David Keane

Graduate – Buildings Archaeology (Blended)

Sligo

As a Chartered Building Engineer and a Registered Building Surveyor, with over two decades of experience working in conservation practice and having also completed other specific conservation courses to date, I can say with confidence that the ‘Certificate in Buildings Archaeology (Blended)’ at ATU is one of the most valuable and professionally enriching courses that I have ever undertaken.

From the outset, Dr. Shirley Markley brought exceptional dedication, clarity, and academic depth to the entire course. Her deep knowledge of historic building recording, architectural development, and conservation philosophy shaped every lecture, site-based exercise, and assessment. What stood out most was her ability to communicate complex ideas around material construction, historic settlement patterns, mechanisms of decay, and legislative frameworks, in a manner that was both academically robust and directly relevant to real world conservation practice.

What sets this course apart is its balance between theoretical rigour and practical relevance. The inclusion of high-quality case studies, structured site visits, and applied assessment exercises, which were all framed within the context of Irish heritage and conservation policy, created a learning environment that was both demanding and immensely rewarding. For me, the on campus, in-person practical days were one of the many highlights of the course.

Dr. Markley’s teaching style is thoughtful and inclusive, and her ability to translate complex archaeological and architectural material into clear, actionable understanding is a rare skill. She also brought an impressive selection of guest speakers in the final module, each of whom added real world insight and experience into professional conservation practice.

Having been part of the inaugural delivery of the programme in 2024 – 2025, I can attest to its professional significance and future potential. The course has directly informed my technical reporting, improved my confidence in interpreting historic fabric, and sharpened my analytical approach to structural interventions. I would recommend this programme without reservation to anyone working with Ireland’s built environment, from Engineers, and Building Surveyors and Architects, to Archaeologists, Heritage Officers, and Conservation Officers. Dr. Markley deserves enormous credit for designing and delivering a course that so meaningfully supports the sector, and I would be very eager to engage in the next level of this course if there were plans for this to happen.