Call for Papers – IAI Conference 2023

The annual IAI conference 2023 will take place on Friday 24 th March to Saturday 25 th March at the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel in Dublin D22 X5N7. The theme is Essential Archaeology: Recent Excavations and Research. The call for papers is now open and will close on Monday 3 rd February 2023. If you would like to submit a presentation or poster, please contact the conference organiser Elaine Lynch (elainelynch113[at]gmail.com) with title and abstract of no more that 200 words. Presentations should be between 15-20minutes in length. We look forward to hearing from...

Statement in solidarity with the people of Ukraine

Statement in solidarity with the people of Ukraine The Chairperson and Board of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) are appalled and deeply concerned by the ongoing military incursion by Russian forces on the territory of Ukraine, which is an unprovoked act of aggression towards the people of Ukraine. As the representative organisation for professional archaeologists working on the island of Ireland, we understand that the most valuable and irreplaceable resource a country has is its people. Whilst we may be geographically removed from what is going on in eastern Europe, we must do everything we can to help and support the people of Ukraine, they are our colleagues, friends and family, and they are in real and immediate danger. This unprovoked attack by President Putin and the forces of the Russian Federation should not be allowed to stand and we call on our government to take a decisive stance with our European partners to bring this conflict to an end and to support the humanitarian effort to help the Ukrainian people. As a member of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA), the IAI fully endorses the statement issued by the EAA and applauds their list of helpful resources (https://www.e-a-a.org/EAA/Navigation_News/Ukraine_war_detail.aspx). Furthermore, we wish to echo the voices of our colleagues across Europe in their condemnation of the destruction of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage by the Russian Federation. This is occurring as a means to demoralise and destroy Ukraine’s cultural identity; shared cultural heritage has the power to unite us all and its destruction, coupled with the environmental atrocities that are being committed, is an affront to us all....

IAI Photography Competition – Belfast 2022

The IAI is running its Photography Competition again this year. We would invite members to submit photographs that represent aspects of Irish archaeology, and can include pictures of monuments, artefacts, or work in the field or lab. There are 5 prizes up for grabs and will be awarded in the form of One4All gift cards 1st Prize: €100 4 Runners-up Prizes: €50 each. Photographers should obtain permission to enter an image, especially from individuals that appear in it. The IAI will not be able to validate each entry – submission will be taken as permission. This year, your best entries will be used to enhance the IAI website. If the entrant wishes, they can send a brief caption to accompany the image when it is posted. Please do not give detailed names or locations. Entry to the competition grants the IAI permission to use photographs online. A panel of judges from the Board of the IAI will select the winners. All submissions to media@iai.ie. Closing date for entries is 21st March...

General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill

Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the above Bill has been taking place at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This should be of concern to all archaeologists working in Ireland. The General Scheme of the Bill is available HERE. So far, hearings have taken place on the 27th January and the 3rd February and the 17th February. These Joint Committee hearings are available to view by clicking each date or as transcripts on the links below: Transcript – Thursday, 27 Jan 2022 (oireachtas.ie) Transcript – Thursday, 3 Feb 2022 (oireachtas.ie) Transcript – Thursday, 17 Feb 2022 (not available yet) All sessions are worthy of attention by professional archaeologists in Ireland. The  IAI Board has made a submission on behalf of the membership to this Joint Oireachtas Committee and is available to view HERE. The introduction of revised archaeological legislation is long-overdue and to be welcomed. We each have a responsibility to see that the newly proposed Bill is extensive, comprehensive and that it can be implemented...

Board positions

Currently the IAI Board is seeking to appoint an IAI News Editor as a full board member, and also a GDPR Compliance Officer. The latter may be an IAI member of any grade with prior experience of GDPR compliance within a company or organisation. We are also seeking full members to join the board as Vice-Chair or Conference Organiser (both positions from mid-2022 onwards). All expressions of interest should be sent to chair[@]iai.ie       [Feb 2022]...