Why did you choose this program?
I chose to attend the Blackfriary field school because I saw it as an opportunity to learn about Ireland and broaden the focus of my archaeological studies, as opposed to purely historical, knowledge of Northern Europe.
The Blackfriary archaeological field school dovetailed nicely with my academic interests and as an added bonus, working in the heart of a small Irish town affords one more amenities than an Appalachian mountain holler. The site itself offers many opportunities to learn about the subdisciplines and interdisciplinary fields within archaeology.
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
The program furnished me with a place to stay, meals, a lovely host family, and all necessary equipment. I had to cover the plane ticket and travel from Dublin to Trim, as well as weekend activities, I ended up going kayaking on the Boyne, going to Dublin, taking a day trip to Glendalough, just exploring Trim. I know some others visited the cliffs of Moher.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Bring a light raincoat, a good set of shoes and boots, a spade, and maybe a pocket knife. Other than that, pack as you would normally. Don't over pack, because it's a hassle lugging all that stuff around. And explore the town and its environs.
Prepare for rain. It comes and goes all the time, but sometimes it stays, and when it does, it pours. And if you go in the summer, prepare for the light to persist far longer than you might be used to. Around the solstice, it really only got dark around 11:00 PM.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
An average day's routine: Get up early, excavate, tea, excavate or lecture, lunch, excavate or lecture. Close up the site for the evening, return home, eat, work on your paper. As an American, I quite enjoyed Tea breaks. It allowed one to sit down and collect ones self properly if you're not a morning person. On weekends, its whatever you want. Dublin is fairly close.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it?
For myself, I wondered if I could physically do the work. Digging, hauling dirt, cutting sod, moving rocks, and crawling around on your hands and knees. I questioned my endurance, to be able to do it all day and for a month straight.
When I arrived, I approached the challenge head on, and though it was tough and painful at times, it was worth it and got easier. The only thing that never really improved was the pain on my knees, but the field school provided enough pads that I could avoid pain, even on rocky earth.
What differentiates Blackfriary Archaeological Field School from other programs?
Amazing people and a unique location. Instructors, the host family, Trim itself. You're going to be spending quite some time with wherever you go, and I'd be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable, patient, and enthusiastic group of people to work with.
The site itself is offered me a chance to feel like I was contributing to the discipline rather than going out and doing shovel testing and digging trenches for the explicit purpose of learning how to do it. Giving meaning to my education beyond my own experience gave me a taste of what it would be like to practice archaeology at a professional level.
