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Tormore Cave Project book shortlisted for prestigious 2026 Current Archaeology Awards
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) is celebrating national recognition for a landmark study of Sligo’s heritage.
‘An Irish Civil War Dugout – Tormore Cave, County Sligo: Archaeology, History, Memory’ has been shortlisted for Book of the Year at the 2026 Current Archaeology Awards in London.
The publication is authored by ATU archaeologist and lecturer Dr Marion Dowd, together with Robert Mulraney and Dr James Bonsall, and forms part of the long-running Tormore Cave Project- a research collaboration uncovering the archaeological, historical and cultural significance of the cave.
Dr Dowd and the project team said they were “thrilled and deeply honoured” by the nomination. The Current Archaeology Awards are among the most respected accolades in the discipline, recognising exceptional contributions to archaeological scholarship and public engagement.
The shortlisted book weaves together archaeology, history and lived memory to reveal how Tormore Cave functioned as a concealed dugout for anti-Treaty forces during the Irish Civil War. The study sheds new light on a little-known chapter of national history and illustrates the impact of interdisciplinary research at ATU.
ATU congratulates Dr Dowd and the entire Tormore Cave Project team on this outstanding achievement and on the international recognition of their work.
About the book
An Irish Civil War Dugout – Tormore Cave, County Sligo: Archaeology, History, Memory is the first archaeological investigation of an Irish Civil War site. The 420-page volume details how Tormore Cave served as a hidden refuge for more than 30 anti-Treaty fighters in 1922, drawing on excavation findings, artefacts, archival research and community narratives. The book reveals daily realities, local landscapes and personal stories surrounding the cave, offering a richly textured and original account of the period.
Photo caption: (L-R) James Bonsall, Marion Dowd, and Robert Mulraney, authors of the book “An Irish Civil War Dugout – Tormore Cave, County Sligo: Archaeology, history, memory”.
Ivana Hanjs
Communications Officer
Tel: +353 89 963 9559
E: ivana.hanjs@atu.ie
