The theme of Down County Museum’s St Patrick’s Week conference on Friday 13 March was buildings and artefacts made out of granite from the Mournes and the Newry area.
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At the Granite conference in Down County Museum were Museum Curator Mike King, Ian Meighan, speaker, and Down District Council Chairman, Cllr Billy Walker.[/caption]
Geologist Ian Meighan spoke about the types of granite used to fashion County Down’s high crosses, and what stones were used to build local round towers about a thousand years ago. Both Mourne granite, formed over 60 million years ago, and Newry granite, formed over 400 million years ago, were used for these purposes.
Niall Colfer of University College Dublin also spoke about the millstones carved out of Mourne granite, and the evidence for their production. Niall explored the millstone quarries of the Mournes, from medieval to more recent times, and the places where millstones can be found today.
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Mourne granite in an old cottage now derelict.[/caption]
Mike King, Down County Museum curator, then spoke about some the granite artefacts in the museum collections, including grinding stones, cross-slabs, and vessels, many of which will be going on display around the Mourne granite Downpatrick high cross in the new museum extension to open later this year.
The day included a chance to hear about progress with the extension, with its fine view of Down Cathedral. After lunch there was a short bus trip to Saul Church, built largely from granite in 1933. The visit ended at Down Cathedral, where participants were able to see the 1200 year-old Mourne granite St Patrick’s Cross, and the Cathedral font, which was once used as a socket stone for a high cross. A visit to the granite slab placed at the traditional site of St Patrick’s Grave in 1900, was the final destination of the day.
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