Groups invited to apply for historic graveyard mapping project in Roscommon

Volunteer groups in Roscommon are being invited to apply for a heritage project which will map and record the history and headstone details of an old graveyard in the county.

This Friday (May 26) is the closing date for the receipt of applications for the 2023 Historic Graveyard Recording Project.

The initiative, which is being led by Roscommon County Council, will see one graveyard in Roscommon being selected.

The chosen graveyard will require a volunteer group of at least four people, and one of the four people will need to be computer-literate.

Training will then take place on Thursday and Friday, June 15 and 16, from 10am to 4pm each day. The training will cover all aspects of memorial recording including surveying, recording, digital photography, GPS, and web-based mapping.

Roscommon County Council said that, over the two days, the volunteer team would be shown how to draw a sketch map of the graveyard, number all of the memorials, and photograph them.

Participants will also be shown how to read the headstone inscriptions, including the old and hard to read ones.

Participants will be shown how to upload the information gathered on to www.historicgraves.com where a webpage will be created for the selected graveyard. No experience is necessary, and all equipment will be provided.

For further information and details on how to apply email: heritage@roscommoncoco.ie or visit the Roscommon Historic Graveyard Project webpage for a sample of the work done to date in Roscommon.

The initiative is supported by The Heritage Council.