Synopsis

Brian will describe the OpenStreetMap Resource with particular reference to the related task, now complete, of tracing by hand the 60,000+ Townlands, by dedicated volunteers and the useful townland database with individual maps. He will give an overview of the OpenStreetMap Project including: 

• What is OpenStreetMap, who makes it and how, 
• Who uses it, for what and why. 
• Details of some of the 10 types of boundaries presently ‘work in progress’. 
• Irish historic features and place names in Irish. 
• Cycle and transport layers as well as historic map layers from the 1910s, 1930s and 40s from the British War Office and others. 
• The Irish contribution to overseas mapping.

He will also show how to view the map, search for features, print a map image and download a link to share the image you are viewing with a colleague. 

  Biography

Brian has had an interest in local maps for many years including using and later drawing orienteering maps. In 2006 he co-ordinated the Irish orienteering clubs, to collect over 1,000 paper Irish orienteering maps, subsequently donated to the Glucksman map Library in Trinity College.

Nine years ago he became a mapping contributor to the volunteer driven OpenStreetMap resource. From this he has developed a particular interest in researching and mapping historic and modern boundaries of many kinds as well as used and disused burial grounds.