Upcoming Lecture on 29/11/2024: Death in Irish Prehistory by Prof. Gabriel Cooney

 

The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society 2024 – 2025 lecture series continues at 8 pm on Friday, November 29th in St Patrick’s Gateway Centre, Waterford (Eircode X91 YX61) when Prof. Gabriel Cooney, will deliver a talk titled ‘Death and burial in Ireland 8000 BC – AD 400, with particular reference to southeast Ireland’. 

 

The richness of the mortuary record that survives for Irish prehistory is a highlight of the archaeological record for that eight-thousand year span of time (8000 BC- AD 400). In this lecture Gabriel will consider the changing patterns in the treatment of the dead of the earliest human generations who lived in Ireland, making particular reference to southeast Ireland, and how the evidence in this region relates to wider trends observed across the island.

 

Gabriel Cooney is emeritus professor of Celtic Archaeology, School of Archaeology, University College Dublin, where he taught generations of archaeologists currently working in Ireland and further afield. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy. Gabriel’s research interests focus on the Neolithic period, particularly the use of stone and on mortuary practices in prehistory. He has led many research projects over the course of his career, and dircted excavations at notable prehistoric sitees. He has published the results of his research widely, his most recent book is Death in Irish Prehistory, published by the Royal Irish Academy. It was recently awarded the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) 2024 Book Prize, in their citation the EAA remarked that the book ‘is written in an engaging manner, with sensitive reflections on how the living deal with death today as well as in the past.’

 

Programme of Lectures and Events 2024-2025

 

September 27/ 2024 Lecture : From Napoleon to the Nazis: The Mysterious Story of Marshal Beresford’s Silver by Marcus de la Poer Beresford

 

From Napoleon to the Nazis: The Mysterious Story of Marshal Beresford’s Silver

A lecture by Marcus de la Poer Beresford to the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society

St Patrick's Gateway

27/09/2024

8pm

William Carr Beresford was born in Waterford in 1768 and grew up in Curraghmore, before being sent to a military college in France at the age of seventeen. He made his name as a soldier in the wars against France between 1793 and 1814, rising to become a full general in the British army and Marshal and Commander in Chief of the Portuguese armed forces. As such he became the Duke of Wellington’s right-hand man in the Iberian Peninsula in the long struggle against Napoleon.

During his lifetime Marshal Beresford built up an outstanding silver collection. This story concerns the gift of a valuable portion of that silver collection for the specific use of the British Embassy in Poland, a gift made at a time when there was no such embassy and indeed Poland did not exist as an independent country. In this lecture Marcus de la Poer Beresford will address a number of questions:

•     What lay behind such an aspirational gift?

•     How was the gift used when Poland did achieve independence on the conclusion of World War I?

•     Who stole the silver during World War II?

•     Where is the silver now?

Research for this talk, and the book to which that research gave rise, would not have been possible without the collaboration with Katarzyna Krenz, a well-known Polish journalist and novelist. It was Katarzyna who obtained access to archives in Warsaw and other locations, dating back into the times of subjugation and oppression in Poland, a period in the twentieth century when Poland had once again lost its liberty and was dominated by dictatorial foreign powers.

Marcus de la Poer Beresford read history at Trinity College Dublin before qualifying as a lawyer.  He retired from legal practice in 2010 in order to return to his first love, history. Marcus’s earlier research and postgraduate thesis focused on Ireland in the eighteenth century, and the Irish diaspora in Europe. In recent years he has written and lectured extensively on the Napoleonic Wars, with particular reference to the Iberian Peninsula, and the involvement of Irishmen in those wars.

Marcus has published the results of his research widely. His books include Marshal William Carr Beresford “the ablest man I have yet seen with the army” (Irish Academic Press 2019) a Portuguese edition of which was published in November 2021. Marcus’s biography of Major General Sir Denis Pack Peninsular and Waterloo General -Sir Denis Pack and the War against Napoleon was published by Pen & Sword Books in April 2022 and has been well received in Ireland and abroad. His latest book, co-authored with Kasia Krenz, appeared in English and Polish in December 2023. From Napoleon to the Nazis, the Mysterious Story of Marshal Beresford’s Silver tells the dramatic tale of how this collection of silver came to be in Poland, from whence it was stolen in World War Two, together with its partial recovery. Recent articles include ‘The Peninsular romance of Lieutenant Waldron Kelly and Ana Ludovina de Aguilar’ in The Irish Sword (Vol.32 (2020), No 129), and ‘Marshal William Carr Beresford and the return to Portugal of the Portuguese Royal family, 1814-1830’ in Revista de Estudos Anglo-Portugueses (No 29, 2020).

