As part of this year’s Bealtaine Festival, celebrating the arts and creativity as we age, the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology has just announced a series of drop-in workshops especially designed for adults that will take place each Friday morning throughout the month of May.
Each workshop will be hosted by experimental archaeologists who will discuss handling objects they have expertly created for the Museum’s collection.
No booking is required for each of the workshops and admission is free.
Bealtaine Drop-In Event: Rediscovering Ancient Crafts with John Martin
Friday 5th May, 11:30am-12:30pm, Adults
For our first workshop, meet John Martin, experimental archaeologist and potter, who will show replica pots from Neolithic and Bronze Age Ireland, which John has made from the Museum’s handling collection. John will discuss how these pots were made, what materials were used, what tools people used in the past to make them, and what we know about them from the archaeological record. After you visit to the Learning Resource Room, make sure you check out the Museum’s Prehistoric Ireland exhibition, where some of the original pots are on display. FIND OUT MORE
Bealtaine Drop-In Event: Rediscovering Ancient Crafts of Early Medieval Ireland
Friday 12th May, 11:30am - 12:30pm , Adults
During this drop-in workshop, meet with Museum educator, Matthew Lester, who will have a selection of replica artefacts from Early Medieval Ireland from the Education Department’s handling collection. Take a close-up look at replica jet crosses from Yorkshire, based on a find from Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, a calligrapher’s set, and a selection of brooches for cloaks and clothing. Learn about the coming of Christianity to Ireland, and the impact it had on the valley at Glendalough by exploring our Glendalough timeline banner. Afterwards, make sure you check out the Glendalough; Power, Prayer and Pilgrimage exhibition, and the Treasury, where some of the original artefacts are on display. FIND OUT MORE
Bealtaine Drop-In Event: Rediscovering Ancient Crafts with John Nicholl
Friday 19th May, 11:30am-12:30pm, Adults
For this week’s workshop, meet with archaeologist and leather specialist John Nicholl. During this workshop, John will show you some replica leather objects from Early Medieval and Viking Dublin. He will explain how people sourced and treated leather to make objects, and demonstrate the type of tools used by people in the past to make and decorate leather objects. There are many leather finds on display in the Museum’s Viking Ireland exhibition, so do make sure you check these out afterwards. FIND OUT MORE
Bealtaine Drop-In Workshop: Rediscovering Ancient Crafts with Brendan O’Neill
Friday 26th May, 11:30am-12:30pm, Adults
For our final Bealtaine Drop-In Workshop, come and meet Dr Brendan O’Neill of UCD School of Archaeology, and UCD Centre of Experimental Archaeology and Material Culture. Brendan will be talking about metal production in early medieval Ireland, and will have a selection of brooches, along with the various tools and objects needed to make them, including moulds and crucibles. Many of these replica artefacts are based on finds from Garranes, Co. Cork, Lagore Crannóg, Co, Meath, and Dooey, Co. Donegal; all of the original artefacts are on display in the Museum’s Treasury exhibition. FIND OUT MORE
Browse more upcoming events and exhibitions at the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology