Rathcroghan Conference 2026: Archaeology Above & Below

Archaeology Above & Below is Ireland’s only annual community archaeology conference, looking forward to its 11th edition in November 2026

Archaeology Above & Below, Ireland’s only annual community archaeology conference, is now in its eleventh year. The purpose of this conference is to create a forum for discussion between communities and individuals who wish to interpret the story of the landscapes that we inhabit. This is achieved by a series of talks, workshops and field excursions, detailing the aims, techniques and results of community-led research throughout Ireland and further afield.

Join us this November as we host the presentation and discussion of the work and results of community groups, societies and individuals from around Ireland, as well as archaeological institutions and university departments across the island. This year, we will see contributions from places such as Galway, Meath, Longford, Sligo, Mayo and its islands, & Roscommon, as well as research provided by the Trinity College Dublin, the Farming Rathcroghan project, National Monuments Service, the Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark, Tribes of Uí Maine Y-DNA Project, University of Galway, amongst others.

Our fieldtrip this year, on the afternoon of 22nd November, will be a wonderful and insightful exploration of the jewels of Roscommon town, including a visit to the Roscommon County Museum. This will be led by our great friend Marian Harlow, of the Co. Roscommon Historical & Archaeological Society.

We are delighted to welcome our keynote speaker for the Christy Lawless Memorial Lecture, the tireless field archaeologist Michael Gibbons, who will bring us to Killary Harbour in western Connacht, to explore this most dramatic of places on the Irish coast.