Free heritage conference puts focus on maps and art

The seventh annual Galway City Heritage Conference will take place on Saturday, June 24, in the Harbour Hotel, Galway City.

It includes several discussions of special local interest.  They include a talk on the recently published Irish Historic Towns Atlas for Galway City by Jacinta Prunty, who co-wrote this magnificent publication from the Royal Irish Academy.

Jacinta Kiely of Irish Historic Graves will explain what’s involved in surveying graveyards and the benefits of such survey to genealogists.

This ties in with a five-year survey of Galway City’s 28 graveyards, being conducted by Galway City Council with the Heritage Council and Irish Historic Graves.

Gravestone inscriptions are being recorded, transcribed and made freely available online.  It’s hoped that everything will be recorded in the next few years.  So far, inscription from Old Rahoon, Menlo, the Dominican and Roscam graveyards have been put online and illustrated pamphlets have been printed for each site by Galway City Council’s Heritage Office.

New research techniques in archaeology are the subject of Dr Paul Naessen’s talk. The NUIG lecturer and field archaeologist will discuss the role of drones, remote sensing and new technology.

Other guests will include Professor Dr Seamus Caulfield, who will speak about the Neolithic Stone Age Ceide Fields in Co Mayo.

In West Clare, discoveries dating to the Middle Stone Age have been made by Michael, Clodagh and Elaine Lynch. Findings include a prehistoric axe-head factory, which will be explored in Michael’s talk.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.