News and Events
As part of the INQUA Congress being held in Dublin in late July, there will be a four day field trip in N. Ireland from 1st – 4th August.
The trip will include a lot of archaeological content – including the mesolithic archaeology of the Bann Valley, a visit to the Giant’s Ring/Ballynahatty, crannog sites in Co. Fermanagh and human impacts on bogs, palaeoecological records etc. Other stops will consider the wider late glacial and Holocene environmental and sea-level history of the region, geo-heritage conservation, touristic stops etc – it’s going to be a great trip!
The trip is open to everyone (not just INQUA delegates) and registration is open until 31 March 2019.
For more details click here and to register email h.roe@qub.ac.uk
We would like to alert members to two forthcoming UAS events that should be of great interest to people.
The first of our 2019 workshops takes place next Monday, 4th March at 7pm in the QUB Archaeology and Palaeoecology Building on Fitzwilliam Street. The workshop is on Osteoarchaeology (bones) and is being given by Professor Eileen Murphy, Head of Archaeology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast.
Our next monthly evening lecture takes place on Monday, 25th March in the Lecture Theatre, the Elmwood Building, Queen’s University Belfast, Elmwood Avenue. The title of the lecture is In Search of the Irish Dreamtime: Archaeology and Early Irish Literature and is being given by Professor Jim Mallory. Please note that the lecture will be starting at the new time of 7.30pm.
For further information and updates please keep checking the UAS Facebook and Website
The UAS are pleased to announce that a new student membership rate has been introduced. Annual membership for students will be £7.50 and will allow student members to come along on field trips and survey group fieldwork. It should be noted that this membership rate does not include a copy of the journal of the newsletters - however, the journal can be accessed via JSTOR and we hope to publish the newsletters online soon.
Click here to join via paypal.
Our next meeting will be the AGM on Monday 25 February in the Elmwood Building, QUB. This meeting and all others this year will experimentally be timed to start half an hour earlier at 7:30 for the benefit of those who have to catch a train. We are hoping to reduce the time taken in the AGM proceedings and these will be followed by three talks / presentations on the Societies activities in the past year and the use of drones in archaeological survey.
It is proposed to change the UAS Constitution at the 2019 AGM to include two new categories for Retired Family Membership; and Student Membership.
The proposed additions are as follows:
(f) Retired Family Membership;
This may comprise of two retired people, living at the one address. Both can take part in all the activities of the Society. They will not receive the Society’s Journal but will receive the printed newsletters and be entitled to one vote at any meeting of the Society.
(g) Student Membership;
Payment of the appropriate subscription shall entitle student members to take part in all the activities of the Society. This will apply to students of any age over 16 years. Student members will not receive the Society’s Journal or printed newsletters and will be directly contacted by the Society by email only.
Please note, UAS monthly lectures will now begin at 7.30pm. It is hoped that this time change will be beneficial to those travelling to and from the lectures via public transport. It will also leave more time for questions and discussion after the lecture.
Our first lecture of 2019 will be on Monday 21st January at 8pm. Paul Gosling, lecturer in built heritage in the Department of Heritage and Tourism at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, will speak on The Route of Táin Bó Cúailnge: the manuscripts AND the folklore.'
The famous early medieval story, Táin Bó Cúailnge (cattle-raid of Cooley) is replete with placenames, many of them invoked to identify and explain locations where Queen Medb’s forces camped, fought or simply passed through on their quest to capture the Brown Bull of Cooley. In studying them, scholars have relied almost exclusively on the text versions of the story as preserved in twelfth century manuscripts such as Book of the Dun Cow and the Book of Leinster. However, local lore and the folkloric sources also contain a significant amount of information relating to the movement of Queen Medb, Cúchulainn and the Ulster forces. This illustrated lecture will review the folklore evidence and asses its value as a source for the topographic aspects of the Táin
Remember lectures are open to everyone and are free to attend. Lecture starts at 8pm sharp. Hope to see you there!
