Memento Mori Stonework

29/08/2026

25/08/2026

It’s amazing what a do gooder with a bucket of whitewash can do when they put their mind to it. I took a trip to Cloontuskert historical graveyard to do some research for a project, and was shocked to see almost every single 18th and 19thc headstone whitewashed. This graveyard has a magnificent collection of excellently lettered headstones, and even earlier carved elements from an Augustinian friary. There’s even a really badly built wall, built of fragments of very early Christian grave slabs and architectural elements including two carved heads! And none of it looks like it was done more than 30 years ago. The “sure isn’t it great to see something being done” brigade were out in force at that commitee meeting. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

22/08/2026

Absolutely fantastic walk and talk around Boyle Abbey today by Gary Dempsey, where he guided us around some of the carved elements I had never noticed, and the history of the abbeys patronage. I never knew there were masons marks visible here, and I hadn’t known just how much chopping and changing was done throughout its lifetime from the 1100’s to its almost complete destruction from the 1500s on. Fascinating to hear about the “school of the west”, a tradition of stone carving that was a huge influence on ecclesiastical building in Connaught and Munster. In fact some of the masons marks here show up in at least two other sites in other parts of the country. Amazing to think of what life was like for a Journeyman mason in medieval Ireland. Probably not a whole pile different to the stories Seamus Murphy tells in “Stone mad” about the old tramp stonies that followed the work, robbing clothes that farmers wives would leave on hedges to dry, carrying a few “nails” (lettering chisels) in their pockets, and a hammer, and making all the other tools they needed once they got to a yard with a load of work on. If there wasn’t enough work in a yard, all the “Dust” there would pass the hat around and give the stonie a few bob for a pint or two on the way to the next yard.
So great to be listening to someone else talk about stone for a change too! 😂🤓⚒☠️⚒

20/08/2026

Great day one at st nics!

11/08/2026

Are you interested in learning a little bit of stone carving in the medieval surroundings of St Nicholas church Galway?? Look no further!
Please follow the link in bio for details and tickets or go to the church website.

08/08/2026

Reduce VAT on Irish handmade crafts

05/08/2026

New Heritage Craft Workshops Bring Medieval Skills to Life in 700-Year-Old St Nicholas Collegiate Church Galway City. Full programme and Booking via https://stnicholas.ie/events/ and www.heritageweek.ie Galway County Council The Heritage Council Galway City / Architectural Conservation Galway County Public Participation Network Galway Public Libraries