It was a far cry from the House of Commons when MP Brendan O’Hara joined the Big Lismore Dig as a volunteer to uncover a medieval cathedral dating as far back as the 12th century.
The cathedral on the Argyll island served the newly created diocese of Argyll.
With funding from the Heritage Lottery, the archeological project which began in 2016 and was led by Dr Bob Hay of the Lismore Heritage Centre and Dr Claire Ellis of Argyll Archeology was able to continue its work.
They have continued digging deeper into the soil and unearthing historical artefacts such as medieval pottery, skulls and skeletons.
The main aim of this part of the dig is to reveal the walls of the nave, so that Argyll’s cathedral can be seen by the community and visitors alike.
Mr O’Hara, who joined dozens of volunteers, said: “This is a fascinating piece of local history. Never did I expect when I took on the job of MP, I would be part of an archeological dig to uncover such a significant find as this.
“To think that we are looking back 700 years is quite astonishing and it just shows again what is going on here in Argyll and Bute. It is so important that we know our history and where we have come from.
“I would like to thank Bob and Claire for inviting me along and, funding permitting, I hope they will be able to continue with this next year. I would love to do it again.”
