National Museum of Ireland Part 2 with Maeve Sikora and Matthew Seaver

National Museum of Ireland Part 2 with Maeve Sikora and Matthew Seaver

Author: The Medieval Irish History Podcast June 13, 2025 Duration: 54:57

We are back this week in the National Museum of Ireland, Archaeology, on Kildare Street, in Dublin City centre, which is open 7 days a week and free to the public. We are joined by Maeve Sikora, Keeper of Irish Antiquities, and Assistant Keeper Matt Seaver. In addition to chatting more about the Words on the Wave exhibition, Maeve and Matt tell us about their jobs preserving Irish material heritage and culture and many of the cool artefacts the public can view in the museum including the Ardagh Chalice, the Faddan More Psalter, the Springmount tablets, the Tara brooch and some of the precious items on display from medieval Clonard.

The Words on the Wave exhibition is running May 30th to Oct 24th. For more details see https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Archaeology/Exhibitions/Words-on-the-Wave-Ireland-and-St-Gallen-in-Early-M

Exhibition Advisors: Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, Cornel Dora, Philipp Lenz, John Gillis, Bernard Meehan, Raghnall Ó Floinn, Pádraig Ó Macháin, Timothy O'Neill.

Lending Institutions: Stiftsbibliotek St. Gallen; L'abbaye de Saint Maurice d'Agaune; Cork Public Museum.

Lead Partners: Department of Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport; Office of Public Works.

Supporting Partners: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; The Embassy of Switzerland in Ireland; The Embassy of Ireland to Switzerland; The Houses of the Oireachtas, The Discovery Programme; The Inks and Skins Project, Department of Modern Irish, University of Cork; The Royal Irish Academy; The School of Genetics and Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin; The School of Archaeology, University College Dublin; National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Department of Archaeology, University College Cork; Transport Infrastructure Ireland; Limerick County Council; Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit; Archaeology Plan; Courtney Deery Archaeology; Icon Archaeology; Archaeology Management Solutions; Vikingeskibmuseet, Roskilde; The Hunt Museum, Limerick; Eureka Secondary School (Kells, Co. Meath); Flade Klosterschulhaus (St. Gallen); Gallen Community School (Ferbane, Co. Offaly); Coláiste Muire (Ballymote, Co. Sligo).

Expert Assistance: Edward Bourke, Daniel Bradley, Sadbh Carrick, Ian Doyle, James Eogan, Silvio Frigg, Fenella G. France, Anna Hoffman, Pádraig Ó Macháin, Pierre-Alain Mariaux, Ursula Mattenberger, Valeria Marriangeli, Griffin Murray, TImothy O'Neill, John Sheehan and Andrew Woods.

Replicas: Potted History; Laura Quinn Design; John Nicholl; Brendan O'Neill.


Regular episodes every two weeks (on a Friday)

Email: medievalirishhistory@gmail.com

Producer: Tiago Veloso Silva

Supported by Maynooth University, especially the International Centre for Irish Cultural Heritage, the Dept of Early Irish, the Dept of Music, the Dept of History, & Taighde Éireann/Research Ireland.

Views expressed are the speakers' own.


For anyone curious about the centuries often summarized as simply "Vikings and monks," The Medieval Irish History Podcast offers a far richer and more nuanced journey. Hosted by Dr. Niamh Wycherley, this series moves beyond the stereotypes to reveal a complex, dynamic, and surprisingly vibrant world. Each episode is built around a lively and engaging conversation with a leading expert, delving into specific aspects of a period that is frequently evoked yet deeply misunderstood. Listeners will hear discussions that unpack new and exciting research, challenging outdated narratives and bringing fresh perspectives to the forefront. The podcast serves as a direct line to the latest academic insights, exploring everything from politics and religion to daily life and material culture, all grounded in the landscape of medieval Ireland. It’s an invitation to reconsider what you think you know, presented through accessible and thoughtful dialogue. This podcast is supported by the Department of Early Irish at Maynooth University and Taighde Éireann, ensuring a foundation of scholarly rigor while remaining genuinely engaging for anyone with an interest in the past. The views expressed within each episode belong to the individual speakers, contributing to a multifaceted and authentic exploration of history.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Medieval Irish History Podcast
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