Preban – A Living Graveyard
The ancient graveyard of Preban is set in an idyllic location in the southern foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. However until 2010 it was completely overgrown and largely inaccessible. When the local community set about restoring their graveyard they discovered remarkable personal histories of their ancestors.
Introduction
In this seven part podcast series, I have teamed up with podcaster, historian and archaeologist, Damian Sheils to tell their stories. In this series recorded at the cemetery in Preban you will hear about 1798 rebels, famine emigrants not to mention rock art that stretches back thousands of years. Tune in on Monday to find out more.
EP1/5
In this podcast series, made with Damian Shiels, host of the Forgotten Irish Podcast, you will hear this remarkable history. In this episode, the first of seven, Damian and myself meet the local community and get a sense of this remarkable place and its rich history.
EP2/5
In part II of ‘Stories from a Living Graveyard’ Damian and myself journey back into the earliest history of Preban. This takes us deep into the medieval period. We follow the story of the graveyard through the late Middle Ages and the religious turmoil that followed the Reformation.
EP3/5
Rituals have been performed at this holy well for centuries possibly even longer. Although these traditions are now dying out, in this episode we hear the words of the late Maura Carty who can remember pilgrims coming to the well. We also interview Dr Louise Nugent an expert on pilgrimmage and holy sites to hear more about this important archaeological site that links the present community around Preban to their distant ancestors.
EP4/5
In the summer of 1798, large parts of Ireland were ravaged by one of the largest rebellions in Irish history. Numerous people in communities around Preban marched off to fight alongside the rebels. In this episode you will hear the story of the 1798 rebellion and how people from Preban were involved.
EP5/5
Graveyards chronicle the history of the communities where we. At Preban, Co Wicklow one of the most tragic stories is that of the Mulhall family. In this episode local resident Helen Byrne talks about the fate of the Mulhall family, who were killed in an avalanche in the hills above Wicklow a story that was covered across the world at the time.