Time Team set for Viking search

THE Channel Four television programme Time Team may be invited to Youghal to try and solve one of the town’s most perplexing mysteries.

The location of the town's original Viking settlement remains just that a mystery. While many believe it is somewhere in the St Mary's Collegiate Church/Myrtle Grove/St Mary's College area, no one has, to date, been able to pinpoint its exact location.

Now Green Party town councillor Liam Burke believes an invitation should be extended to the Time Team programme to come to the East Cork resort. He insisted that if the Viking settlement is uncovered, it will considerably enhance Youghal's reputation as a heritage town.

"The Time Team has brought the subject of archaeology to a huge audience," said Mr Burke. "The programme attempts to solve mysteries and, in order to generate a sense of excitement, gives itself a deadline of three days."

Mr Burke said the programme is shown on television channels all over the world and has made some programmes in this country.

He believes that the spin off for the local economy and business would be enormous and the coverage would be worth a fortune in terms of advertising to a worldwide audience.

The county archaeological officer will now be asked to fully assess the feasibility of inviting the Channel Four programme team to Youghal, but Mr Burke is in no doubt about the practicality of doing so.

"If considered feasible, and I firmly believe it is, then the archaeological officer could prepare a submission for the Time Team producers which hopefully they in turn would positively respond to," he said.

The Green Party councillor said the exact whereabouts of the town's Viking settlement has defied the best efforts of everyone to unearth it.

"It is a priceless treasure to have on one's doorstep", he said, "and nothing should be left to chance to try and locate it."

Mr Burke has the backing of his council colleagues, and the next step is to bring the county archaeological officer on board to convince producers that Youghal has a major mystery to solve.