ARCHAEOLOGICAL excavations in Drogheda, Co Louth, have unearthed pottery dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, revealing that the medieval town had by then established trade links with Britain and France.
The digs have been taking place alongside construction work on a £43 million project to provide an interceptor sewer.
"The pottery from the sites con also some from Cheshire and Homegreen near Bristol as well as from France," said Ms Deirdre Murphy, a representative of Archaeological Consultancy Services in Drogheda.
"The French work is mainly of vessels for wine being brought into the country. Our post-excavation work will confirm what we have found but it appears that in the 13th century there were trade links with both countries."
Most of the work on the sewer is taking place adjacent to the Boyne. In Dyer Street the remains of a 13th-century building have been found and across the river archaeologists have located what they believe to be the site of the first houses ever built in the town.
"The most exciting part is at John Street, beside Millmount," Ms Murphy said. "The theory is that Drogheda was virgin land before being settled by the Anglo-Normans and Millmount was their stronghold. John Street would have been the first area they settled and we have found a series of eight medieval walls. They would have been the first to be built in the town and it is very rare to get that."
She believes the walls could date from the late 12th century.
Some of the more significant finds may be preserved, but the bulk of the excavated material will be recorded and then covered up. 1"We have budgeted £400,000 for archaeological investigations and on the basis of what has been found so far that has been used up, said Mr Brendan Hoey, the Drogheda town clerk.
"The sewer has to be put in and, while the past is very nice, the present and future are what we have to provide for."
Mr Hoey said that the town's extensive history ensured that something would be found wherever there was a dig. "The purpose of the excavations is to record it. The work [on the sewer] is being held up in a lot of places with the archaeological digs. It is slowing down the contract and adding to the cost of it."
Mr Sean Collins, of the Old Drogheda Society, said that it was not practical to try to preserve some of the finds. "How do you preserve and present a foundation? Once it is there and is covered up, it is safe. It is time that we were realistic ... That these things have been identified is marvellous. It shows how important and busy a town Drogheda was."