Annual Schools Archaeological and Heritage trip to Ardcarne

The Annual Schools Archaeological and Heritage project in conjunction with Ardcarne Parish Graveyards Committee took place last week.

The schools of the parish together with their teachers had a substantive introduction to the Heritage and Art which is invested in the Parish of Ardcarne.
The theme of the tour was ‘Belonging’.

Students were introduced to the people of Moylurg, Rockingham and Ardcarne who all share a resting place.
Archaeologist Mary B. Timoney showed the children how to interpret the designs, inscriptions and memorial stones at Ardcarne and Social Historian Laura Burke explained the difference between telling a story through the Evie Hone window and finding the facts on the ground.

The most amusing exchanges took place when the children discovered that Moylurg was not just a viewing tower in Lough Key Forest Park and that the same territory was also called Rockingham.

Stephen Langan has for many years quietly supported Ardcarne Parish Graveyards Committee and kindly produced fresh fruit and water for the annual tour.

This year, with some persuasion and support from his granddaughter Sophie Quinn and the children, he outlined the restoration work of his niece, Colette Langan, a stained glass restorer.

Laurence Fallon, Leas Cathaoirleach Roscommon County Council attended which was significant for all of the participants and endorsed the fact that Community and Local Government function to best effect in partnership.

He thanked Tony Bambrick and Jim Reynolds and all members of Ardcarne Parish Graveyards Committee for all of the voluntary work undertaken to restore and maintain all the four graveyards in the parish.

He remarked that the committee have a great track record of obtaining maximum support from Roscommon County Council.
Nollaig Feeney, Heritage Officer Roscommon County Council spoke to the students and said that they were very privileged as they were the only students in Co Roscommon who could avail of this Archaeological and Heritage tour.

As these young students prepare to enter secondary school, Ardcarne Parish Graveyards Committee hope that the workshops and tours will ignite the notion that we all belong and are influenced by the place we call home.

Hopefully some time in the future these students will return to live and work in the parish and we hope that these workshops will be developed in the future by some of these students who will become community leaders Archaeologists, Artists and Historians.

The committee extended thanks to David Gillespie and Ardcarne Church of Ireland community for facilitating the tour of the church.