Sligo International Symposium Programme

          INTERNATIONAL  SYMPOSIUM  PROGRAMME

23 & 24 June 2012

Forward- The main  aim of this symposium is to gather information on work done to date in Ireland on Spanish Armada shipwrecks, in particular those buried at Streedagh and to look at new methodologies in shipwreck excavation, survey, research and conservation. This information can then be used to help develop awareness at a national and international scale through professional and positive ways.

For more information and to purchase tickets, see: The Celtic Fringe Festival

23 June Saturday 9.30am – Opening by Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, Mr. Dinny McGinleyTD

Chair: Auriel Robinson, Co-Chair: Dr. Jeremy Bird, Head of School of Science, Sligo IT

Session 1- Exploration, protection and future plans for the Streedagh Wrecks

9.40am-10.00am: Ms. Auriel Robinson                                            

Auriel is an experienced sailor with a love for the sea from a very early age. She has a degree in Archaeology and Geography, from U.C.D. She graduated in 1999 with a Masters in Maritime Archaeology from Southampton University, UK under the direction of Dr. Jon Adams. She has worked in private and public (National Monuments Service) sector archaeology in marine, lacustrine, estuarine and terrestrial environments for 13 years. Her greatest interests lie in shipwrecks, ancient navigation, trade and inter-tidal archaeology. In 2010, Auriel carried out a large and detailed survey and research project on the maritime archaeology of Sligo Harbour, Bay and its Environs which she intends to expand on so as to   include and publish the most up to date information on the Spanish Armada wrecks at Streedagh.

Title- ‘Sailing Great Spanish Ships- what went wrong and why’

This talk will introduce the Spanish Armada fleet of ships and will aim to explain how and why almost a quarter of the fleet became wrecked off Ireland. Various accounts from Aramburus log and others will be recited. External elements that worked against the Armada while sailing north and west around Scotland and Ireland will also be discussed. A short reading from De Cuellars’ letter to King Phillip of Spain will also be recited.

10.00-10.40: Mr. Fionnbarr Moore

Fionnbarr is the Senior Archaeologist of the Underwater Archaeology Unit of the National Monuments Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht since 1999. Investigation of shipwreck sites forms a part of the units work, including that of a number of Armada wreck sites. Fionnbarr has directed a number of shipwreck surveys in Ireland and also inter-tidal archaeological site survey. He is the chair of the European Archaeological Consiliums Underwater Cultural Heritage Working Group. He has presented his work at national and international conference, seminars and symposiums and has contributed papers and chapters to a number of journals and books on underwater archaeology and maritime history. He has a particular interest and knowledge of the Early Medieval and Medieval Periods.

Title- ‘The Streedagh Armada Wrecks: Our current state of knowledge and potential areas for research by the State Underwater Archaeology Unit, National Monuments Service’

This talk will present the history of investigations at the Streedagh wreck sites and will summarise the legal issues that arose in the 1980’s, including how these were ultimately resolved. It will present the story of the three wrecks, La Lavia, La Julianna and Santa Maria de Visõn in the context of the Armada losses off the west coast while focussing on the specific circumstances. A number of key research questions for the Streedagh wrecks will be discussed which the UAU hope to have an opportunity to address in the future. The presentation will be supported by images of some of the key finds from the wreck sites over the years.

10.50am-11.30am: Mr. Kevin Crothers

Kevin Crothers was part of the Maritime Institute and present the day when the Streedagh wrecks were discovered in the 1980’s. He reported the work that was carried out to the state and emphasised the importance of these historic wrecks. He endeavoured to bring ahead the legislation (At this time, divers were exploring under salvage rights law). He worked towards bringing awareness of these important sites and IUART (Irish Underwater Archaeological Research Team) was subsequently set up. He proposed plans to the government towards the future protection of the sites and for the development of a museum to house any artefacts that were retrieved.

Title- ‘Underwater Cultural Heritage in Ireland’

This talk will cover the Maritime Institutes’ involvement in underwater cultural heritage from 1981 to 1990 and their involvement with the Spanish Armada shipwrecks, at Streedagh. It will also cover the proposals that were put to the minister in 1985. Some exclusive photographs will be shown.

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Session 2- Excavation of Spanish Armada shipwrecks, what they tell us

12.00pm-12.15pm- 1974 Film Footage of discovery and excavation of ‘La Trinidad Valencera’, Kinnagoe Bay, Co. Donegal

12.20-1.00pm: Dr. Colin Martin

Colin is an Honorary Reader at St Andrews University, where he taught maritime archaeology for 30 years. He has directed excavations on three Armada wrecks in Ireland and Scotland and on the Dartmouth (1690), the Duart Point wreck (1653) and Adelaar (1728). He is currently investigating maritime cultural landscapes in western Scotland.

