IPMAG were recently invited to participate in a joint seminar with the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland at Society House in Merrion Square, Dublin. On Friday 8th November, IPMAG stalwarts Nick Brannon, Connie Kelleher, Wes Forsythe and Audrey Horning took to the stage to deliver four papers on various aspects of post-medieval archaeology in Ireland to the crowd gathered in the Helen Roe Theatre. Franc Myles introduced the session and speakers, after which Nick Brannon got the ball rolling with an excellent synthesis of IPMAG – from its origins and aims to promote greater awareness and appreciation of Irish post-medieval archaeology, through to the many successes IPMAG has achieved since its formation twenty years ago. Connie Kelleher (NMS) followed with a presentation on the state of Ireland’s post-medieval underwater cultural heritage, showcasing some terrific examples of early-modern shipwrecks and associated material culture that have been found around the Irish coast. Wes Forsythe (UU) delivered a great overview of the archaeology of salt production in post-medieval Ireland and the effects of marine exploitation on the coastal landscape, which prompted many questions from those gathered. The evening ended with Audrey Horning (QUB/ W&M) who treated us to a thought-provoking talk on the archaeology of identity in early-modern Ireland – using the enigmatic Dungiven Costume as her example, she demonstrated just how difficult it is to identify and assign cultural identities in the archaeological record.
With plenty of interested attendees and great talks highlighting the significance and necessity of post-medieval archaeology in Ireland, the event was a great success and certainly bodes well for future events with RSAI and other sister organizations!
Wes Forsythe discussing the archaeology of salt production in post-medieval Ireland
Nick Brannon highlighting the significance of IPMAG and Irish post-medieval archaeology.