Archive - Giant Irish Deer remains discovered in Kilkenny (1973)

The remains of a giant Irish Deer which had been buried in the clay for thousands of years have just been unearthed at a Co Kilkenny farm. It is an area which may well turn out to have been an ancient burial ground for animals.

The head, antlers and many other bones, which were thrown up in excavation work at Ballykeeffe, Cuffesgrange, belong to the Irish Elk, which has been extinct for thousands of years.

The rare find was made on the farm of Thomas Egan, but is not the first big find made there. The remains of an elk were first uncovered in 1956; since then more remains have been found.

However, the recent find is the most important to date. The well preserved head with teeth still in place is the centre piece of a show of antlers and various elk bones at a mini museum beside the Egan family farmhouse in Ballykeeffe.

It was about 9,500 BC that the Giant Irish Deer came to Ireland, probably from Southern Europe. Earliest man did not come to Ireland until 5,700 BC.

Circuit Court Record
Due to an unprecedented volume of criminal business which comes before Judge Fawsitt at Kilkenny Circuit Court next week it has been found necessary to summon the unusual number of 330 jurors to deal with 11 trials listed for hearing. They concern 14 accused.

This is stated to be a record number of jurors at Kilkenny Circuit Court since the State was founded. In all 90 cases have been listed for hearing.

All-Stars
Kilkenny beat All-Ireland winners Limerick when the All-Star awards were announced. The Cats earned seven awards, two more than the champions.

Noel Skehan (goalkeeper), Fan Larkin (corner-back), Pat Henderson (centre half-back), Liam O’Brien (midfield), Pat Delaney (centre half-forward), Kieran Purcell (full-forward) and Eddie Keher (left corner-forward) were selected.

Skehan was hailed as ‘a goalkeeper any player would be happy to have behind him’ while Henderson was honoured for ‘his tenacious approach and the devotion he continues to give to the game’.

“It is an honour to be selected,” Dr Donal Keenan, president of the GAA, said of the award winners, “because not alone is a player chosen for his skill as a player but also for his sportsman ship on the field of play.

“These men are a credit to the game of hurling and are fine examples of the calibre of player in the country.”