Unlocking Hidden Heritage European Project
Ireland Action -Roundhouse Reconstruction
Dates: 31st March to 12th April 2008
Background
The Irish action centres around an Iron Age roundhouse reconstruction, situated in Brigit's Garden cultural and environmental centre in Connemara, Co. Galway - see www.brigitsgarden.ie Brigit's Garden provides a range of interpretive features and events based around ancient Irish life and folklore, and it is intended that the roundhouse will support this role. Although the reconstruction will utilise period design principles, the building will also incorporate contemporary techniques and will have an ongoing end use as an outdoor classroom.
The materials used in the frame reconstruction - in keeping with the general theme of 'sustainability' - reflect the native woodland setting for the building, i.e. oak / ash / hazel woodland, (the natural climax vegetation cover for the area, over shallow calcareous soils). Oak, Quercus petrea, provides the best, most durable material for the main supports, as does hazel, Corylus avellana, wattle for the walls and ash, Fraxinus excelsior, for the roofing timbers. One significant contemporary application regarding these timbers will be in their peeling (bark removal), whereby a technique originally developed in Finland utilising a steam kiln and high pressure power washer will be used to separate the bark from the surface of the timber. This has the benefit of leaving the outer surface of the timber unbroken and therefore significantly more durable. This process demonstrates the project's general objective to integrate a heritage building in a modern interpretive setting, (very much in keeping with the overall theme of Brigit's Garden), whereby it will have an ongoing, useful / educational function.
The aim
of the UHH training course was to involve the participants in each stage
of the roundhouse reconstruction, utilising both traditional green woodworking
skills in conjunction with contemporary techniques, (see following programme).
In addition to the building construction, participants will be able to experience
other aspects of Brigit's Garden, and visit cultural sites in the area.
Programme
Day / date
Activity Notes
1. 31/03 Participants arrive in Galway - pick up from airport / train and
transfer to hotel in Galway city.
2. 01/04 'the Nilapuu process' - participate in bark peeling and look at
other 'Nilapuu' products in Athenry.
3. 02/04 Commence roundhouse build at Brigit's Garden - clear site, erect
oak uprights.
4. 03/04 Complete uprights
5. 04/04 Begin hazel wattle wall construction (including training in working
split hazel)
6. 05/04 Visit to National Museum of Country Life, Co. Mayo
7. 06/04 Free day
8. 07/04 Continue wattle work
9. 08/04 Complete wattle work
10. 09/04 Commence roofing timbers
11. 10/04 Complete roofing timbers
12. 11/04 Visit to Connemara National Park / ancient semi-natural oakwoods
13. 12/04 Depart
Participants will be collected each morning from the hotel in Galway. Please
ensure you bring work clothes and good rain gear.
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Reports
and Newspaper Articles from the Action in Ireland
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Newspaper article on the Action in Ireland
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Read the article published in the Connacht Tribune |
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Report written by UK Participant on the Action
in Ireland
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Unlocking Hidden Heritage Trip to Galway Ireland (Report by British participant Helen Elvin) |
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Report written by German Participant on the Action
in Ireland
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Bericht
Irland 31.03.08 - 13.04.08 (Jane Gassner) |
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Report written by Icelandic Participant on the
Action in Ireland
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Arfleifðin
afhjúpuð Vinnusmiðja á Írlandi |
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Report written by Slovakian Participant on the
Action in Ireland
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Cesta
za starým a predsa nepoznaným (Spoznávajme sa v EÚ navzájom) |
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Images From the 2008 Unlocking Hidden Heritage
Action in Ireland
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Setting out the circle of wall-posts
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Breaking up rocks
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Ready for Thatching!
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