Archaeological finds at an Irish fort reveal insights into the finer side of medieval life

By Michelle Comber, Lecturer in Archaeology, School of Geography, Archaeology and Irish Studies, University of Galway

Popular media, from computer games to movies, often portrays medieval life as being dominated by fighters and farmers. In these depictions, there’s little evidence of a world beyond political struggle and simple subsistence.

Leisure activities are often overlooked, despite the fact that they existed in one form or another at most – if not all – levels of medieval society. The intangible nature of much of the evidence, often coupled with poor preservation of physical objects, can help explain this.

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