaeologists.
The early settlers, mobile hunting bands, have left their midden sites (rubbish heaps) and many, Gibbons tells us are buried beneath fine golf courses like Ballybunion and Ballyconneely. Then, almost 6,000 years ago, came agriculture and the necessary clearing of forests. Most of us know of the Ceide Fields Centre, which came from acute observation by Seamus Caulfield's father, the local schoolmaster, at the pattern of stones standing out in more or less regular format at Belderrig. From that insight, we now have an amazing (and amazing-looking, but fitting) centre of knowledge. In so many places, then, megalithic tombs... the Burren, Mayo, Connemara, Sligo. Much later, then, about 1,000 BC, great fortified settlements were being built on hilltops. The largest yet discovered in the West is Knocknashee ("Hill of the Fairies"), in County Sligo. More a hill town, maybe, covering over 50 acres. And everyone knows of the majestic Dun Aengus on Aran, and other cliffside forts there. The West is, archaeologically, very much awake.
Michael Gibbons, well in the vanguard of bringing us such thrilling revelations, was writing in a publication, rather magazine-type presentation, The Seven Wonders of the West Coast of Ireland. The general text consists of short essays in four languages. Then there is a good section, well illustrated, on the flora and fauna of Ireland. Everywhere excellent colour photos. Plenty of ads for hotels. Barr an Bhail Publications, Ballyconneely, Connemara. £5.95.