Title- ‘The Archaeology of the Spanish Armada-past achievements and future prospects’

Seven confirmed wrecks of the 1588 Spanish Armada are known, of which four have been investigated archaeologically during the past 45 years. Complementary research in Spanish and other archives has revealed previously unstudied material which, when combined with evidence from the wrecks, has thrown new light on strategic objectives, logistics and execution of Phillip II’s plan to invade England and the reasons for its failure. Drawing on new evidence, this paper summarises some major findings, laying emphasis on ship types, armament and battle-tactics, the Spanish invasion force and the field artillery train. Confusion over measurement standards is revealed as a major factor in the fleets’ poor gunnery performance. The potential for further work in all these areas, and others, is considerable, but success will depend on the establishment of well-formulated research agendas and effective management of the resource.

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Session 3- ‘The beauties and benefits of shipwreck discovery’

2.00pm-2.20pm: Mr. Jack Scoltock

Jack joined the City of Derry Sub Aqua Club in 1969. This club discovered ‘La Trinidad Valencera’ in 1971. After this, he ran a water-sports shop in Derry. He now writes as a hobby and has published several children’s novels. He wrote a book about his experiences of being one of the first divers who found ‘La Trinidad Valencera’, the fourth largest galleon of the Armada fleet.

Title- ‘We’ve found a cannon-Jack Scoltocks experience of being involved in the discovery of an Armada wreck’

Jack will tell us of his memories of joining the City of Derry Sub Aqua Club in 1969 and about being one of the ten divers who found and explored La Trinidad Valencera. He will include some of the memories of the other divers also. He will show how they searched for the site and how memorable that day was, when they found it. He will describe the work involved in a salvage operation of this kind and other interesting facts about diving at this time. He will also show some exclusive photographs.

2.30pm-3.10pm: Mr. Cormac Lowth

Cormac Lowth is an experienced sport diver and a Member of the Old Dublin Society, the Maritime Institute of Ireland, the Historical Diving Society, and the Irish Maritime Archaeological Society. A Former member of I.U.A.R.T., he took part in surveys with the latter group on the Kinsale hooker wrecks in Rathcoursey and various other projects. He was a member of the Queen Victoria Survey project and has completed courses with the NAS. A frequent writer of articles of maritime interest for several diving and historical journals, he is well known as a lecturer on similar subjects.

Title- ‘Early wreck diving in Ireland’

This talk will look at discoveries and diving before the 1987 National Monuments Acts legislation which was enacted (following archaeological exploration that was done at Streedagh under salvors law). It will show how such sites came under the Merchant Shipping act and were not covered or protected by archaeological law. An example of one of the discoveries of a more recent wreck will be spoken about such as a paddle steamer called the ‘Queen Victoria’ which sunk off Howth in 1853. It was the first wreck to get any protection.  Cormac was one of a group who carried out a survey on it, in 1984-5 and I.U.A.R.T was set up soon after, but no longer exists.

3.15-3.55pm: Ms. Margaret Edwards

Margaret is an education officer with Derry City Council Heritage & Museum Service. She studied history at the University of Ulster and went on to teach in London and overseas, spending 3 years teaching in Zimbabwe with the Agency for Personal Service Overseas. She joined Derry City Council in 1999 and has been responsible for the creation and delivery of a number of varied learning programmes across all of the museums within the Service. She was the chair of the Group for Education in Museums in Northern Ireland 2004-2010 and is now a member of the board of Irish Museums Association.

Title- ‘An Armada Shipwreck- La Trinidad Valencera’

This will be an illustrated talk on the discovery of ‘La Trinidad Valencera’ (found in 1971) and recovery of its artefacts and how they have eventually made their way to be exhibited at the Tower Museum in Derry-Londonderry. It will explore the methods used to interpret the objects and the processes used by Derry City Council’s Museum staff who worked with a range of individuals and organisations to formulate the story of this particular Armada shipwreck. It will outline the methods they use to engage a wide range of visitors, young and old, with the exhibition.

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4.00-4.30pm: SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER, Dr. Luis Gorrochategui Santos

Luis Gorrochategui Santos became a graduate in Philosophy from Universidad Central de Barcelona where he completed his doctoral thesis about Spanish historiographic proposals. In 2011, he published a book ‘Counter Armada-The Greatest naval catastrophe in the history of England’. Luis has published more than 200 articles in books, speciality magazines and newspapers and has delivered numerous conference talks. He is the Executive President of the ‘Gran Armada Association’, member of the ‘Institute of Historical Studies of Galicia’, the Institute ‘Torre de Hercules’, the ‘Orden de Caballeros de María Pita’ and the ‘Real Liga Naval Espanola’. Currently, he is a philosophy teacher at I.E.S Francisco Aguiar in Betanzos, La Corunna.

