In late 2021 the Tipperary County Council Heritage Officer and the Landscapes of Revolution Project at Abarta Heritage were alerted to the existence of an early 20th century Ordnance Survey map that appeared to bear annotations from the Revolutionary period. These markings, in different coloured inks, include what seem to be trails and routes together with the specific locations. The map was subsequently placed on loan with Tipperary Studies, and can be viewed by clicking here. It is apparent that the map holds significant potential for revealing new insights into the revolutionary landscape of large tracts of the Tipperary 3rd Brigade area.

Tipperary County Council have commissioned the Landscapes of Revolution Project to raise awareness about the map and work with the public to uncover more details about the map. As well as gathering new data on the map, it is hoped that the project can add to our knowledge of precisely what the map depicts, when and why it was created, and who created it.

The first public talk of the project will take place on Tuesday, 08th March at 19.00 and all are welcome to attend. This is a FREE online talk via zoom. A link to the talk will be issued the day before the event with a reminder on the morning of the event.

ABOUT THE LANDSCAPES OF REVOLUTION PROJECT:

The Landscapes of Revolution Project was established by Dr Damian Shiels and is supported by Abarta Heritage Ltd. Its aim is to develop and share techniques for the identification, interpretation and mapping of archaeological sites associated with Ireland’s Revolutionary Period.

The project was devised in response to an urgent need to identify, analyse, interpret and map the sites and landscapes relating to Ireland’s Revolutionary decade. Surprising as it may seem, locations relating to the War of Independence and Civil War in Ireland generally enjoy no archaeological protection, are poorly understood as heritage landscapes, and are often significantly rarer and more vulnerable than much of the medieval and prehistoric archaeology that surrounds us. Because so little is known about what elements of these landscapes survive, they are difficult to manage and increasingly vulnerable to being damaged and destroyed.

This project hopes to highlight the importance and value of developing an improved understanding and appropriate management plan for these landscapes as a key part of our centenary commemorations.

The Tipperary Map Project is funded by Tipperary County Council through the Decade of Centenaries Programme.