Interview with Dr Orlagh Gairne

Interview with Dr Orlagh Gairne, head of archaeology at the National Museum of Ireland.

     You live in a beautiful Georgian house on the outskirts of Dublin.  Have you always lived there?

I moved into my house when I returned to Ireland from university.  I was very lucky to get a place there, as I was not technically a student.  In those days, it was converted into student lets but my grandmother knew the landlord so that’s how I got a place to live.

The building was not looked after very well but I did the best I could with my flat.  It seemed such a shame to let the grand old building go into decline so my grandmother persuaded the .landlord to sell it to her and gradually over the next few years the students moved out we restored the house back to its original condition.  My grandmother was marvelous; she had an eye for detail and left nothing untouched, even the decoration and furniture is as it should be.  I’m so lucky to have inherited it when she died, I simply adore living there.  

It must be like living in a time capsule.  Do you like that period in history?

I love the elegance of the Georgian period, but even though the house is true to the time, it does have modern conveniences.  The plumbing for example, there are a few more bathrooms and the kitchen is completely modern.  It has of course been done sympathetically and even these modern rooms have the feel of the period.  We managed to create that with clever decoration and lighting.  All of the other rooms are as they should be with decor and furniture to match. 

Have you always lived in the city?

When I was a child, I lived in Sandycove in Dun Laoghaire.  My grandmother brought me up; my parents were both academics and travelled a lot, their work took them to the United States of America, it was no life for a child.

Do you regret the fact that your parents were not there for you?

Not, not at all.  My childhood was idyllic; I spent most of my time outdoors exploring the shore along the bay.  I discovered my first fossils there when I was about ten years old. I loved living with my grandmother; she was always there for me.  She encouraged my ambitions, she was my inspiration.

 Were you always interested in history?

Oh yes, for as long as I can remember.  My grandmother used to take me into Dublin on the DART or we’d catch a bus, they were green in those days.  Her knowledge of architecture, churches and social history was amazing.  She was full of stories and she had the ability to make history come alive.  She kept me enthralled with tales of her childhood and was always reminding me of how things used to be.  She told me of when she was a young woman working in Bewley’s on Grafton street.  All the girls who worked there had to wear a uniform; a bit like a maid and it was there she met my grandfather.  She would take me into Bewley’s for a cup of coffee and a biscuit every time we went into Dublin.  One of my most vivid memories was when she took me to the National Museum for the first time; it was an amazing experience that I shall never forget.  Most kids of my age would drag their parents to Quinnworth’s or The Fun Factory, but for me it was always the museum.  

  

Working here at the museum must be your dream come true.

I am the luckiest person alive; I simply adore being associated with the museum.  I think that from my very first visit I knew that one day I would become part of what we have here.  I get to work on all kinds of projects in Ireland, Britain and we have links with museums and historical groups all over Europe. 

     Did you ever want to do anything else?

I went through teenage phases just like everyone else but I always knew what I wanted to do.  I worked hard at school to get the grades I needed to secure a place at university.

You studied in London, why not Dublin? 

I wanted to move away for a while, experience life on my own, broaden my horizons so to speak and I chose London for many reasons.  I have a few cousins who live in London and there is a large Irish community so I thought I would never be homesick.  I also wanted to see a city, which boasts a population equal to that of Ireland and it was certainly something of a culture shock.  London is truly amazing, it’s a city stuffed full of historical monuments and ancient buildings, it is diverse in its population and culture and it has the most amazing buzz. 

What have you been working on recently?

I have been organising an archaeological dig, which starts in County Meath next month but first Jerry, my boyfriend and I are off on holiday.  When we get back, I’m hoping to spend a few weeks working on the dig myself.  We have a number of student archaeologists working for us at the moment and it will be good to get stuck in with them.

 Can you tell us more about this dig?

I’m afraid not, you see we have to keep these things confidential because unfortunately the moment we reveal where we are working it draws the attention of amateurs and metal detectorists.  I’m not saying that these people have no right to do what they do, often it’s their initial finds that develop into important archaeological sites.  We like to work in partnership with interested parties and I am dedicated to passing on what we learn by displaying the finds as soon as each dig is complete.

      What about your long term future, do you see any major changes on the horizon?

 I don’t think so.  There are a few projects coming up within the organisation and of course, I am involved with promoting the Belgae Torc and all the other artifacts in our collection.  I will be giving more lectures in the theatre here at the museum and there is some discussion about taking those out into the colleges and universities around the country.  There seems to be a developing interest in history in general at the moment and that is a good thing.  My grandmother always used to say, ‘look after the past and the future will take care of itself.’

 

Thank you to Dr Orlagh Gairne for taking time out to talk to me, Katherine Kinsella working in partnership with the Peoples Independent Irish News.  May 2016