Title- ‘Counter Armada, the greatest naval catastrophe in England’s history’

Luis will discuss his recently published book, which is monumental and accounts for a number of important unpublished documents, dedicated to the Counter Armada which, one year after the famous Spanish Armada plight, attacked Spain with the objective of the destruction of the Spanish Armada while it was being repaired in Santander. These documents show that the English expedition was bigger than the Spanish Armada, yet her defeat surpassed, in ships as well as in casualties, the losses of the Spanish expedition. This defeat changed the sign of war and saved the empire of Phillip II. However, it appears to have been concealed throughout the centuries by Elizabethan propaganda and historiography.

15 MINS QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION

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Sunday

Session 4- ‘Shipwreck excavation, survey, mapping techniques and training’

10.00-10.40am: Dr. Paula Martin

Dr Paula Martin is editor of the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology and an Honorary Research Associate at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. She was Deputy Director of the Duart Point shipwreck excavation, and works with Dr. Colin Martin on the Maritime Landscapes of North Argyll project.

Title- ‘The Duart Point wreck – closed find or window into contemporary worlds?’

In 1979, the wreck of a small 17^th Century armed ship was found off Duart Castle on the island of Mull in western Scotland. It was later identified as a small Cromwellian warship, probably the Swan, wrecked during a storm in 1653. In 1992 the site was designated by Historic Scotland, and shortly afterwards severe seabed erosion began to threaten the wreck. Over the next ten years the site was consolidated and surveyed, and limited rescue excavation took place.

This talk will show what was found and will provide an insight into mid-17^th Century nautical technology and shipboard life. Windows will open into wider worlds by examining its artefacts, furnishings and the captain’s possessions. Scottish pewter measures reveal previously unknown manufacturing techniques. An iron gun, bullets and powder cartridges will reveal a drive towards rationalisation and standardisation in the New Model Army and the remains of a drowned Yorkshire-man’s bones tell us about life, work, and diet in the Commonwealth Navy.

10.45-11.25am: Mr. Don Mcglinchey

Don Mcglinchey has been involved in Scuba Diving for about 32 years, all of which have been with City of Derry Sub Aqua Club. His main interests as a diver are researching and exploring wrecks around our coast and elsewhere. He worked for many years within the National Government Body of diving in Ireland and during that time, he served as the Northern Regional Diving Officer, the National Diving Officer and he had the honour and privilege of serving as President of CFT. He represented Ireland internationally and served as president of the European Underwater Federation and today, he continues to work as a technical auditor for International Standards Organisation.

Title-‘White Star Liner, SS Laurentic, the Gold Bullion Ship’

Don Mcglinchey’s presentation will cover the history of the White Star Liner, SS Laurentic, which sank after striking a mine at the main entrance to Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal in January 1917. Following this terrible tragedy and despite the huge loss of life, salvage work began almost immediately by the Royal Navy divers in an effort to locate and recover the secret cargo that the Laurentic was carrying, 43 tons of gold bullion!

11.30am-12.10pm: Ms. Darina Tully

Darina has had an active interest in maritime archaeology and history from an early date and undertook an MSc in Maritime Archaeology at the University of Ulster, followed by Museum Studies at St. Andrews University, Scotland. Her main research interest has been recording small traditional boats and fisheries in the south of Ireland. She has worked with the Heritage Council of Ireland and the Traditional Boats of Ireland Group on a number of projects and publications. She is co-ordinator of Maritime Archaeology Studies at Saor-Ollscoil Na hÉireann and Senior Tutor for the Nautical Archaeology Society in Ireland.

Title- ‘Maritime Archaeology Training’

Darina will give an overview of Maritime Archaeology Training in Ireland and the working methodologies in training of the Nautical Archaeology Society. She will also give some ideas on how interested individuals and groups can contribute to recording Irelands’ Maritime Heritage.

12.15pm-1.00pm: Ms. Charise Mckeon/Mr. Keon Verbruggen

Ms. Charise McKeon

Charise is a marine geologist with the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI). She graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) in 2002 with a BSc in Environmental Geochemistry and has since completed an MSc in Geographical Information Systems from the University of Ulster (UU), Coleraine. She joined the GSI in 2002 initially working as part of the Minerals Programme. Since 2007 she has worked in the Marine and Geophysics Programme primarily on the INFOMAR project. In addition to hydrographic data processing she has also worked extensively on the creation of physical habitat maps of the seafloor and on the shipwreck inventory of the Irish National Seabed Survey and INFOMAR.

Mr. Koenraad (Koen) Verbruggen

Koen is a Principal Geologist and Section Head with the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI). He graduated in Geology followed by a postgraduate in Petroleum Geology, both at University College Dublin (UCD) and after a career in the resource industry internationally, he joined the GSI in 2000. Since then one of his main task has been managing the INFOMAR (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource) project, the successor to the INSS.

Title-‘Seabed Mapping and 3D Visualisation of Shipwrecks’

Charise and Koen work for the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) on the INFOMAR Irish Seabed Survey. As part of this multi-faceted project, they both work on recording new-found shipwrecks in the national wreck database, and will be showing spectacular survey imagery of Ireland’s sunken maritime treasures.

                                    15 MINS QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION

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