Postgraduate workshops Spring 2018
Postgraduate workshops with the Discovery Programme
Researching and interpreting early medieval Churches in Ireland
Workshop by Con Manning, formerly Senior Archaeologist, National Monuments Service.
Date: 7 March, 2018
Time: 2 – 4pm
Location: The Discovery Programme, 6 Mount Street Lower, Dublin 2Researching and interpreting early medieval churches in Ireland’
The illustrated talk will deal with the historical evidence (annals etc.) as well as the physical evidence. A number of case studies will be looked at including the Cathedral and Temple Dowling at Clonmacnoise, Glendalough Cathedral, Tullaherin Church, Co. Kilkenny and Kilteel Church, Co. Kildare.
Matters for discussion can include comparisons with churches in other countries, terminology for churches, function of the churches, terminology for the church sites, how to read a building, methods of recording etc.
Recommended reading:
T. Ó Carragáin, Churches in early medieval Ireland. 2010.
Articles on Clonmacnoise Cathedral and other churches at Clonmacnoise in Clonmacnoise Studies 1 and 2 (H. King ed.). 1998 and 2005.
C. Manning, References to church buildings in the annals. In A.P. Smyth (ed.) Seanchas, 37-52. Dublin 2000.
C. Manning, A puzzle in stone: the cathedral at Glendalough, Archaeology Ireland 16(2), 2002, 18-21.
Heritage Science for Material Culture
Workshop by Dr Paul Mullarkey NMI and Dr Daniela Iacopino, Tyndall Institute.
Location: Conservation Department, National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb St, Dublin 7
Date: 28 March, 2018
Time: 11 – 4.30pm
Dr Mullarkey will discuss Investigative Techniques in Conservation and The Lough Kinale Shrine: conservation, techniques and research.
Dr Iacopino will discuss the use of nanomaterials for art conservation with a focus on the XRF analysis of ancient Gaelic manuscripts
Facing the cairn at Newgrange: interpreting archaeology in a post-truth world
Workshop by Dr Elizabeth Shee Twohig, Formerly Senior Lecturer, Department of Archaeology UCC
Date: 18 April 2018
Time: 2 – 4pm
Location: The Discovery Programme, 6 Mount Street Lower, Dublin 2
Main text: Facing the cairn art Newgrange by Robert Hensey and Elizabeth Shee Twohig, due to be published in Journal of Irish Archaeology, early April 2018, which will be circulated in advance of the workshop. This paper discusses the validity of M.J. O’Kelly’s interpretation of the facing of the cairn at Newgrange and its context, and the validity of the restoration.
We will consider some broader topics, such as the response by the public to state-led intervention at archaeological sites such as Wood Quay in Dublin in the 1970s, and the M3 by Tara. We also discuss the role of newspapers in stimulating controversy in a post-truth world, e.g. why the Irish Times provided a platform for the rubbishing of roof box at Newgrange (December 2016) and how the Irish Examiner fuelled rivalry between Cork and Waterford as the earliest Viking town (January 2018).
Participants will be required to read the main text, and will also be assigned one or two of the other subjects to research before the workshop.
Places are restricted to post-graduate students. Please book a place by emailing lindashine@discoveryprogramme.ie