The final lecture of 2018 will be on Monday 10th December with Fionnbarr Moore (Underwater Archaeology Unit: National Monuments Service) speaking on 'Archaeological Investigations of the Spanish Armada Wrecks at Streedagh County Sligo'. As always the lecture is free to attend and will start at 8pm sharp in the Elmwood Building, QUB. Hope to see you there!
The next lecture will be on Monday 19th November when Stephen Cameron from Antrim County Archaeological Society will be speaking on the 'Rediscovering the Lost Sites of East Antrim '. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
As part of the Institute of Irish Studies Research Seminar Series, Dr Rena Maguire (QUB) will be delivering a lecture entitled 'Unlocking the stable door: using equestrianism to enhance our understanding of the Late Iron Age in Ireland’.
The lecture is on Monday 5th Novmeber at 4.30pm and will be held in the Irish Studies Seminar Room (27 University Square, QUB).
The Ulster Archaeological Society at Queen's University, Belfast and the Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen's University Belfast, are proud to present the details of the forthcoming Discovery 2018! 2nd Annual Review of Archaeological Discoveries in Ulster conference.
The conference launch is being held on Friday 2nd November with a full day of lectures on Saturday 3rd Novmeber. We look forward to seeing you all there!
To view the programme and to book your place online click here
Some people seem to be experiencing problems booking their place at tomorrow's conference via paypal. If this is affecting you, please don't worry, you can still come along tomorrow and pay with cash at reception.
The next lecture will be on Monday 22nd October when Dave Pollock (Archaeografix) will be speaking on the 'Barryscourt Castle County Cork'. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
The UAS Annual Dinner will be on Thursday 25 October 2018 at 19.30 at the Park Avenue Hotel, Holywood Road, Belfast.
If you would like to attend, please contact Anne MacDermott (macdermottanne@gmail.com) with your menu choice as soon as possible. Cheques payable to UAS to Anne MacDermott or Lee Gordon please, at next Monday's lecture (24 Sep) or by post.
Our lecture series returns from its summer break on Monday 24 September with Dr Stefan Bergh (NUI Galway) speaking on 'The Mullaghfarna and Turlough Hill Settlements: More than meets the eye'. As always the lecture is free to attend and will start at 8pm sharp in the Elmwood Building, QUB. Hope to see you there!
UAS President and ArcPal QUB archaeologist Ruairí Ó Baoill will be teaching a 10-week long evening course on the Archaeology of Ulster as part of the QUB Open Learning programme for 2018/19.
The Archaeology of Ulster: From First Colonists to Modern Times course (OLE2854) consists of 10 weekly sessions on Thursdays 7.00pm to 9.00pm, starting 27 September 2018. This fully-illustrated course will cover the archaeological story of Ulster from the first colonisation of Ireland in the Mesolithic period (roughly 8,000 BC) until modern times. All significant monument types that can be found in Ulster will be discussed as well as well as the many important excavations that have taken place.
Details of how to book are contained in this the link: https://ecommerce.apps.qub.ac.uk/osoltransactions/catalog/index.php?cPath=104
Our summer fieldtrip will be on Saturday, 18th August, when we visit Cregandevesky Court Cairn, Co Tyrone, subject of Claire Foley's recent lecture. It will be a joint venture with the Belfast Geologists, led by Ian Meighan.
A coach has been booked for the visit and will leave promptly at 9.00 from Elmwood Avenue, Belfast. There will be a £15.00 charge to cover this. If you haven't already booked the trip and would like to come, please email rlgordon@ntlworld.com
Our summer evening fieldtrip will take place on Monday 13th August when we will be visiting the ongoing excavation at Downpatrick Cathedral. Please email rlgordon@ntlworld.com for more details
It gives the Ulster Archaeological Society great pleasure to announce that Ken Pullin, the Society's Honorary Secretary, was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to archaeology and heritage in Northern Ireland in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, announced at the weekend.
