Tue, 09 Jun, 2026 - 19:05

Achaeological dig to shine light on Ireland and Norway’s shared Viking past

"If confirmed, this may be the largest Viking structure identified so far in Ireland, possibly the remains of a longhouse or hall"

Brendan Keane

A sod turning event marking the opening of a targeted excavation at the Woodstown Viking Site in County Waterford took place on Monday, June 8.

A team of archaeologists from Ireland and Norway will be working together to uncover more of the two nations' shared Viking past.

Mayor Of Waterford City & County tuning a sod at at the Woodstown Viking Site. Photo: John Power

With the support of the Royal Irish Academy and Waterford City and County Council, the team will be composed of archaeologists and researchers from Abarta Heritage, The Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland, and Norway’s University and Museum of Stavanger.

Mayor Of Waterford City & County Cllr. Seamus Ryan turning asod at the Woodstown Viking Site with Neill Jacjman and Deise Medieval Re-Enactors Barbara Power, Deirdre Burke, Shay Cashman and Micheál Ó'Cadhla. Photo: John Power

A spokesperson for Waterford City & County Council said work will focus on what researchers think are the foundations of a significant structure at the heart of this Viking-period site. "This structure was revealed during the geophysical surveys and is of considerable size," she said.

"If confirmed, this may be the largest Viking structure identified so far in Ireland, possibly the remains of a longhouse or hall," she added.

Attending were Mary Conway, Senior Librarian, WCCC and Waterford Heritage Forum and Dr. Kristin Armstrong-Oma, Museum Director, Archaeology Museum, Stavanger, Norway. Photo: john Power

"The excavation seeks to better understand this building and its role in the settlement, and to gain insights about how it was built."

In recent years, Woodstown has undergone a series of detailed geophysical and other non- invasive surveys.

Archaeologist Kristoffer Hillesland, James Eogan, Senior Archaeologist, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Bernadette Guest, Heritage Officer, WC&CC, Neil Jackman, Director, Abarta Heritage Photo: John Power

That work was guided by an expert steering committee, with the surveys developed as a collaboration between leading geophysicists in Ireland and Norway.

Attending were Gavan Murphy, Sean Denham, David Stone, Edward Pollard and Krístoffer Hillesland. Photo: John Power

"Together they have combined a variety of approaches to develop a deeper sense of what lies beneath the surface of these quiet fields beside the Suir," said the spokesperson.

Attending were Eddie Cantwell and Chrissie Knight, Waterford County Museum and Róisín Burke, Abarta. Photo: John Power

"The combined evidence from these surveys, in addition to the previous excavations, suggest that Woodstown was not just a base for raiding and plundering the surrounding countryside; it was a substantial settlement and, a centre for trade, commerce and industry," she added.