ARCHAEOLOGISTS and historians are set to examine Kilmallock and other surviving walled towns in an effort to re-imagine what Ireland’s urban areas may have looked like during the 16th century.
Organised by Limerick City and County Council and funded by Limerick City of Culture and the Irish Walled Towns Network, a conference in Kilmallock on June 5 and 6 will examine strands of 16th century Ireland through town fortifications and the role of the merchant classes, as well as the function, design, origins and influences of their domestic buildings.
“The 16th century is an important period in the transition from the medieval to the modern world. It is a period that is not much explored or understood,” stated archaeologist Sarah McCutcheon.
Kilmallock’s town walls, 70 per cent of which remain standing today, make it one of Ireland’s most intact walled towns. Hundreds of metres of the town’s medieval walls have been restored in recent years.
Brian Hodkinson of Limerick Museum said that the event would raise the profile of the late medieval remains within the environs, encourage repeat visits and establish Limerick city, Kilmallock and other walled towns firmly on the itinerary of cultural tourism.
