The keel of the vessel is raised

The National Monuments service with the national Museum of Ireland and the Drogheda Port Company will oversee the recovery of the medieval sailing vessel discovered during the course of dredging operations in the river boyne late last year.

The find has surpassed all initial expectations in terms of the amount of recoverable material. Carbon dating analysis of some of the vessel’s timbers indicate that dates from about 1500 A.D. Further analysis should be able to pinpoint its dating to within a couple of decades.

The wreck was first discovered in late November 2006 during dredging operations being undertaken in the River Boyne by Drogheda Port Company. The accidental discovery has generated great interest, because it is the first such discovery in Ireland and much of the wreck is intact. The wreck lies within Drogheda port and is some 12 metres in length. The location of the vessel in mid-stream of the fast flowing River Boyne means that it was impracticable to leave the vessel to be preserved in situ.  The wreck has now been fully archaeologically excavated to best international standards by an archaeological team from the Department of Environment supported by the Drogheda Port company. Having excavated and recorded the wreck to the fullest extent possible the team will now seek to recover as much of the wreck as possible on a timber by timber basis. There is some possibility that larger intact wooden sections may be recoverable but this will only become apparent as the operation proceeds. The wreck will be conserved for further analysis and ultimately it is hoped to put it on public display.

The final phase of the recovery operation on the wreck will, as heretofore, be overseen by the National Monuments Service in co-operation with conservation experts from the National Museum of Ireland and with logistical support from Drogheda Port Company.

As well as the vessel itself, the find also includes a number of very well preserved cargo barrels, rigging components and personal possessions of the crew. Such finds will over the coming months and years open a window on an important part of life in Ireland in the sixteenth century when water borne trade and transport were the lifeblood of medieval towns like Drogheda.

The recovery operation was completed on Sunday 1st July when the keel section of the vessel was raised. The vessel is now being maintained in water tanks and the process or recording and cleaning every peice has begun.

The examination, conservation and analysis of this unique discovery in Irish and European maritime archaeological heritage will take some years of patient research to come to full fruition.