Ken has been unstinting in his commitment and active participation in archaeology and the Ulster Archaeological Society over the last 25 years. He was elected to the Standing Committee of the UAS from 1992-94 and again 1998-99. From 2000-2002 he was Vice President and was then elected Honorary Secretary - the post he still holds today. He inaugurated an annual project to run weekend field excursions for UAS members to every county in Ireland. He also took on the arduous task of developing our annual lecture programme (eight sessions per year) involving the selection and contacting of lecturers, arranging for their accommodation and meals, collecting them from airport or train station and then meeting and greeting our members at the lecture theatre in Queen's University. He has not missed a lecture in all this time. He readily supports and participates in all UAS field trips, both local and to Europe, and our fieldwork programme. Ken has been extremely diligent in this role, attending and minuting all the monthly Committee meetings and the AGM for 15 years. He maintains a digital database of members and sends out regular emails informing them of forthcoming events. In terms of the history of the Society he has transcribed the records of the early meetings which led to its foundation.
At the 74th AGM of the Ulster Archaeological Society held in Queen’s University Belfast on 25th January 2016 Ken was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Ulster Archaeological Society for his long, outstanding and continuing contribution to the Society and to the furtherance of archaeology in Ulster. Ken has made a real and genuine voluntary contribution to the archaeology and heritage of Northern Ireland over twenty-five years and is a model of continuous contribution to the community and personal fulfilment. No better person deserves to be recognised with a public award to acknowledge his commitment to archaeology in Ulster!
Ken Pullin at Tirnony Portal Tomb, Co Derry, July 2017
Ken Pullin at Tirnony Portal Tomb, Co Derry, July 2017
The next lecture will be on Monday 21st May with Christina O'Regan (Irish Archaeological Consultancy) and Fintan Walsh (Archaeological Management Solutions) will be speaking on the 'The Ulster Scots Archaeology Project'. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
The next lecture will be on Monday 30th April. Claire Foley will be giving a lecture entitled 'Creggandevsky Court Tomb: More questions than answers'. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
The next lecture will be on Monday 26th March. Dr James O'Neill of Ulidia Heritage Services will be giving a lecture entitled ‘A Miserable and Beggarly War’: Dispelling the Myths of Tyrone’s Rebellion. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
Congratulations to our members Dr Harry Welsh and June Welsh on the publication of their new book ‘Sites of Prehistoric Life in Northern Ireland’. The book will be launched on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 5.30pm in the Staff Common Room of the Elmwood Building, QUB. The book normally retails at £38 but a limited number of copies will be available at the launch for £25. Harry and June dedicate so much of their time to the UAS and the Field Survey Group and we hope you will join them to celebrate this fantastic achievement!
For anyone who missed Dr David Bell's lecture in November to the UAS on 'Bronze Blades and the Battle of Ballynahinch, Unexpected Connections', he will be speaking on the same subject as part of the Institute of Irish Studies Seminar Series. The seminar will be on Tuesday 20th March at 4.30pm and will be held in the Irish Studies Seminar Room (6-8 Fitzwilliam Street).
The first workshop of the year will be led by Randall Scott on the subject of 'Coinage and History'. Spaces on the workshops are limited so to book your space please email the Hon. Secretary ulsterarchaeolsoc@gmail.com
The next lecture is on Monday 26th February 2018 and will be a joint event between the UAS and the Prehistoric Society. Dr Alex Gibson (University of Bradford and President of the Prehistoric Society) will speak on 'The Bronze Age Neolithic - re-emerging traditions'. For more information about The Prehistoric Society please go to http://www.prehistoricsociety.org
As always the lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm sharp.
As part of the Institute of Irish Studies Research Seminar Series, Dr Paddy Gleeson (QUB) will be delivering a lecture entitled ‘Ruling early medieval kingdoms: landscape and governance in the Irish Sea region’.
The lecture is on Monday 5th February at 4.30pm and will be held in the Irish Studies Seminar Room (6-8 Fitzwilliam Street).
