This initiative aims to foster an appreciation of our prehistoric heritage material culture through the medium of art and creativity. The resilience and resourcefulness of our ancestors connected us to the place we still call home today. The importance of place is marked by sacred burial of the dead. The celebration of life is captured in the essence of the exquisite geometrical design. Sharing this art form and its meaning with our community will help reinforce our connection to our landscape and our heritage. The JB collection of pots is an exact replication of all the intact Bronze Age food vessels found in Inishowen to date. The pots date back around 4,000 years ago when the inhabitants of Inishowen began to bury their dead in stone-lined graves, with a large flat stone lid called cists. The dead were either cremated or buried in a crouched foetal position and often accompanied by funerary grave goods including ‘food vessels’. An exhibition was held by the project team in July to engage the general public and users of Swan Park to ‘touch and feel’ the pots. Outreach via a schools’ workshop to TY students was undertaken by the project team in late May 2024. Plans and designs for bespoke display cases were also undertaken by the project team to provide for temporary and longer-term exhibition of the pottery replicas throughout Inishowen.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.