The search for the remains of Patrick Sarsfield, the Earl of Lucan, has moved a step forward with the announcement that Sarsfield's burial site has been identified and that an archaeological excavation of the site will be commencing soon. The announcement was made by Dr Loïc Guyon, Head of the Department of French Studies at MIC and Honorary Consul of France to the MidWest Region at a talk to celebrate 30 years of the Bachelor of Arts programme at MIC on Thursday 9 February.

The Sarsfield Homecoming Project was officially launched by Dr Guyon in November 2020 to try to locate, identify and repatriate to Ireland the remains of Irish national hero Patrick Sarsfield. Following the signing of the Treaty of Limerick in 1691, Sarsfield left Ireland, along with thousands of Irish jacobite soldiers known as the Wild Geese, and died in the service of France in 1693. The project has generated significant public and media interest since its launch and regular updates posted on social media by Dr Guyon have attracted thousands of followers from Ireland and beyond. The project is sponsored by Limerick-based American company Carelon Global Solutions.