Two decades have passed since the last Wexford Wandering story appeared in the Waukon paper, or as my dad would say, “Lots of water has passed under the bridge since the last story appeared.” The reason for the break was the time that was used for writing stories went towards life necessities including working a challenging job, completing household responsibilities, and raising a wonderful family. Retirement has permitted enough time to again start writing stories. I hope you enjoy them and find them interesting.

When I returned to the scenic Wexford area, the tombstones surrounding the Immaculate Conception Wexford church cemetery stood out and seemed to have changed. The standing grave markers or tombstones at Wexford Iowa were all made of stone with some of the older stones now lying flat and flush with the ground. Most of the tombstones would be considered headstones because the marker was placed at the head of the deceased’s grave. Many of the older grave markers, located at the far end of the cemetery closest to the road, were made of limestone or sandstone. They often bore inscriptions including the name of the dear deceased, there place or origin - often from Ireland or in some cases elsewhere in the world – their date of birth and death, and sometimes even their exact age in years, months, and days at time of passing Other grave markers were made of more durable stone, including fieldstone, slate, granite, and marble. Newer tombstones included a cement base to keep the stone above the ground and level. There were no records of wooden grave markers at Wexford cemetery, but any older wooden grave markers would have long since disappeared due to time, weather, and insect activity. An especially old, tall, and elaborate stone marker is called a funeral stela (or stele), with many family names and information etched on more than one side of the stone. Many tombstones included funerary art with special images and details etched in the stone along with personal message and/or prayers. The most common image was a cross in many forms including the Celtic cross. A later article will go into more detail about the images found on grave markers and the possible meaning of each image.

The grave markers of dearly departed parishioners are meant to serve as a lasting memorial to the deceased. A place where family and friends can gather to reflect on the life of the departed loved one. Though tombstones are made from durable stone, the natural effects of weather and nature can lead to wear and tear on the stone, diminishing their appearance. Lichen and moss are particularly common issues that affect grave makers in cemeteries.

Nature and the creator work in mysterious ways as lichen is a hybrid colony of algae living symbiotically among filaments of multiple species of fungus and often with bacteria in a mutualistic beneficial relationship. Algae are protected from the environment by fungi filaments that provide moisture, nutrients, and an anchor. Fungi obtain food in the form of carbohydrates from algae by photosynthesis. Lichens are found on every continent, including the Artic, Antarctic, deserts, rocky coasts, and tops of mountains, with photosynthesis occurring down as low as -4 F^o. Lichen is a slow-growing organism that is distinguished by its crusty appearance. Lichens grow at a slow and regular rate and have been used in a dating method called lichenometry on older rock formations, stonewalls, and rock buildings in Ireland and England. Lichen color varies from shades of black, brown, grey, green, red, or orange based on the type of fungi associated with the algae.

Lichen are pioneer species with three main forms: crust-like, adhering tightly to a surface like a coat of paint (crustose), flat leaf-like structures (foliose), and tiny leafless branches (fruticose). Any rock surface exposed to the atmosphere contains small crevices that seeds and spores including lichen spores find and try to make into a home. Most spores and seeds die due to the extreme conditions, but not the hardy crustose lichens. Crustose lichens are extremophiles that require little to survive. The lichen trap dust, helping them adhere to the stone and make their own food through photosynthesis. There is incredible diversity in lichens with different species found on the sunny and shaded side of a rock surface. There can be over 100 species of lichen on grave markers, with the orange or golden jewel lichens most often found on limestone and marble tombstones.

In time, moss spores will become established among the lichens on tombstones. Moss is a rootless plant species that thrives under moist conditions. Moss becomes dormant during hot weather and bright summer sunlight. Most moss species are green in color, but granite moss has a black or dark red-brown color. Native Americans used the location of moss on a tree to determine direction, because in the northern hemisphere moss tends to be thicker and more prevalent on the north side of the tree which is wetter and more shaded.

The combination of lichens and moss provides a coating on tombstones that in time resembles a cloak or encrusted fluffy coat. The heavy coating of lichen and moss on older tombstones cover the rock and mask the carefully inscribed writing and funerary art, making it nearly impossible to read. Lichen filaments and moss roots slowly break down the outer edge of the stone.

Such was the case twenty years ago, with many of the Wexford tombstones shrouded in lichens and moss. When I returned three years ago to visit Wexford cemetery, the tombstones were clean without lichen or moss, making it much easier to see and read the writings and funerary art. Someone in the Wexford parish came up with a solution to the lichen problem.

After asking neighbors and friends, I found that my brother Dan Conway had read about a compound (Wet and Forget) that works wonders, removing lichen and moss on surfaces including rock, granite, sandstone, limestone, fieldstone, slate, marble, concrete, and even wood. In the spring, Dan mixed up five gallons of the compound in a garden pump sprayer and carefully applied the liquid solution onto the tombstones making sure all surfaces were fully saturated, especially near carved lettering and crevices. This product takes time to work with light green growth disappearing in one to two weeks and lichens within a few months. For the best result, he followed labelled instructions, checking forecasts to ensure no rain was expected for 4 to 6 hours, applying the compound in cool and dry weather conditions, avoiding the hottest part of the day, and ensuring the temperature would remain above freezing for at least five hours after spraying. Wet & Forget Outdoor Cleaner label states that the compound is non-caustic, non-acidic, and free of phosphates and bleach. A project for the Communion class that year involved wiping off the lichen and moss remnants from each of the tombstones. The class wiped and cleaned the tombstones with water and cloth in the fall, which was a few months after the initial spraying. Unfortunately, one of the tombstones had missed the initial Wet and Forget treatment and was still covered with lichens. The students were unable to remove the lichen from one of the tombstones. This tombstone was subsequently treated, and by next spring was clean.

The tombstones at Wexford required an additional spray every three to four years to keep them free of lichens. Three years after the initial treatment, Dan and Mary Jo Wolcott re-treated the tombstones with Wet and Forget. Six years after the initial treatment, Dan and Cheyenne Sheehan carried out another application.