Ireland: Monastic Midlands Excavation (IFR)

Location: Birr, County Offaly, Ireland

Season: June 22, 2025 to August 16, 2025

Session Dates: 2 sessions in 2025 S1: June 22-July 19 S2: July 20-August 16

Application Deadline: February 1, 2025

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://ifrglobal.org/program/ireland-monastic-midlands-summer/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Institute for Field Research (IFR), Irish Archaeology Field School (IAFS) & Irish Heritage School

Project Director:
Dr. Denis Shine and associate staff

Project Description:

Join this ongoing research project and be part of archaeology in action to conserve Irish national heritage! This teaching-based field school is an integral part of the major research project the Monastic Midlands Project and its continued efforts to understand and preserve the cultural heritage and monuments  of this beautiful region of Ireland. This program takes a holistic landscape scale approach to community based archaeological research in order to assess monasteries built between the 5th and 7th century. You’ll be exposed to an array of archaeological skills and techniques as you explore how people lived, shaped their environment, built structures, and memorialized the dead at these spectacular sites. Each summer focuses on a particular anchor site or sites, so see the syllabus for more details about the current project.

Field school highlights:

• Get hands-on experience in many techniques applicable to future careers such as surveying, excavating, archaeological recording, and community engagement.
• Engage with the local community to understand how archaeology can serve their needs and be presented in engaging ways.
• Make personal connections by living with an Irish family in their home.

Period(s) of Occupation: Medieval

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Students are expected to stay the full length of the program.

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: None

Room and Board Arrangements:
Students will stay with local families in County Offaly. Home Stay students live with local families, and experience true home life in provincial Ireland. Typically students will either walk to or be brought to John’s Hall daily, before availing of pre-arranged transport to site as appropriate. Students should understand that some host families may be in rural settings, requiring taxis to reach the town of Birr. While staying with homestay families, all students have access to safe, sanitary accommodation as well as laundry, showering facilities, etc. Breakfast and dinner will be provided along with a packed lunch. Our homestay network caters for all main dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc.); they provide a well-balanced diet of Irish cuisine, but students should anticipate trying new cuisine and not having all the items they might expect at home.

Academic Credit:
6 Semester (9 Quarter)