Our first lecture of 2018 will be on Monday 29th January with Terence Reeves Smyth speaking on Deer Parks in Ireland. As always the lecture is free to attend and will start at 8pm sharp in the Elmwood Building, QUB. Hope to see you there!
Our 2017 lecture series is almost over, and on Monday 11th December Catríona Moore will give the final lecture of the year entitled 'the Drumclay Crannóg wooden assemblage'.
The Drumclay Crannóg in Co. Fermanagh, excavated in 2012/2013, had exceptional levels of preservation and Catríona's lecture detailing the unique wooden artefacts will undoubtedly be fascinating!
As always the lecture is free to attend and will start at 8pm sharp in the Elmwood Building, QUB. Hope to see you there!
The next lecture will be on Monday 13rd November with Dr David Bell (QUB) talking about 'Bronze Blades and the Battle of Ballynahinch, Unexpected Connections'. The lecture is still being held at 8pm in the Elmwood Building, QUB, but on this occasion, is taking place in Room OG 006. There will be UAS members on hand to show anyone who does not know the room where this is. We look forward to seeing you there!
The new Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen's University Belfast website is now up and running. It can be accessed at: http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/communityarchaeology/
Our Monday night lecture series continues on 23rd October when Jonathan Barkley and Colin Dunlop from Northern Archaeological Consultancy Ltd will join us to speak about 'From Fishing to Farming, 8000 years of Settlement in the Maine River Valley, Excavations on the A26 road scheme.'
As always the lecture is free to attend and will start at 8pm sharp in the Elmwood Building, QUB. See you there!
During the 'Discovery 2017! Conference' weekend, back issues of the Ulster Journal of Archaeology will be on sale at the price of £1 each. So whether you are missing a few volumes or are just starting your collection, pop along to the conference to get your copies!
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first meeting of the Ulster Archaeological Society at Queen's University, Belfast and the launch of the new Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen's University, Belfast, the Ulster Archaeological Society is proud to present the details of the forthcoming Discovery 2017! Inaugural Annual Review of Archaeological Discoveries in Ulster conference.
The conference launch is being held on Friday 20th October with a full day of lectures on Saturday 21st October. We look forward to seeing you all there!
For more information and to book your place click here
Our 2017 lecture series will continue Monday 18th September when Antoine Giacometti from Archaeology Plan will speak about the 'Rathfarnham Castle Excavations'. The excavations carried out during conservation works in 2014 yielded a fascinating assemblage of artefacts which we look forward to hearing all about.
As always the lecture will begin at 8pm sharp in the Elmwood Building, QUB. Look forward to seeing you there!
The next lecture will be on Monday 29th May. Ken Wiggins will be speaking about King John and King John's Castle, Limerick. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm.
The next lecture will be on Monday 8th May. Duncan Garrow of the University of Southampton will be speaking about 'Neolithic Crannogs? New research on islet sites in the Outer Herbides'. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
As part of the Institute of Irish Studies Seminar Series, Dr Finbar McCormick will be delivering a lecture entitled ‘From Meeting House to Chapel: The evolution of Presbyterian and Catholic churches’.
The lecture is on Tuesday 2nd May at 4.30pm and will be held in the Irish Studies Seminar Room (6-8 Fitzwilliam Street).
http://www.qub.ac.uk/sch…/IrishStudiesGateway/NewsandEvents/
The next lecture is this Monday 27th March 2017. Dr Tom McNeill and Dr Mark Gardiner of Queen’s University Belfast will be giving a lecture entitled 'The Distant North Late Medieval Ships and Trade in Gaelic Ulster'.
The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm.
Explore Tower Houses and Other Medieval Buildings of Lecale in partnership with the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities
Saturday 18th March 2017
9.30 am – 4.30 pm
Meeting at Down County Museum at 9.20am
Admission : £25
(including 2 course lunch at the Lobster Pot, Strangford)
Join us for this special bus tour exploring the medieval heritage of Lecale.
