Aerial Archaeology in Ireland - The Heritage Council

Figure 51: A ringfort at Cush, Co. Limerick, showing heavy encroachment of scrub (Department of the
Environment, Heritage and Local Government) 95
Figure 52: Successive air photographs of Glanfahan, Co. Kerry, by St Joseph (1964) Gillian Barrett (1990) and
Markus Casey (c.2000 ) show the impact of modern clearance and land improvement on wellpreserved
ancient countryside (the latest images show there has been little change since 1990) 95
Figure 53: Aerial photography has considerable potential in locating designed landscape features as seen
here at Russborough Park, Co. Wicklow. The pond and associated terracing (a, b, c, d, e and f) was
mapped by Rocque in 1760 and was clearly visible in low spring light in 2001. (The survey by M.
Gowen & Co. Ltd was carried out as part of a Conservation Plan commissioned by the Heritage
Council) 96
Figure 54: Detailed aerial photography of costal promontory forts has recorded their surviving condition in
relation to natural erosion (Markus Casey) 97
Figure 55: Aerial photograph of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly. Such images bring immediate clarity and
understanding of the topographical setting of this well-visited monastic complex (Department of
the Environment, Heritage and Local Government) 100
Figure 56: Gillian Barrett’s exhibition Disappearing Landscapes at the ENFO Centre, Dublin 1993,
communicated the potential of aerial photography and survey to a wide audience 101
Figure 57: A pre-flight briefing at an Aerial Archaeology Research Group/EU Culture 2000 training course
in Cirencester 2006. Three Irish archaeologists received training in aerial survey as part of this
initiative 110