St. Mura’s Cross-Slab, Fahan, County Donegal: Community, Collaboration, Resilience - Kate Robb
Channel: The Ulster Archaeological Society
Date: 2022-03-01

St. Mura’s Cross-Slab is weathering. A phenomenon that arguably, is to be expected of its likely c. 1,350 years placed in an outdoor coastal environment setting. However, historic photographic records and community testimony infers that the acceleration of weathering processes during the past 60 - 70 years appear to be an issue at the site.
Some inevitable loss of surface detail and structural instability is to be expected via continued retention of the Cross-Slab outdoors and in situ. An exploration of conservation interventions that (i) best protect the Cross-Slab in the long-term, and (ii) offer best presentation solutions for the visibility of the intricate carved artwork and visitor experience of the site, have been undertaken and funded by The Heritage Council Community Heritage Grants Scheme and National Monuments Service (DoHLGH) Community Monuments Fund.
This presentation explores conservation intervention measures that are framed within the context of current and future climate change challenges, shared responsibilities and collective action. In turn, the St. Mura’s Cross-Slab Project offers an exciting opportunity to manage change using innovative practical and technological best practice, that can be relevant and applicable in a nationwide context.

Kate Robb is Senior Archaeologist with John Cronin & Associates (JCA). A graduate of NUI Galway and with over 15 years’ commercial industry experience, Kate has been involved in a wide range of both development-led and community-based projects. She currently acts as Community Archaeologist for the Farming Rathcroghan EIP-Agri Project (2019-present) and has been actively engaged with Fahan Community Council and the work at St. Mura’s, Fahan, Co. Donegal since 2018.