This class is delivered by local historian and archaeologist Gerry Mullins.

The class takes place in Gorey Community School at night time except for field trips to local graveyards which are usually held on Saturdays.

Last Year the group produced a book on the Kilnahue graveyard in Gorey. This book was published in July of last year.

Course Content

Week 1

The course will open with an introduction to the study of headstones and some simple related archaeological theory. For example Sarah Tarlow (an academic archaeological theorist) who has studied Scottish headstones, says that there is more to be learned about people from the iconography, or lack of it, that from the inscription. What can we learn about contemporary local society from a social, religious, political and economic perspective, based on headstone iconography? 

Week 2

Look at the published sources for the above named masons (much of it was done in the 1940s, their current condition should be interesting). Look in detail at the iconography used by the masons. Much of their work concentrated on the Passion Symbols. What does it tell us about those who commissioned the work? Eighteenth and early 19^th century people were much more familiar with symbolism than we are..  

Week 3

Continuing our examination of the above named masons’ work and at the churchyards where it occurs (desk based). 

Week 4

Examine the work of other pre-famine un-named stone carvers. Much of it is currently unrecorded and relatively unknown. Reference to theory discussed in week 1: why should we record the mundane as well as the spectacular? 

 Week 5

Headstone recording:How to design a headstone recording sheet prior to engaging in fieldwork.Some photography hints concerning headstonesHow to do a proper headstone rubbing, some very worn decoration can be safely and clearly recorded without damaging the stone. 

Week 6

How to do a churchyard plan to scale and enter the co-ordinates of the headstones. This would be done the ‘old fashioned way’ using tape measures and triangulation. We will also look at site history with a view towards next week’s field trip.  

Week 7

Churchyard tour: preferably a disused rural medieval parish churchyard containing one example at least of a referenced mason’s work.The class will do a plan of the site, record and photograph pre-famine headstones. This work will be done to a very high standard.  

Week 8

The results of the previous week’s survey should be discussed and assembled in the form of a genuine report. Perhaps we could look at the possibility of the class publishing it in a local historical / archaeological journal.  

Week 9

How do we protect our heritage?Discuss: what should be done with our pre-famine headstones, are they legally protected as archaeological artefacts? How is stone best treated? Should it be cleaned, how is it best preserved? Look at some stone decoration recorded by Margaret Stokes in the 1880s, compare it to what we can see today.Discuss the possibility of class participants continuing to record pre-famine headstone decoration in their locality and making a database. 

Week 10

Field trip.Preferably get to see the work of Byrne, O’Brien, Cullen and Kehoe if possible.