The Big Dig on Lismore, September 2021, funded by the generosity of CrowdFunders, was extraordinarily successful. In the Early Church cemetery, we were able to recover sixteen undisturbed burials, and these are now being studied and prepared for full DNA analysis. As well as this, we were able to show that the area below the church had been a hive of occupation and activity in medieval times, with extensive metal and stone working. Finds included medieval pottery, shroud pins, fragments of Early Church carving, a Jew’s harp and a coin dating from 1280.

In May 2022, we plan a final week of community archaeological digging in the glebe land below the cemetery to understand the round house and the square building we uncovered in 2021. Are these prehistoric (we did find flint tools), Early Church (Moluag’s cell?) or part of the medieval cathedral complex? We had reached the floor level in each but were inundated with water and unable to confirm the date of either. We left the trench open and, in May, we will install a pump and complete an intensive week of work.

With the help of Lismore Parish Church, and support in kind from the community, the Historical Society intends to complete the field work within a budget of £5,000 (accommodation, travel and report costs for Dr Clare Ellis, the professional archaeologist, and equipment including hire of a pump). The digging will be done by the experienced group of volunteers from previous years. This will be the culmination of six years of work and we will soon have a wealth of information about the story of Clachan from prehistory to the present day.All donations of any size will therefore be much appreciated and we thank you.

Our thanks to those who have already given to our appeal. To answer a question so far, the Dig will be 21 to 28 May