The ancient graveyard of Preban is set in an idyllic location in the southern foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. However until 2010 it was completely overgrown and largely inaccessible. When the local community set about restoring their graveyard they discovered remarkable personal histories of their ancestors. This seven-part series was made and produced with Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. In it, Fin and I hear stories of saints, rebels and emigrants spanning more than 1,000 years of Irish history. A new episode will be released each night during Heritage Week, beginning on Monday 17 August 2020.

We would like to thank Preban Graveyard Committee for their assistance in making this podcast. It was co-funded by The Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council.

Preban- Stories from A Living Graveyard

Preban Promo

The first part of our Heritage Week series on the Preban Graveyard in Co. Wicklow, a site with stories stretching back thousands of years, from prehistoric rock art to the 1798 Rebellion and beyond. In this episode we are introduced to this incredible graveyard, the local community who brought it back to life, and some of the remarkable stories that we will be discussing over the next week.  

Episode 1 of 7. 

This series is a co-production by Damian Shiels and Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. It was supported by the Preban Graveyard Committee, and co-funded by the Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council as part of Heritage Week 2020.

Preban Episode 1. A Living Graveyard

In this episode of Stories from a Living Graveyard, we explore the early medieval origins of Preban, and the tantilising glimpses the site provides us of an even earlier past. The graveyard showcases artistic expression across the millenia; among the stores we unpick are those of Ireland's prehistoric stone workers, and an exceptionally talented 18th century stonecutter. 

Episode 2 of 7. 

This series is a co-production by Damian Shiels and Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. It was supported by the Preban Graveyard Committee, and co-funded by the Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council as part of Heritage Week 2020.

Preban Episode 2. History through the Ages

In Episode 3 of Stories from A Living Graveyard, we look at Preban's history as a site of pilgrimage. We explore the traditions that endured at the holy well here, ask how they orginated, and what these holy sites meant to the people who visited them. 

Episode 3 of 7.

This series is a co-production by Damian Shiels and Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. It was supported by the Preban Graveyard Committee, and co-funded by the Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council as part of Heritage Week 2020.

Preban Episode 3. Pilgrimage

In Episode 4 of Stories from a Living Graveyard we journey back to one of the bloodiest periods in Wicklow's history, the 1798 Rebellion. We follow two local brothers as they match off to war, explore their experiences on the battlefield, and discover their fate beneath a bridge not far from Preban Cemetery.

Episode 4 of 7.

This series is a co-production by Damian Shiels and Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. It was supported by the Preban Graveyard Committee, and co-funded by the Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council as part of Heritage Week 2020.

Preban Episode 4. Rebellion

In Episode 5 of Stories from a Living Graveyard, we look at one of the most tragic and poignant stories from the cemetery. It revolves around a local family who lost their lives during some of the most sever weather Wicklow has seen in the last 200 years. It was a story that made world news, and which continues to be remembered and commemorated in Preban today. 

Episode 5 of 7.

This series is a co-production by Damian Shiels and Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. It was supported by the Preban Graveyard Committee, and co-funded by the Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council as part of Heritage Week 2020.

Preban Episode 5. The Big Snow

Episode 6 of Stories from a Living Graveyard looks at the leagacy of 19th century emigration from Preban, through the stories of emigrants memorialised within the graveyard. What was it like for locals who departed this area during the era of the Great Famine, and what was it like for those who stayed behind? 

Episode 6 of 7.

This series is a co-production by Damian Shiels and Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. It was supported by the Preban Graveyard Committee, and co-funded by the Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council as part of Heritage Week 2020.

Preban Episode 6. The Empty Grave

In this final episode of Stories from a Living Graveyard, we examine how this graveyard has remained central to the local community in recent decades, not just as a site of burial, but also as one of remembrance and commemoration. We also look to the graveyard's future, and ponder how others might draw inspiration from its story.

Episode 7 of 7.

This series is a co-production by Damian Shiels and Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. It was supported by the Preban Graveyard Committee, and co-funded by the Heritage Council and Wicklow County Council as part of Heritage Week 2020.

Preban Episode 7. The Enduring Graveyard

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