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heritage · Tuesday 18 August 2026 · Various 
Echoes in Stone - Exploring Historic Graveyards
At Johnston Central Library · Farnham Street, Cavan, Co. Cavan
At Johnston Central Library · Farnham Street, Cavan, Co. Cavan
Ireland’s historic graveyards hold an extraordinary amount of local knowledge - family names, occupations, dates, and the buried geography of townlands long since changed. This free Heritage Week lecture at Johnston Central Library in Cavan town brings that world to the surface, with archaeologist Camin O’Brien of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland guiding attendees through what these sites contain and what can be done to protect them. It is an accessible, practical talk suited to family history researchers, members of local heritage committees, and anyone with a graveyard or two in the family tree.
Camin O’Brien has spent years documenting Ireland’s built heritage for the Archaeological Survey of Ireland, the state body responsible for recording the country’s archaeological monuments. In this talk he focuses specifically on historic graveyards - what they tell us about local communities over centuries, how to read the physical evidence they contain, and how to identify and record features before they deteriorate further.
The session covers the practical side of preservation: how local groups can get involved in survey work, what resources exist for recording inscriptions and plot layouts, and how graveyards feed into genealogy research. Johnston Central Library is an appropriate venue for the talk - it houses Cavan’s Local Studies and Genealogy collection, so attendees can follow up directly with research resources on site.
Spaces are limited and booking is essential. The event is part of National Heritage Week 2026, which runs 15 to 23 August across Ireland, with hundreds of free events celebrating local history, archaeology, and the natural environment.
Cavan town sits roughly 110km from Dublin via the N3, about 90 minutes by road. Bus Eireann operates regular services from Dublin Busaras to Cavan town; the journey takes around two hours. Johnston Central Library is on Farnham Street, a central thoroughfare running through the civic core of the town, close to the courthouse. Town centre car parks are a short walk away, and Farnham Street itself has on-street parking depending on the time of day.
Cavan town is compact and easy to explore on foot. The Cavan Burren Park to the south is one of the county’s outstanding natural and archaeological sites, with karst limestone pavements and ancient court cairns. There is more to see in Cavan and across Co. Cavan.
Heading to Johnston Central Library in Cavan? Cavan has plenty more to see. Read the Cavan area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.