Summer Schools, Conferences and Tours

Summer schools/field schools offering university credits or simply for interest; also organised tours.

• AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOR IRISH STUDIES - A multidisciplinary scholarly organization with approximately 800 members in the United States, Ireland, Canada, and other countries around the world. Each year the ACIS holds national and regional meetings in the United States. These meetings include plenary speakers, academic sessions in all fields of Irish Studies (including archaeology), poetry and fiction readings, films, and performances of Irish music and plays.



• The AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF IRISH ARCHAEOLOGY is a non-profit research organization with the goals of bringing Irish archaeology to a wider American academic audience. Along with the Institute of Technology-Sligo, it sponsors the ongoing research excavations at Kilteasheen, Co. Roscommon. At present, there is no academic program at any American university that offers Irish archaeology as a discipline. Yet there is a great student interest in the field, and to meet this interest the Institute was founded in order to present archaeological opportunities to interested students in the United States. Through contact with academic archaeologists in Ireland, the Institute can match interested students with appropriate summer programs in Ireland. Both Irish and American students work together on the Institute's own excavation at Kilteasheen, County Roscommon.



• ARCHAEOLOGY SUMMER SCHOOL, ACHILL ISLAND - An annual summer school (celebrating its 20th annniversary in 2011), with courses every year from April to September on Achill Island, off the coast of County Mayo. The 2011 Achill Archaeological Field School courses run from 25th May to 16th September. The 2-week, 4-week and 6-week modular courses offer Academic Credits awarded by the National University of Ireland, Galway. Archaeological survey, excavation methodology, geophysics and palaeoenvironmental studies are some of the subjects on offer. Throughout the season, there is also a programme of evening lectures by visiting specialists. In addition to the Field School, introductory courses for the archaeological enthusiast are held at various times between April and September, along with archaeological tours of the West of Ireland.
  The Achill Field School is now on Facebook with a contact group for former students.



• The CASTLE HENLLYS PROJECT of the University of York: A project with training excavations involving research on Iron Age, Romano-British, post-Roman, medieval and post-medieval (historic) archaeology. In addition to a training excavation at Castell Henllys in south-west Wales, the International Field School carries out work in Ireland, so far including graveyard surveys in Counties Offaly, Galway, Louth, Monaghan and Fermanagh, and geophysical survey at Clonmacnoise, Monasterboice, Annagassan, and Devenish.



• CAHERCONNELL ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL - A chance to learn the basics of archaeological excavation in the unique geological and archaeological landscape of the Burren in western Ireland. The instructors are drawn from the academic and consultancy sectors of Irish archaeology. The site is covered so that work can continue when it rains. 'It is difficult if not impossible to dig at Caherconnell and NOT find artefacts'



• CELTICA MUSIC & TOURS specialise in small tours with a 1:6 staff to passenger ratio, avoiding the crowding and rushing which are often a feature of bus tours. They specialise in Ireland's culture and history - be it traditional music and song, archeology, or handcrafts like knitting, weaving, pottery. The website displays photos from some of the tours, including a number of places of archaeological interest.



• CNOC SUAIN - Irish culture and activity holidays on a pre-Famine hill farm. 'An oasis of calm... our team of ecologists, folklorists, artists and musicians are masters in their chosen subjects'.



• GLENCOLMCILLE SCHOOL OF ARCHAEOLOGY - Oideas Gael offers a week-long program in Archaeology every August. The course is under the direction of Professor Michael Herity.



• HERITAGE TOURS - Story-teller Richard Marsh leads small groups on full-day tours, on which Irish myth and legend come to life in a special way 'on location' at Stone Age passage tombs, Bronze Age stone circles and dolmens, Iron Age hill forts and ring forts, standing stones, ogham stones, earthworks and raths.



• IRISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL - 'A chance to earn university credits by undertaking archaeological fieldwork and excavation at beautiful Irish historic sites under the tuition of leading experts'. Associated with the CRDS consultancy, the Field School focuses its research on the Bend of the Boyne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site incorporating the famous Newgrange passage tomb. In addition to excavation work, there are a wide range of specialist modules ranging from surveying to computer applications.
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• IRISH CONFERENCE OF MEDIEVALISTS - An interdisciplinary gathering of all those interested in Ireland's mediaeval past. Takes place on the last weekend of June every year. Papers are given on mediaeval language and literature, history, art and archaeology.



• SETANTA TOURS - guided heritage walks and tours (including cycling trips and coach trips) focused round the scenic and historic Carlingford Lough area.



• The TIMOLEAGUE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT is run as an Archaeology Field Program by the University of California, Los Angeles. Excavations are currently focusing on a Cistercian monastery founded in 1172, which moved to a new location in the later 13th century, but the original site may have continued to function as a leper hospital. Timoleague is in West Cork. Students spend one week in class at University College Cork, followed by four weeks in the field, participating in all aspects of excavation and site survey.



• TOUR THE AGES - specialist Irish historical and archaeological tour company, brings visitors on week-long themed tours by luxury coach, with expert guides. A Megalithic Ireland tour (the tombs & structures of the Irish Stone Age) is already available, others are in development.



• WALKING IRELAND - Walking tours of the Connemara area led by archaeologist Michael Gibbons. They range from day-trips to week-long package tours in this region of spectacular scenery and ancient sites. Website inaccessible at present. Try this link instead.
  E-mail: walkwest@eircom.net