Revealing the Invisible - a Conservation Conversation from the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland

Recorded March 4th, 2024. Conservation and scientific specialists
from the Core Partner archives within the Virtual Record Treasury
of Ireland at Trinity College Dublin discuss the fascinating
discoveries being revealed by their latest investigations into
ancient archival records. _____________________________ Long before
the terrible fire of 1922 which destroyed the Public Record Office
of Ireland, historical records were being slowly lost to damp,
decay and vermin. Writing became obscured by soot and grime or
bleached by sunlight, the written record hidden within crumpled
parchment and paper too brittle and fragile to be unfurled. History
became invisible. Now, research by expert conservators and heritage
scientists from the National Archives of Ireland, the Public Record
Office of Northern Ireland, and The National Archives UK, in
collaboration with the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, is
revealing the invisible. This fascinating conversation will discuss
research on some of the earliest paper records in Ireland, medieval
parchments obscured by earlier treatment or burnt in the disastrous
Four Courts fire of 1922. It will also showcase the vital role of
conservation in protecting our shared heritage and preserving these
precious records for future generations Supported by the Trinity
Long Room Hub. Participants - Ciarán Wallace, Deputy Director,
Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin - Zoë
Reid, Keeper of Public Services and Collections, The National
Archives of Ireland: Moderator - Sarah Graham, Head of
Conservation, The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland:
Revealing Archbishop Swayne's 15th-century register - Marc
Vermeulen, Senior Conservation Scientist, The National Archives
(UK): Invisible wavelengths, visible history: Shining a new light
on Irish medieval records - Jessica Baldwin, Senior Conservator,
The National Archives of Ireland: Virtually unwrapping: Exploring
the use of X-ray microtomography The Virtual Record Treasury of
Ireland research programme is supported by the Irish Government
through funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts,
Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under Project Ireland 2024. Learn more
at: https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/