From the Blackfriary Archaeology Field School:
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am the Director/Principal Investigator of a community-based research and teaching excavation in Ireland. We have been providing archaeological training and internships to university students (see www.bafs.ie) since 2010. I know that at a time of ongoing uncertainty it is difficult for staff and students to plan ahead for study abroad experiences. I’d like to assure you that our field school activities are fully compliant with health and safety in light of Covid 19 and it helps greatly that our activities are predominantly outdoors. We did run a successful and totally safe season this past summer (2021), and intend to do so again in 2022.
The Blackfriary Archaeology Field School is part of the award-winning Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project (BCHAP) in the town of Trim, County Meath, Ireland. Focusing on the buried remains of the 13th century AD/CE Dominican friary and associated graveyard, the field school is suitable for students from a wide range of backgrounds including archaeology, history, anthropology, and forensics – and for students looking for a unique study abroad experience. As participants in a public archaeology project, students are actively engaged with our outreach activities on site. They are also housed with families in Trim, allowing them to integrate with the local community.
We are offering three courses in summer 2022 (BAFS Summer courses), as well as internship opportunities (BAFS Internships). There is a two-week introductory course running from 3 May to 5 August. This can be combined with an advanced two-week course, given in two 2 sessions from 3 – 26 May and 6 June to 1 – July, which provide training in excavation and post-excavation methods. A five-week course, from 4 July to 5 August 2022, includes a significant bioarchaeology component taught by Dr. Rachel Scott of DePaul University, Chicago, as well as general excavation techniques. For students with previous field and/or lab experience, we offer internships for a minimum of six weeks in the areas of excavation, post-excavation, and community outreach. Our brochure (BAFS Flyer) can be accessed from this email, and here are links to our social media pages (press ctrl and click to access). Students can send queries or apply to a course directly through the website.
In addition to our open enrolment courses above, we also host faculty-led courses for a range of academic partners and have significant experience in providing services to students and faculty, ensuring an excellent educational and culturally rich study abroad experience. If you have any questions or are interested in knowing more about the preparation of a customised programme, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Many thanks for your help. The project has had fantastic support and we hope to continue to grow.
Yours sincerely,
Finola
