Meet the Cork woman often found on the roofs of historic buildings to preserve Waterford's heritage
While amused by her antics, nobody could have anticipated that this spirited 11-year-old would grow up to be Waterford City and County Council's executive architectural conservation officer. Born and bred in Cork City, Ms Ryall's role now involves the protection, promotion and conservation of historic buildings across county Waterford.
'When I was 11 on Saturday mornings there were people walking around doing tours of buildings in Cork. It might have been with An Taisce but I can't quite remember. I was such a nerd that my mother left me downtown with a group of complete strangers walking around the buildings of Cork.
"It was strange but it didn't stop there.
While on holidays I would drag my parents across fields to look at castles. The tours in particular piqued my interest in buildings. It wasn't just about their aesthetics. I was interested in the history of the buildings and the people behind them.
HISTORY HUB
If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading
"I often thought about the wealth of those who built them and the skills of those who worked on them. Buildings are not just bricks and mortar. There is also the cultural and sociological aspect to them. They tell stories which is what makes my job so interesting.'
A self-confessed tomboy in her youth, Rose now enjoys climbing scaffolding instead of trees.
'It's a very hands-on job. Some people have this misconception that it's an admin job and that I spend my days pushing around papers for grants. The truth is I could be doing anything from meeting local councillors to climbing up scaffolding. I might be up on a roof or re-rendering chimneys or doing parapets.'
And in Waterford, Rose has an impressive portfolio to care for.
'We are currently working on the city hall in Waterford and the Bishop's Palace, which is a museum housed in an 18th-century Georgian building. One thing I'll usually observe in historical buildings is the high-quality workmanship.
"In Curraghmore House in Waterford you'll see the beautiful plasterwork on the ceiling which was done 250 years ago.
In that same house I met a roofer who was working with slates that were around 200 years old. They were hanging by a tiny oak peg about the size of your small finger. Because of the quality of the materials and the quality of workmanship they are still going.
"Some people think that in homes like this a PVC window is a good fix. However, their lifespan is generally only between 20 and 25 years. My house was built in 1860 and the windows are still there, albeit in need of a lick of paint. This comes down to the quality of materials that were used.'
And she offers advice to anyone interested in entering the industry.
'I saw the role advertised 20 years ago and immediately knew it was something I wanted to do. I completed a masters in urban building conservation but there are a variety of backgrounds that people in my field come from. Some have backgrounds in archaeology, whereas others have qualifications in architecture or art history."
Rose said her job brings her in contact with people from all walks of life, from lords and ladies to farmers.
'There is such a mix of people but no matter if you are meeting lords, ladies or farmers it's always a privilege for someone to invite you into their home. For some, these houses have been in the family for 800 years. Granted these are historical or protected properties but they are also people's homes.
Executive architectural conservation officer for Waterford City and County Rose Ryall is working on the Bishop's Palace in Waterford. Picture: Dan Linehan
"Home owners are surprisingly open when they realise we are here to help. Many are so welcoming. Sometimes they'll give you a bucket of plums or apples going away which is always nice.'
She outlined the challenges in conserving and preserving building as tastes and lifestyles change.
'Churches now have dwindling congregations. This is a big issue because you are thinking about what you are going to do with these buildings in the long term. The important thing is to find ways to make them more comfortable and warmer for smaller groups.'
She stressed that historic buildings must also be functional.
'This is not about keeping museum pieces, it's about living and working in these buildings and around these structures.'
Rose is also keen to raise awareness, as well as educate people, about listed buildings.
'People think if they put in double-glazed PVC windows then that's the end of their heating problems but not necessarily. In reality it all depends on the building. It can sometimes cause problems when you seal a building too much.
"There are grants available for the repair of historic buildings and there are other means to conserve energy. In some cases it may be that the roof needs insulating. When it comes to historic homes or buildings, the less intervention the better.
