What was it really like to live in a medieval Irish town?!
What was it really like to live in a medieval Irish town?! This illustrated lecture explores everyday life within the walls of towns such as Clonmel, Kilkenny, Waterford and Dublin. Drawing on archaeology, documentary evidence and surviving buildings, it examines the homes, streets, markets, crafts, food, trade and defences that shaped urban life between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries. It also considers the people who lived there – from wealthy merchants and craftworkers to children, beggars and criminals – and shows how archaeological excavations over recent decades have transformed our understanding of daily life in Ireland's many medieval towns.
Speaker: Dr Michael Potterton is Associate Professor of Medieval History at Maynooth University. His research focuses on medieval Ireland, particularly towns, settlement, landscape and archaeology. He has published widely, including The Town in Medieval Ireland (with Christiaan Corlett). He is Chair of the Irish Historic Towns Atlas. His lectures combine historical sources with archaeological discoveries to bring the medieval world to life for both specialist and general audiences.
