David Humphreys Director of ACP gave a tour of the historic graveyard and 13th century ruinous church at Bunratty Graveyard on the evening of the 23rd of August as part of the Heritage Week events. The Heritage Council is grant aiding the preparation of a Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) for the graveyard committee, which will provide them with a plan on the future care and management of this very important historic site.
The evening was organised by the very active local management committee and was attended by a large group of people of all ages. The walk consisted of a guided tour of the graveyard where the David explained the unique built heritage elements that are extant in the graveyard including very high quality carved and dressed stone monuments, burial vaults and beautiful examples of historic funerary ironwork. ACP prepared an information leaflet for the evening that was distributed to the group.
This Conservation and Management Plan aims to provide a practical tool to help owners, managers, stakeholders and authorities make sound decisions about conserving and managing Bunratty Graveyard and aims to provide the following:
- A comprehensive understanding of the graveyard and church ruin
- An understanding of its Significance
- A measure of its Vulnerability to harmful change
- Management Policies and recommendations for related actions which will promote conserve and enhance the cultural significance of the graveyard and its immediate setting.
Bunratty Graveyard is located in Bunratty West, Co Clare, adjacent to the Bunratty Castle Hotel. The church probably dates to the late thirteenth century
Some important families of the area are buried in the graveyard, such as the Dalton and Butler families from County Clare and also the Studdert family who used to live in Bunratty Castle.