Dublin students dig deep to unearth city’s hidden history

Teenagers from across Dublin have been unearthing fragments of the city’s forgotten past — and their own place in its story — as part of a remarkable community archaeology project in St Anne’s Park.

Dozens of Transition Year students have spent recent weeks trading classrooms for trowels through Dublin City Council’s annual St Anne’s Park Community Archaeology Programme.

Under the new “Transition Year Tuesdays” scheme, they worked side by side with professional archaeologists from Archaeology and Built Heritage Ltd, peeling back the soil to reveal the long-buried remains of St Anne’s Mansion, once the grand 19th-century home of the Guinness family.

Their work drew praise this week from the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, who visited the site to commend their efforts.

“I congratulate the Transition Year students from across Dublin and beyond whose hard work, enthusiasm and curiosity have brought history to life at St Anne’s Park through Dublin City Council’s 2025 Community Archaeology Programme, supported by the Heritage Council and Creative Ireland,” he said.

“Their achievements reveal Dublin’s past and highlight the vital role young people play in exploring and sharing our city’s unique cultural heritage.”

TY Students Kian O’Mahony (Mount Temple), Zuzia Laskowska (Pobalscoil Neasain) and Sean Dalton (Pobalscoil Neasain) are pictured at the dig site in St Annes Park.

Over five days of fieldwork, the students uncovered the remains of Lord Ardilaun’s study, retrieving artefacts including fragments of carved stone, decorative plasterwork, stained glass and ornate floor tiles. The site is now being excavated by adult volunteers as part of a wider 25-day dig that runs until 20 September.

Dublin City Council Heritage Officer Charles Duggan said the programme, now in its fifth year, is helping to connect people with the past in meaningful ways.

“The St Anne’s Park Community Archaeology Programme is an action of Dublin City Council’s Strategic Heritage Plan, which aims to connect people with their past, foster stewardship, and build skills through hands-on public participation,” he said.

“This year and over the last four years the programme has empowered volunteers young and old to uncover and interpret the archaeology and social history of St Anne’s Park.”

City Archaeologist Ruth Johnson said the project is as much about people as it is about history.

“The community excavation of St Anne’s House is bringing together people of different ages and backgrounds with a common goal — to uncover and research the park’s hidden heritage,” she said.

“This year the volunteers are once again working with the support of a team of professional archaeologists. This time they are investigating the remains of the entrance hall and of Lord Ardilaun’s study, which all sounds a bit Cluedo.

“The volunteers’ enthusiasm for the dig is infectious and they have reported increased well-being.

“Their work has stimulated great public interest and generated local pride in the heritage of the area. St Anne’s is proving an exciting location for public archaeology in Dublin.”

Community Excavation Director James Kyle said the project is showing how heritage can bring people together.

“As a professional archaeologist, it’s humbling to see the passion and skill of our volunteers, and the incredible support from the wider community.

“I’m deeply grateful to everyone involved. Our team has embraced the unique challenges of such a public-facing project, proving that community archaeology can truly enrich our lives, our shared history, and our understanding of heritage.”

The programme is a partnership between Dublin City Council’s Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services and its Archaeology and Heritage Sections, supported by The Heritage Council and Creative Ireland.

This year’s work includes a 25-day excavation licensed by the National Monuments Service, on-site exhibitions, accessible guided tours, school visits, and post-excavation workshops to prepare finds for deposit with the National Museum of Ireland — all designed to celebrate Dublin’s heritage while inspiring the next generation to protect it.