Marcus is currently working on a history of the early years of the Connaught Rangers (88th regiment), an outstanding Irish regiment in the British army, and a number of other projects. Further information on Marcus’s research and publications can be found on his website www.marcusdelapoerberesford.ie.

 

Outing to Cappoquin 11 August 2024

 The society's next summer outing will be  this coming Sunday, August 11th, to Cappoquin where we will be guided around the Historic Town by local historian Kevin McCarthy.

We'll meet at 2.30 in the public carpark adjacent to Cappoquin Community Centre, Eircode P51E2NV.

Outing to Ballygunner 11 July 2024

 The next Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society summer outing is on Thursday July 11th when Joe Falvey, our chairperson and well-known local historian, will lead us on a stroll around the Ballygunner and Knockboy area. We will hear about the archaeology and history of this area and hear tales of some of the personalities connected with it.

Meet at Ballygunner Church carpark at 7 pm.

All welcome. Non members €5.

Outing to Glenville 13 June 2024

 Join us for the first outing of 2024 for a walk and talk in the Glenville area led by chairperson Joe Falvey and PRO James Eogan  .

Meet at 7 pm at Glenville Centre car park (nearest Eircode X91 R7YV).

Ardmore, Lismore and Waterford: a tale of three competing medieval churches by Dr Edel Bhreathnach 31/05/24

The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society 2023 – 2024 lecture series concludes at 8 pm on Friday, May 31st in St. Patrick’s Gateway Centre, Waterford (Eircode X91 YX61) when medieval historian Dr Edel Bhreathnach, will deliver a talk titled Ardmore, Lismore and Waterford: a tale of three competing medieval churches.

 

Ardmore and Lismore were among some of the earliest churches to flourish in a newly-converted Ireland during the sixth century. They became well-known due to the renown of their saints, eminent individuals associated with them, and texts emanating from them and from churches in their spheres of influence. Waterford and its main church developed at a later period, mainly due to the increasing influence and wealth of its Hiberno-Norse settlement. During the late eleventh and throughout twelfth century, all three churches, especially Lismore and Waterford, attracted in turn the attention of the provincial kings of Munster and claimants to the kingship of Ireland, clerics instituting a transformation of the church in Ireland, and by the thirteenth century ambitious Anglo-Norman bishops and lords. This lecture will examine the origins and development of each church, the rivalry between them, and what became of them post-1200AD.

Edel Bhreathnach is a medieval historian with a particular interest in interdisciplinary studies that connect archaeology, history and literature. She was CEO of The Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland (2013-9) and is a former Visiting Fellow to All Souls College Oxford (2016). She has worked on large-scale projects relating to Tara, Co. Meath, on the history of the Franciscans in Ireland, and on monasticism in Ireland from the tenth to the thirteenth century. She has published widely on these subjects including 'Ireland in the medieval world 400-1000AD: landscape, kingship and religion' (Four Courts Press, 2014). Her volume 'Monasticism in Ireland, AD900-1250' will be published in 2024 (Four Courts Press).

********************* SUMMER OUTINGS **********************

Details of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society’s full programme of summer outings will be circulated in the coming weeks.

Our first outing will be on Thurs. June 13th at 7 pm when we’ll explore the heritage of Glenville and Maypark. We’ll meet at the Glenville Centre carpark (adjacent to Eircode X91 R7YV)

🚢Save The Date🚢

On Sunday June 30th we plan to take a day trip on the Barrow Princess to New Ross. We will depart from the quay in Waterford in the morning, sail along the Suir and Barrow with commentary from invited speakers, including Mary Breen and Andrew Doherty. Drinks and snacks will be available on board the Barrow Princess. Following arrival in New Ross we’ll have a walking tour along the historic quays led by Myles Courtney. We’ll return to Waterford by coach. 

Further details and costs will be announced shortly.

********************* HERITAGE WEEK 2024 **********************

The theme of National Heritage Week (17 – 25 August) this year is 

Connections, Routes and Networks. 

The Society plans to organise an evening event with short talks by members on Friday, 23rd August at 6pm. Please speak with a committee member or email wahs2015@hotmail.com if you are interested in contributing.

****************** 2024 – 2025 LECTURE SERIES*******************

The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society’s 2024 – 2025 lecture series commences in September in St Patrick’s Gateway Centre

with Dr Marcus de la Poer Beresford : From Napoleon to the Nazis. The 

Mysterious Story of Marshal Beresford’s Silver