Monuments tribute to archaeologist is published

A book containing some 30 contributions written in honour of David Sweetman of Drumree, the former chief archaeologist with the Office of Public Works, has been published by Wordwell Books. Mr Sweetman held the position from 1994 until his retirement in 2003. Many of the contributors are former colleagues of his in the National Monuments Service, and others are working in contract archaeology or in the universities in Ireland. There are also contributions from Wales and Belgium. The focus of the book is on the medieval monuments in Ireland. Many of the papers are on Irish castles, a subject to which Mr Sweetman has made a significant contribution, and some contain new evidence and analysis published for the first time. A native of Johnsbrook House in Girley, Mr Sweetman was educated at Glenstall Abbey before spending a period working and playing rugby in Canada after his Leaving Certificate. He returned to education in 1963 and began a degree in economics, history and English, before dropping English and economics and transferred into early Irish history, where he studied under Professor Ruaidhri de Valera at the Department of Archaeology, as well as George Eogan and Michael Herity. He received his BA in 1966 and, after a year"s research in Calgary, Canada, where he went to Bloody Falls with Robert McGhee to study the height of sea level in prehistory, Mr Sweetman received his MA in 1969. He joined the National Monuments Service of the Office of Public Works the following year. One of his most significant publications was in 1978, when he published 'Trim Castle", the Republic of Ireland"s first major medieval excavation report. He also undertook ground-breaking excavations of early Bronze Age enclosures, at the Bend of the Boyne, Monknewtown and at the Newgrange passage tomb. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland is regarded as his greatest contribution to Irish archaeology. These are large, attractive, uniform volumes that provide a brief summery of every known archaeological monument in each county. During Mr Sweetman"s period as chief archaeologist, the 'Record of Monuments and Places" became the primary planning guide in terms of archaeology. In 1999, he penned an important book entitled 'The Medieval Castles of Ireland". In retirement, Mr Sweetman continues to work as a consultant archaeologist for development projects and advises those seeking to restore tower houses as private residences. The County Meath contribution to the publication 'From Ringforts to Fortified Houses" is by Geraldine Stout, and concentrates on the church and tower house at Dowth, which Ms Stout says is guided by the many invaluable insights Mr Sweetman has given into dating and classification of medieval buildings. The ruined church and tower house at Dowth were once the centre of a medieval manor associated with the Netterville family. The earliest English tenant of Dowth was Herbert de Rushbury, who received the holding from Richard Fleming of Slane in the 1170s. The 430-page impressive book is edited by Conleth Manning, who was a senior archaeologist with the National Monuments Service.