"Modern techniques to older buildings don't always work. On the contrary, they can sometimes cause trouble. I've been out at a few buildings with problems and it was the use of cement rather than lime mortar that was causing issues with dampness. You can't heat a damp house. Sometimes the way to fix it can be very simple.'
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Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Meet the Cork woman often found on the roofs of historic buildings to preserve Waterford's heritage
At an age when other children were playing hopscotch, Rose Ryall was busy gatecrashing tour groups in a bid to learn more about her city's historic buildings. While amused by her antics, nobody could have anticipated that this spirited 11-year-old would grow up to be Waterford City and County Council's executive architectural conservation officer. Born and bred in Cork City, Ms Ryall's role now involves the protection, promotion and conservation of historic buildings across county Waterford. 'When I was 11 on Saturday mornings there were people walking around doing tours of buildings in Cork. It might have been with An Taisce but I can't quite remember. I was such a nerd that my mother left me downtown with a group of complete strangers walking around the buildings of Cork. "It was strange but it didn't stop there. While on holidays I would drag my parents across fields to look at castles. The tours in particular piqued my interest in buildings. It wasn't just about their aesthetics. I was interested in the history of the buildings and the people behind them. HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading "I often thought about the wealth of those who built them and the skills of those who worked on them. Buildings are not just bricks and mortar. There is also the cultural and sociological aspect to them. They tell stories which is what makes my job so interesting.' A self-confessed tomboy in her youth, Rose now enjoys climbing scaffolding instead of trees. 'It's a very hands-on job. Some people have this misconception that it's an admin job and that I spend my days pushing around papers for grants. The truth is I could be doing anything from meeting local councillors to climbing up scaffolding. I might be up on a roof or re-rendering chimneys or doing parapets.' And in Waterford, Rose has an impressive portfolio to care for. 'We are currently working on the city hall in Waterford and the Bishop's Palace, which is a museum housed in an 18th-century Georgian building. One thing I'll usually observe in historical buildings is the high-quality workmanship. "In Curraghmore House in Waterford you'll see the beautiful plasterwork on the ceiling which was done 250 years ago. In that same house I met a roofer who was working with slates that were around 200 years old. They were hanging by a tiny oak peg about the size of your small finger. Because of the quality of the materials and the quality of workmanship they are still going. "Some people think that in homes like this a PVC window is a good fix. However, their lifespan is generally only between 20 and 25 years. My house was built in 1860 and the windows are still there, albeit in need of a lick of paint. This comes down to the quality of materials that were used.' And she offers advice to anyone interested in entering the industry. 'I saw the role advertised 20 years ago and immediately knew it was something I wanted to do. I completed a masters in urban building conservation but there are a variety of backgrounds that people in my field come from. Some have backgrounds in archaeology, whereas others have qualifications in architecture or art history." Rose said her job brings her in contact with people from all walks of life, from lords and ladies to farmers. 'There is such a mix of people but no matter if you are meeting lords, ladies or farmers it's always a privilege for someone to invite you into their home. For some, these houses have been in the family for 800 years. Granted these are historical or protected properties but they are also people's homes. Executive architectural conservation officer for Waterford City and County Rose Ryall is working on the Bishop's Palace in Waterford. Picture: Dan Linehan "Home owners are surprisingly open when they realise we are here to help. Many are so welcoming. Sometimes they'll give you a bucket of plums or apples going away which is always nice.' She outlined the challenges in conserving and preserving building as tastes and lifestyles change. 'Churches now have dwindling congregations. This is a big issue because you are thinking about what you are going to do with these buildings in the long term. The important thing is to find ways to make them more comfortable and warmer for smaller groups.' She stressed that historic buildings must also be functional. 'This is not about keeping museum pieces, it's about living and working in these buildings and around these structures.' Rose is also keen to raise awareness, as well as educate people, about listed buildings. 