Visit a range of sites including Inch Abbey, Quoile Castle, Audley’s Castle, Strangford Castle, Kilclief Castle, Ardtole Church and Jordan’s Castle.
Pre-booking for this day of exploration is essential.
As the exploration will be outdoors, please ensure to wear suitable clothing and footwear.
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Explore Tower Houses and Other Medieval Buildings of Lecale
Saturday 18th March 2017
I enclose my cheque for £25.00 for the full day’s activities, including lunch.
Please make cheques payable to Down County Museum and send to:
Down CountyMuseum, The Mall, English Street, Downpatrick, Co Down, BT30 6AH
(Please note: the Museum is unable to make refunds upon cancellation)
I require/do not require a vegetarian lunch. Please specify if other requirement
(please delete as appropriate)
Name(s) ……………………………………………………………………………………...
Address ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Tel No. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
Email address……………………………………………………………………………
Medieval Warfare in Down
Thursday 16th March 2017
Programme
9.30-9.50 Registration
9.50-10.00 Welcome by Gillian Fitzpatrick, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
10.00-10.45 Tom McNeill, School of Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queen'sUniversity, Belfast
John de Courcy's dilemma: Downpatrick or Carrickfergus as his capital?10.45-11.15 Tea/coffee/scones
11.15-12.00 William Roulston, Research Director, Ulster Historical Foundation
Edward Bruce in Ireland, 1315-1812.00-12.45 Terry Barry, Professor Emeritus, School of History and Humanities, Trinity College, Dublin
Defence in Late Medieval Down12.45-1.15 Questions and discussion
1.15-2.00 Lunch in the Cathedral View Tearoom in the Museum
2.15 Special visit by coach to Dundrum Castle - in partnership with the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities
4.30 Return to Museum
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St Patrick’s Week Conference at Down County Museum:
Medieval Warfare in Down – Thursday 16th March 2017
I enclose my cheque for £20.00 for the full day’s activities, including lunch.
Please make cheques payable to Down County Museum and send to:
Down County Museum, The Mall, English Street, Downpatrick, Co Down, BT30 6AH
(Please note: the Museum is unable to make refunds upon cancellation)
I require/do not require a vegetarian lunch. Please specify if other requirement
(please delete as appropriate)
Name(s) ……………………………………………………………………………………...
Address ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Tel No ……………………………………………………………………………………….
Email address……………………………………………………………………………
The next lecture is this Monday 27th February 2016. Dr Paul Logue from the Department for Communities: Historic Environment Division will be giving a lecture entitled 'Identity, Architecture and Conflict in the North of Ireland: New perspectives on the role of crannogs.'
The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm.
The Irish Post-Medieval Archaeology Group (IPMAG) 2017 conference will be held next weekend, 3rd-5th February, at the Wood Quay Venue in Dublin city centre.This year's theme focuses on the theory and practise of Improvement as it impacted Ireland in the Post-Medieval era. For more details please see the IPMAG website: http://ipmag.ie/
Our next lecture is next Monday 30th January. We are very excited to have David Gibson from Cambridge Archaeology Unit, talking about the recent, impressive excavation of the Must Farm Bronze Age site in Cambridgeshire. As always the lecture will begin at 8pm sharp in the Elmwood Building, Elmwood Avenue, Belfast. Lectures are open to everyone and free to attend.
Our thoughts are with the friends and family of Prof. Peter Woodman. Very sad news today of his passing. He was always a great friend to the Ulster Archaeological Society and will be sadly missed.
The first UAS Monograph has been published and is available to download for free from this website. This Monograph details the results of excavations at Carnmeen Ringfort, Co. Down carried out by Headland Archaeology from 2006-07.
Ulster Archaeological Monographs are a series of archaeological reports and studies which are larger than would fit within the confines of the Ulster Journal of Archaeology. A major aim is to publish large excavation reports, in PDF format, to be downloaded freely from this web site. The monographs are designed to function as standard academic publications. However, electronic publication is not only cheaper than print but also permits some new developments, particularly to help those who wish to use the publications during research.
