Tipperary School of Stonemasonry, Ballytarsna Castle, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland

The Tipperary School of Stonemasonry is an educational program at Ballytarsna Castle that is dedicated to promoting the preservation of historic Irish stonework and the creation of new stone structures that are in harmony with historic practices and sound traditional workmanship. Whether an individual is interested in a brief introduction to the theory and practice of stonework or desiring a career in stonemasonry, we can assist you in achieving your goals.

The Tipperary School of Stonemasonry offers courses for anyone interested in the theory and practice of traditional stonemasonry. We heartily welcome property owners, architects, farmers, builders, stonemasons, and anyone else who wishes to learn the traditional ways of working with stone and lime mortars. Our focus is on traditional methods, but we also offer courses in practical masonry using the modern tools associated with the trade.

We always try to tailor the courses we offer toward the specific interests of the course participants. So, if you want to repair a garden wall, entry way, cottage, house, office, barn, castle, or church, we can help you. If you want to become a professional stonemason or enrich your skills as a practicing stonemason, we can help you.

Learning the basic skills of stonemasonry is easier than you probably realize. A few simple principles will get you started; hands-on experience will increase your confidence in your skills. At the Tipperary School of Stonemasonry we provide the tools, materials, instruction, and hands-on experience. The short courses of instruction present a substantial amount of information in a brief period, therefore we also provide written material for the course participants to keep as a reference.

Join us for an enriching and enjoyable time at Ballytarsna Castle near Cashel in County Tipperary, Ireland.

In Ireland-0504 41951

Outside Ireland-353 504 41951

Working with Stone & Lime (Basic Course)

DAY 1 - Working with Lime:

LECTURE AND DISCUSSION

Introduction to limes and traditional practice

Why use lime?

Basic principles of lime mortars and conservation

Hydraulic limes and pozzolans

HANDS-ON INSTRUCTION AND EXPERIENCE

Short tour of the Ballytarsna Castle restoration project

Analyzing various sands and aggregates

Mixing cold lime mortars

External plastering

Limewashing

Raking out and re-pointing stone walls with lime mortar

DAY 2 - Working with Stone (Basic):

LECTURE AND DISCUSSION

Introduction to basic stonework and traditional practice

Basic principles of stonework

Pointing stone walls

Conservation principles

HANDS-ON INSTRUCTION AND EXPERIENCE

Building dry stone walls

Raking out stone joints

Pointing stone joints

Stone cutting

Building round gate piers

Laying mortared stones

A primary emphasis in the courses at the Tipperary School of Stonemasonry is the use of lime mortar, historically the most versatile and compatible material available for use with stone and brick. The inherent permeability and flexibility of lime mortar allows stone walls to breathe and settle, and breathe and settle they must if they are to endure. Our courses will explain these issues and more to further your understanding of the usefulness and applications of lime mortars.

In use since antiquity and outperforming modern cement mortars in most applications, lime is essential to the proper preservation of historic structures. Lime mortars are also compatible with many modern construction projects. Come see for yourself how lime mortars, plasters, and renders perform and what they can do for you.

The knowledge of lime theory and practice largely faded away with the introduction of Portland cement and concrete in the 19th and 20th centuries. Particularly with historic structures that underwent restoration during the age of cement there have been many dismal failures due to inappropriate use of cement mortars. Come to Ballytarsna Castle to enrich your knowledge of lime, the material that so well served the ancients and can well serve you in your projects today. Our emphasis on lime technology fully complements the instruction of stoneworking principles and techniques.

Current Course of Instruction:

The basic course in Working with Stone & Lime is presented as a two-day unit. The first day of the course is entitled Working with Lime and extensively details the use of lime for mortars, renders and plasters along with valuable hands-on experience. This "lime day" is an essential foundation for the subsequent instruction in stonework. Experienced stonemasons and others may also attend the single day Working with Lime without attending a full course.

The course tuition is charged at a rate of 100 euros (or $150 US dollars) for each day of the course, amounting to 200 euros ($300 US dollars) for a two-day course. (Other institutions offer two-day courses at prices up to twice the cost of our tuition -- should you need an excuse to travel to beautiful Ireland to attend our school.)

Further courses will be announced later; please contact us if you would like to be notified of future course offerings. Also, should you be interested in individualised training please contact us. Consideration will be given to those interested in participating in the restoration project as further training.

We also offer consulting advice on restoration and repair projects ranging from cottages to castles. Contact us for the cost of this service.