Welcome To The IAI
The IAI is the representative all-island organisation for professional archaeologists working in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The aim of the IAI, through the representation of our members, is to advance and strengthen the profession of archaeology in Ireland. Our vision is that we will have a vibrant and sustainable archaeological profession that actively contributes to the protection of our archaeological resource, which in turn contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of the entire community. To achieve our aim and vision, we are committed to a range of long term measures, including:
- The implementation of our 3-Year Plan 2015-2018
- Promotion and development of the IAI Codes of Professional Conduct
- Facilitating the Continuous Professional Development of our members
- Active engagement with all the stakeholders involved in the management and protection of our archaeological resource
- Increasing public awareness and understanding of our archaeological heritage
I hope that you enjoy our website and that you find the information contained here useful and informative.
~ IAI Chair
Latest IAI News
IAI Post-Excavation Workshop
The IAI is aware that there has been a significant rise in the number of excavations now taking place and the resulting post-excavation work. We feel it is timely to discuss with all members, specialists and practitioners the processes and requirements of post-excavation work for accessioning material to the NMI and NMS archive, to ensure that they are fully aware of these requirements and of the potential costs, time, and obligations arising from the license conditions, so that these are covered in the overall tendering process and costing of excavations. The IAI wants to ensure that everyone is working to the same standards, and we would like to look into ways of making things easier and more cost effective (potentially organising to bulk buy boxes, issues around sourcing materials such as paraloid owing to Brexit, etc). The Institute is proposing to convene an afternoon workshop, to be held at 2pm Saturday November 20th, which will review current practices to ensure consistency across the profession, to discuss potential issues and if necessary, formulate a working document for consultation with the NMS archive section and the NMI. The event will count towards CPD and restrictions allowing this will be an in person event. In order to gauge potential numbers could all interested parties please respond via iaiarchaeology@gmail.com using the subject line ‘Workshop’, no later than Wednesday 17th November, in addition if you could also indicate in any response whether your preference is for an online event or in-person, in order for us to make... read moreCPD Exploring our Vernacular Heritage (free/online)
The IAI is pleased to announce a CPD presentation by Barry O’Reilly of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, on Friday 22nd October, at 2 pm. This seeks to highlight the distinctiveness of our vernacular heritage as the most fundamental and enduring aspect of human activity. Its relevance for the archaeologist is illustrated through exploring its materials and crafts, buildings and settings, as well as the various layers of the vernacular landscape. Barry has been researching and writing on the built vernacular heritage in Ireland and abroad for several decades. He has lectured extensively at UCD, TCD and elsewhere, is author of Living under Thatch (2004), co-author of Ballyknockan: a Wicklow stone-cutters village (1997) and numerous articles for journals. He is editor for Europe in the forthcoming revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World. Over the last decade and a half, vernacular settlements/hamlets and the vernacular/traditional landscape have been his principal research interests. Based at the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage since 2003, he is responsible for the forthcoming ‘A Living Tradition: a three-year strategy for our built vernacular heritage’. Interested members can contact secretary@iai.ie to register for this free WebEx... read moreProfessional Archaeologist? Join Us! Register Now »