CONSERVATION
A Chronology of the Surveying and
Conservation Work
From the late 18th Century antiquarians turned
their attention to Clare Island and more particularly to St. Briget’s Abbey. From as
early as 1752 Bishop Pococke took note of the Abbey but still did not embark on a
visit to Clare Island. Nearly twenty-four years later in July 1779 Gabriel Beranger
climbed to Croagh Patrick. From this point he simply viewed the "high island" of
“Cliara”.
The first notable antiquarian to land on Cliara was in
1838 when Reverand Caesar Otway briefly inspected the Abbey. However, his interests
were concentrated on the reputated skull of Graniauaille. After a century of curiousity
commissioners from the Board of Public Works conducted the first official survey of the
Abbey in 1880. Regrettably, recordings of the wallpaintings were excluded from their
report. By 1897 Dr Charles Browne provided a limited description of the ruins of the
Abbey. (Ordnance Survey papers) The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland visited the
ruins of the Abbey in 1895. The society noted the wall paintings. Sadly, they failed to
distinguish their individual designs.
Another hurried visit to Clare Island was undertaken
by the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland in 1904. On this occasion a handbook with a
fuller description and two illustrations of the church and monument were produced. Between
1909-1911 the first major biological survey of a specific area in the world was initiated.
Robert Lloyd Praeger coordinated this unique and still valuable Biological Survey of Clare
Island. Under Praeger’s supervision Thomas Johnson Westropp`s 78 page report related
to the Clare Island Biological Survey was published in 1911-1915. Westropp included an
account of the placenames, history, archaeology and religious traditions of Clare Island,
Caher Island, Inishturk, Inishbofin and Inishshark in this report. He also sketched the
wall paintings he observed in Saint Bridget`s Abbey.
Ciara Cullen, Anna and Peter Gill founded the Centre
for Island Studies in 1989. The first Clare Island Symposium was organised thus leading to
additional discoveries in archaeology, fauna and flora. (New Survey of Clare Island, 1999)
In 1991 the Royal Irish Academy launched a new interdisciplinary survey of Clare Island,
Co. Mayo. The former Taoiseach Charles Haughey formerly launched it. From 1992 a team of
archaeologists and archaeological students, under the direction of Mr Paul Gosling,
commenced archaeological fieldwork on a seasonal basis. It was estimated that by 1996,
twenty-six separate multidiscplinary studies were undertaken on Clare Island. In 1999 the
first volume of the New Clare Island Survey was published. The folklife, geographical and
cultural landscape and placenames of Clare Island are documented in this first volume.
Conservation work on the Abbey
Various efforts have been made over
the past century to maintain the integrity of the abbey and its wallpaintings on Clare
Island. Some of the attempts, though well intended, have proved hazardous to the structure
and sustainability of the abbey and its precious paintings. In 1880 St. Bridget’s
Abbey was taken into guardianship and designated a National Monument. The OPW (Office of
Public Works) commenced initial conservation work on the building in 1880-1881. Just over
a decade later, in 1895, the Abbey was registered under the Congested Districts Board as a
National Monument. Hence, a double designation within such a short period.
In 1910 the upper surface of the vault
was covered with concrete. Water outlets that passed from the roof and cut through the
wall were also constructed. This was intended to keep the wall paintings dry. The concrete
proved treacherous to the structure of the abbey. The window openings to the north and
south along with the gable walls and walls of the chancel and nave had fallen stone. These
particular areas were partly rebuilt and filled with the cementateous mortar infilling.
Similar repairs have been performed on the vaulting and walling of the Sacristy to the
north wall. (Conservation Laboratories Ltd., 1990) The remaining walls were generally
repointed with a cementateous filling.(1990) It is obvious now that the cement has caused
more damage to the structure than exposure to the unremitting natural elements.
In 1952 the OPW (Office of Public
Works) constructed a blue slate roof over new wooden timbers above the chancel. The roof
was set back from the gables and fixed with a cast concrete coating. (Conservation
Laboratories Ltd. 1990) At the same time the ground inside the Abbey and the area
surrounding was excavated to the original floor level. (Conservation Laboratories
Ltd.,
1990).
In 1990, at the request of the Parks
and Monuments Division of the OPW, an inspection programme was carried out at the Abbey
with particular reference to the paintings and plaster of the chancel. (Conservation
Lboratories Ltd., 1990) 1991 witnessed the arrival of the expert conservators Christoph
Oldenburg and Madelaine Katkov. Working with other conservators from different parts of
Europe and the world they commenced a major conservation programme on the wallpaintings in
the Abbey. (Lozenze, 1997) The workers included ….. Over a period Chistoph uncovered
several new wall paintings and discovered that there existed two phases of wall paintings.
1995 was a difficult year for the conservators and the islanders. A layer of limeplaster
was used to coat the walls and ceilings in an effort to stabilize the climatic conditions.
(Clare Island, European Heritage Campus, 1996) The startling sight of the white abbey
seemed strangely conspicous to the locals on Clare Island. Over the past ten years under
the supervision of Christoph Oldenburg and Mandeline Katkov several phases of conservation
have been put in place. Now in 2000 it appears that Oldenburg`s method of natural
treatment has proved successful. The report and conclusion from this work is expected in
2001.
Conservation
process
/ BEFORE
(<1990), DURING
(1990-2000), AFTER
(>2000)
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The uninhibited ingress of water
and prolonged periods of saturation had left the paintings in a deplorable state of decay.
The plaster layer lacked any cohesion and there was much evidence of recent loss. The
surface of the plaster was fragile and brittle. Extensive disruption and pulverization
fractured the remaining plaster. This increased the phenomena of the water penetration. |
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Damp damage caused
extensive plaster failure. A spectacular biological growth covered the entire interior of
the chancel. Problems associated with this biological growth included erosion of the
plaster, harmful secretions, obscuring of the surface and an indication of an unhealthy
environment. |
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The correlation between water
penetration and algae, fungus, moss or lichen were noted together with efflorescence on
many parts of the paintings. Because of the obscuring of the surface by the mentioned
algae and efflorescence the paintings were completely covered and damaged. |
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Deposits from the depth of the
plaster had formed an encrustation on the surface. Also a calcitic veil covered most of
the paintings. |
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Consolidation of the
plaster : grouting with lime and hydraulic components (e.g. brick dust). |
| Plaster repairs : filling made
with fine sand and marble dust; retouching with fresco press;
injection. |
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CLEANING
microbiological
growth: irradiation with UV C; mechanical (with different brushes),
limewater and isopropanol; spraying with the pure isopropanol.
Salt efflorescences:
mechanical cleaning with microdrill with rubber,
quartz, diamanted head brushes, chisels, pneumatic needle, laser treatment.
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Fixation of the paint
layer:
injection with ethylicethylestherdispersion (Syton X30, W30);
press down over Japanese paper; temporary fixation with Japanese paper in the work process
with Cellulose Ether Tylose H 300.
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Irradiation with UV C
treatment to eradicate microbiological growth. |
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A new plaster on the
exterior of the abbey for protection from damp and weathering. |
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Annual UV and IR tests will be conducted to
check the integrity of the wallpaintings. Look
some details of the wallpaintings.
Back
to the general presentation of the
wallpaintings
Back
to the Iconography page
Back
to the Medieval techniques of the wallpaintings