Offers of proposed monographs are welcome. Details of the UAM House Style may be obtained from Ulster Archaeological Monographs, as may details of the Content and Format appropriate to an Annexe of Schedules. Please email enquiries to m.avery@archaeol.com
The new volume of the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Volume 72, has now been printed and will be coming through member's letter boxes very soon!
The UAS along with the Belfast Geologists and the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club are hosting a pub quiz on Tuesday 15th November. Come along to the Parador Bar on the Ormeau Road at 8pm to get quizzing and have some fun!
The next lecture is on Monday 14th Novemeber 2016. Randal Scott, UAS and Survey Group member will deliver a lecture entitled 'Motte, Medieval Church and the Normans at Mount Stewart'. The survey of this site was carried out by members of the survey group back in April 2015 and Randal's lecture will tell the fascinating story of the site which he uncovered while writing the report.
As always the lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm sharp.
The next lecture is on Monday 31st October 2016. Roddy Regan of the Kilmartin House Museum will be talking to the UAS about Dun Mhuirich, a place of greater safety. The story of a Clan McNeil stronghold. The excavation of this important site included support from Queen’s University and the Ulster University and members of the society visited the site during the 2014 Argyle field trip.
As always the lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm sharp.
The UAS annual dinner will be held at Belfast Castle on Thursday 20th October at 7.30pm. Please email Anne MacDermott ( macdermottanne@gmail.com ) for more information and to book your place.
With the summer break over, our monthly lectures will recommence on Monday 26th September. Dr Andrew Halpin from the National Museum of Ireland will give a lecture entitled 'Weapons, Warfare and how the Vikings changed Ireland'. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
Just a reminder for any members who have put their name down for the HMS Caroline fieldtrip, that the tour will commence at 7pm so please arrive a bit earlier so that tickets may be purchased. The cost is £12.50 and there is some parking available on site.
The next lecture is on Monday 30th May 2016. Victoria Millar will be talking to the UAS about the HMS Caroline - history, current restoration and prospects. As always the lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm.
The next lecture is on Monday 25th April 2016. In a slight change to the schedule Stefanie McMullan and Ruairí ÓBaoill will be talking to the UAS about Lisburn Castle Gardens. As always the lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm.
Please note that the HMS Caroline lecture will now be on Monday 20th May 2016.
The next lecture is this Monday 14th March 2016. Rodger Dixon of the National Museums of Northern Ireland will be giving a lecture entitled 'Francis Joseph Bigger And the Celtic Revival in Belfast'. F J Bigger was the editor of the second series of the Ulster Journal of Archaeology from 1894 to 1914.
The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm.
The first lecture of the 2016 programme will be on Monday 29th February. Professor Audrey Horning (Queen's University) will be giving a lecture entitled 'The Dungiven Costume: Exploring the archaeology of identity in early modern Ulster'. The lecture is free to attend and will be held in the Elmwood Building, Queen's University at 8pm. Hope to see you there!
The NI Science Festival will return this year from 18th – 28th February. The programme has lots of events for families and adults including several acitivities and talks organised by the School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology.
Some events that may interest our members are listed via the clickable links below
Adults
Wed 24th From Forest to Farmland
Wed 24th For the Love of Open Mapping
Thurs 25th From the Cosmos to the City
Sat 27th The Dating Game
Kids & Parents
Fri 19th From Fossil Humans and Animal Bones to Stone Age Tools and Paint
Sat 20th Get Mapping with GAP
Sun 21st Sherlock Holmes, CSI and Geology
Sun 21st Mummy Mania
Sat 27th What they Ate! Looking at Diets in the Past
A full programme can be found at www.nisciencefestival.com
The Irish Post-Medieval Archaeology Group (IPMAG) will be holding its annual conference on 5 -7 February 2016 at Dundalk County Museum. For more information and to view the conference programme please click here