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The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, today (Thursday) announced the appointment of Mr Michael MacDonagh as Chief Archaeologist at the National Monuments Service, after a competitive recruitment process.

Mr MacDonagh joins her Department’s National Monuments Service from Transport Infrastructure Ireland where he was Senior Archaeologist, and having spent the last four years on secondment with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the North South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat.

Speaking today Minister Humphreys said:

“Mr MacDonagh brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this important role. In addition to his work with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and the North South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat, his former position as Chair of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland leaves him well equipped to undertake this challenging and rewarding role.

“Mr MacDonagh succeeds Dr Ann Lynch, who has been Acting Chief Archaeologist since 2015. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Dr Lynch’s huge contribution to the National Monuments Service over that last number of years and I wish her well in her upcoming retirement at the end of the year.”

Notes to Editor:

Bio notes on Mr Michael MacDonagh:

A graduate of University College Dublin, Mr MacDonagh joined Transport Infrastructure Ireland in 2001 (then National Roads Authority), following an early career in commercial and public sector archaeological management across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Berlin-Brandenburg.

He was Chair of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland, the professional body representing archaeologists working in Ireland, from 2015-2017.