The antlers and skull of a giant Irish deer, estimated to have lived approximately 11,000 years ago, have been uncovered on the Carlow/Laois border.
The discovery was made by Mr Sean Kearns, secretary of the Graiguecullen Gun Club, while he was digging out a duck pond on marshy land at Sleaty, Derrymoyle, Carlow.
The Irish giant deer became extinct in this country more than 10,000 years ago. The Carlow find comprises almost a complete skull of a fully mature male with attached antler beams, which are thought to have been about three metres in span.
