Upcoming Historic Graveyard Management Workshop in Doneraile

Do you have a historic graveyard in your area?

Is your community group or graveyard committee involved in managing the care and conservation of your local historic graveyard or cemetery?　

If yes, then you will be interested to hear that a series of training workshops has been developed with the aim of training local communities in Cork to manage their historic graveyards. Cork County Council and the Historic Graves team will be holding public training workshops in Mallow, Skibbereen and Midleton on the 18th, 20^{th and 21st of November respectively. All are welcome to attend.}

Organised by the Historic Monuments Advisory Committee (HMAC), Cork County Council, the project will be delivered by experienced archaeologist Jacinta Kiely & John Tierney of the Historic Graves Project. This team have already been involved with many community groups nationwide in over 700 Irish graveyards through their work with the project ^{www.historicgraves.com.}

Historic graveyards have been an important part of community life for centuries, providing a peaceful and spiritual resting place for the dead in consecrated church grounds. Many of the older graveyards have fallen into disrepair and become overgrown. All over the county there is increasing local interest in cleaning the graveyards and by so doing respecting their ancestors buried in the graveyards. The HMAC are offering an opportunity to learn how to best clean up and maintain, in a sympathetic manner, these historic resting places in an appropriate and respectful manner and in compliance with legislation.

All communities interested in graveyard care and maintenance and learning simple, effective systems for good quality management are invited to attend the workshops.

The workshops will be organized with lectures in the morning and an short afternoon session followed by a visiting local graveyards to identify and discuss key management issues.

Individuals and committee members should attend but spaces are limited and will be based on a first come basis. Graveyard committees should try and send at least two members to the workshops. Topics covered will range from the importance of the character of each individual graveyard, how to identify that character and build an appropriate management plan through to the use of weed killers, grass cutting regimes, grave monument care and conservation, as well as funding and practical annual /long term plans. Come and learn how a roll of masking tape and a marker can be a crucial aid in working out your management plan.

As well as being a sacred space, historic graveyards are key heritage resources for any county. It is intended that this project will assist in developing and improving the resource long into the future in Co. Cork.

All are welcome to attend the workshops, whether as a member of the general public or as part of a parish or graveyard committee. Delivered in West, North and East Cork the workshops will be aimed at approx. 30-40 attendees each day. All are welcome to attend and it is free of charge and spaces will be allocated on a first come basis.

To reserve a place please email ^{Jacinta@eachtra.ie or telephone Jacinta on 0872362319.}

Schedule

　Time table