Our final day of the 2019 season at Beaubec was a calm and happy affair. Sadhbh led a team who cleaned the tools and put them in store for another season. Matt, Billy and Laura finished up the last bit of recording of their text book Cutting D(on’t let us down). In the finds office Rosanne, Catriona and Penny put the finishing touches to their catalogues. Craig, Geraldine and Comhall busied themselves with preparations for the traditional end of dig celebrations. Our great supporter Anthony Murphy paid a visit with his family and kindly took some wonderful photos of the site and team (there is no such thing as a free lunch). Other friends and colleagues Fionnbarr Moore, Victor Buckley and Laureen Buckley, Conor Brady, David Sweetman and David Newton joined us in our celebrations of a very successful season. Nóra and Comhall presented members of the team with this season’s chic T-shirt, designed by Matthew and based on a detail from a seventeenth century drawing of Beaubec abbey in Normandy. John, Anne and Grace McCullen joined us for the occasion and made a number of very generous presentations including a beautiful stoneware Beaubec jar for Matthew and an elegant hand turned wooden bowl for Geraldine. This had been created by Seamus Cassidy, from a 270 years old copper beech that had fallen down in the McCullen farm. Matt thanked our sponsors, FBD Trust, the extended McCullen family, experts, and all our brilliant team for all their support. When we catch our breath the post excavation phase will begin. so watch this space! The last Beatle reference – “Get back” – refers to our hopes the we will get back to Beaubec next July.
Photographer Alex McCullen took this photo a few days ago. It captures the frenetic activity on the excavation when it is in full swing.
Another photo by Alex McCullen in which Sandy is clearly wondering what the Stouts are so concerned about.
Some of the last visitors to the site: Patrick McCullen (a brother of John) and Luke. Anne and Sadhbh provide them with information about the excavation.
The end of dig celebrations included the awarding of site T-shirts. Comhall was master of ceremonies.
Generous end-of-excavation gifts included the award of a copy of The Brass Thimble by John McCullen to Comhall. The book was later signed by the author.
John gifts a beautiful bowl to Geraldine.
Commemorative T-shirt, Beaubec jar and wooden bowl.
One of the recipients of McCullen generosity was Fionnbarr Moore. He is awarded with this publication because, it turns out, they are related!
Anthony Murphy’s stunning drone photography.
Anthony Murphy’s drone photograph of Cuttings D(on’t let me down) and A(bbey Road).
Anthony Murphy’s group photo of the excavation team and supporters. Anthony hopes to publish his book on last summers discoveries in Newgrange in the near future. Readers of this blog will be informed when the book becomes available.
The field is empty now and cattle will soon return to munch the tall grass that has grown in the last four weeks.
Some of our subscribers have suggested that the Beatle-themed excavation requires some explanation. The Beatles were, according to Wikipedia, an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time.
Beaubec Excavations 