'People think if they put in double-glazed PVC windows then that's the end of their heating problems but not necessarily. In reality it all depends on the building. It can sometimes cause problems when you seal a building too much. "There are grants available for the repair of historic buildings and there are other means to conserve energy. In some cases it may be that the roof needs insulating. When it comes to historic homes or buildings, the less intervention the better. "Modern techniques to older buildings don't always work. On the contrary, they can sometimes cause trouble. I've been out at a few buildings with problems and it was the use of cement rather than lime mortar that was causing issues with dampness. You can't heat a damp house. Sometimes the way to fix it can be very simple.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Tending to the graveyard: 'You imagine what it must be like to walk in their shoes'
Every day Paul Flynn watches as a woman shares her morning cup of coffee with her husband – perching her husband's cup on top of his headstone. It's a scene that would bring a tear to the eye of even the most cynical amongst us. However, for Paul, Waterford City and County Council cemetery registrar, it's simply part of the job. 'I remember my first time seeing the lady leave a cup on her husband's grave. She poured two cups of coffee every morning from a flask. She sat there drinking coffee, the way two people would at a kitchen table," he told the Irish Examiner. "Each day, she took his cup home and cleaned it. The next morning, she came back to his grave and the ritual started again. There was always a cup of coffee for him and one for herself." While most of us associate graveyards with grief and mourning loved ones, cemeteries are fascinating places for people who like to people watch, according to Paul. 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"My job is to deal with members of the public regarding historical graves and genealogy searches as well as exhumations 'I do the paperwork for all the exhumations and get them signed off from our own management team, as well as liaising with the public health officer. A lot of the time it might be someone moving to a different part of Ireland who wants to still be able to visit their loved one, but this is not always the case "We did an exhumation last May of a Nigerian nun who had passed away in 1982. She had been travelling back home from Ireland, where she was once based, but died in the UK. "She was repatriated to Ireland from the UK, where her burial took place. Her community wanted her remains to be repatriated to Nigeria, close to the convent she had opened several decades before. I can only the surmise that they reached out to us years later because they didn't have the money before. "Exhumations are a costly exercise. You have the undertaker's costs and the transport. There's also the paperwork between embassies, among other formalities.' The cemetery registrar also assists with genealogy enquiries. 'There's one particular case that springs to mind,' he told the Irish Examiner. 'A few years ago, I had a lady come to me who was adopted and wanted to find where her biological mother was buried. I met with her and her husband. She knew her mother had died, but she didn't know where the grave was. "We sat down and went through the books and spent a lot of time trying to figure it all out. It turned out that her biological mother was buried literally at the foot of her adopted mother's grave, but the grave was unmarked "I'll never forget the moment that she and her husband started to cry. I suppose it was the sense of relief coming over them. They had spent years trying to find her. They expressed such a sense of appreciation to me for helping them. Moments like this make you realise what a rewarding and fulfilling job this is.' Mr Flynn admits that the job can be emotionally draining when dealing with a person's grief up close. Picture Dan Linehan Paul says that, while there are rewarding aspects to the job like this, it can also be emotionally draining when dealing with a person's grief up close. 'There are things that will hit home for you. When you're dealing with babies, or stillbirths, or seeing the grief that goes with burying a child, it does hurt. That's something that I find very difficult. "As a father, you are asking yourself what you would do if this was your child. It's just human nature, because we're not made of stone. "When someone is going through grief like that, you automatically imagine what it must be like to walk in their shoes. At the same time, you have to be strong to be in a better place to help them.' Paul says he is sometimes amazed by the lengths that people will go to care for their loved ones — even after they have died. 'There is one particular grave belonging to a man who loved Manchester United. The football club's logo is embossed on his headstone. Another man who loved Liverpool has their scarf on his headstone. This is in Tramore, a seaside town, and yet by some miracle it never gets blown off. I'm out there every week and yet I've never seen the wind get the better of it.'
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Refurbished Bettystown House offers a glimpse into centuries of Irish history
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