What Can We Learn From Our Graveyards - St Fachnan's Graveyard in Kilfenora

St Fachnan’s graveyard is at the heart of the village of Kilfenora, yet also an appealing and peaceful location, replete with historic features; its graveyard, a recorded monument in its own right, is also of interest. Grave markers are a significant part of every culture; as a memorial to the deceased and a focus for mourning and remembrance; as a source of clues for genealogists; and as a signifier of the geology of the area. As archaeologists, we learn a huge amount from burials of the past; from the deposition of cremated remains in a communal grave contained within a megalithic tomb, to the crouched burials of the Bronze Age, to the practice of prone, extended burials, which has persisted to the present day.

In 2024 a survey was carried out at St Fachnan’s graveyard; seeking to map, document, and assess the condition of gravesites and markers in the graveyard, and in doing so, to contribute to the preservation and understanding of our local history for future generations. Graveyard surveys are an invaluable tool for preserving historical and cultural heritage. This year, we will finalise the data gathered in 2024, and to carry out demographic analysis of the results, as well as a lichen survey, and a school workshop.

This webinar will provide a context for the survey, presenting St Fachnan’s Cathedral and its fascinating history, some of the findings so far, and proposals for the dissemination of the knowledge gleaned throughout this project.

This webinar is hosted by the Burren Beo Trust. Registation for the webinar is via the link below.

This project has been funded by the Heritage Council, under the Community Grant Scheme 2025.