Discovery Programme

25/08/2026

📢 Help shape the future of AI in archaeology!

The MAIA COST Action Working Group 2, Digital Comparative Collections and AI Training Data for Archaeology, is running a short survey on the availability, accessibility, documentation, licensing, and AI-readiness of digital archaeological collections.

We're seeking input from:
🏺 Archaeologists
🏛️ Museum & heritage professionals
🗄️ Digital archivists & data stewards
📚 Repository managers
🔬 Researchers working with digital cultural heritage collections

⏱️ Takes just 5-10 minutes

🔗 Survey: https://forms.gle/1fyFsdWodifsqE4V6
🌐 Learn more: https://maiacost.eu/

Please share with colleagues and relevant networks. Responses are open until 31 October 2026.

Managing Artificial Intelligence in Archaeology

24/08/2026

Celebrating an incredible Heritage Week engagement across Ireland! 🎉

The Discovery Programme was delighted to participate in a fantastic range of events, connecting communities with archaeology, history, and cultural heritage.

From sharing the latest research and Viking discoveries at Woodstown, Co. Waterford, to exploring the hidden history of Kilkenny Castle and the Finding Flemingstown project, it was inspiring to see such enthusiasm for Ireland's past.

We also enjoyed leading walks and discussions at St John's Point, Co. Donegal, and along the Copper Coast, exploring coastal archaeology, geology, climate change, and heritage at risk. Local knowledge and community engagement added invaluable insights to these events.

A highlight of National Heritage Week was the unveiling of the replica McSwyne's Graveslab at McSwyne's Castle, where we shared how 3D documentation helped preserve this important piece of Ireland's medieval heritage.

Finally, our team carried out geophysical surveys at the Robinstown Famine Graveyard in Co. Westmeath, contributing new research while supporting local remembrance and commemoration activities.

A huge thank you to all our partners, hosts, volunteers, and the many visitors who joined us. Your enthusiasm, knowledge, and support continue to make heritage accessible, meaningful, and relevant for everyone.

The Heritage Council
National Monuments Service - Archaeology
National Museum of Ireland
Dunkineely Community ltd.
Copper Coast Geopark
Waterford City and County Council
Abarta Heritage
Castle Studies Trust

24/08/2026

Great to be involved in this event marking the unveiling of the reproduction of the McSwyne Graveslab. Fantastic presentations on the history & archaeology associated with St. John's Point from Auriel Robinson of Clean Coasts, Edward Pollard & how the stone was recorded by Anthony Corns.

The original graveslab was recorded by the Discovery Programme in 2025 and can be accessed online at https://skfb.ly/pvMWx

National Monuments Service - Archaeology
Heritage Week
The Heritage Council
Donegal County Council

21/08/2026

📢 Delighted to share this new joint publication, which improves our understanding of the potential threats posed by climate change hazards to archaeological sites, monuments, and historic buildings.

This collaborative research provides an important evidence base for protecting and managing our shared heritage in the face of a changing climate.

29/06/2026

The Discovery Programme was delighted to present at 2026 Digital Preservation for the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities) Conference in Belfast, where researchers, archivists, librarians and digital preservation specialists came together to explore the future of preserving digital research outputs. Our presentation, The Long Game of 3D Data: Policy, Preservation and Reuse, reflected on nearly three decades of creating 3D models of Ireland's cultural heritage and examined how robust data management, FAIR principles and long-term preservation are becoming increasingly important as digital collections continue to grow.

The presentation also explored the many lives of 3D heritage data beyond documentation. Through examples including accessible 3D-printed replicas for visually impaired visitors, artistic collaborations with Ottmar Hörl and Róisín Fitzpatrick, digital conservation, gaming and public engagement, we demonstrated how heritage data can be reinterpreted in creative, educational and scientific contexts. To bring these ideas into the room, delegates were invited to handle a range of physical outputs created from The Discovery Programme's 3D models, including a 3D-printed Ballinderry gaming board, replicas of the Custom House keystone head and a high cross. The holographic postcards, complete with a microstory and pyramid viewer, were a particular hit with attendees, reinforcing the presentation's central message that digital heritage can be both rigorously preserved and playfully experienced.

The Heritage Council National Monuments Service - Archaeology National Museum of Ireland

24/06/2026

Great for the recent Viking excavation at Woodstown to get coverage in the Irish Examiner!

🔗 Read more: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41867583.html

This project is a collaboration between Irish and Norwegian archaeologists, with Abarta Heritage, Discovery Programme and Arkeologisk museum, Universitetet i Stavanger and it is supported by The Royal Irish Academy, National Monuments Service - Archaeology, Waterford City and County Council and The Heritage Council.

Archaeologists find a range of artefacts from a belt strap to a silver coin that originated in Iraq and share plans to re-create the historic site

19/06/2026

19/06/2026

🌍✨ Celebrating Impactful Reuse of Cultural Heritage Data!

We’re delighted to see the CHERISH Project showcased as a real-world example of FAIR data in action within the DARIAH CAMPUS course:

👉 “Introduction to the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage”

🔗 https://campus.dariah.eu/resources/hosted/introduction-to-the-european-collaborative-cloud-for-cultural-heritage

The inclusion of CHERISH data highlights the value of making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR), ensuring that research outputs continue to create impact well beyond their original projects.

By contributing to training resources like this, CHERISH demonstrates how cultural heritage datasets can:

✅ Support new research and innovation
✅ Enable cross-disciplinary collaboration
✅ Strengthen Europe’s digital cultural ecosystem

A great example of how investing in FAIR principles helps build a sustainable, connected future for cultural heritage.

🇪🇺 The CHERISH Project was a 6½ year project funded through the Ireland-Wales Programme 2014-2020, part of the Europe Regional Development Fund and supported by The Heritage Council.

National Monuments Service - Archaeology

🤝The project brought together four partners across two nations: the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, Discovery Programme, AU Geography & Earth Sciences and Geological Survey Ireland.

The Cultural Heritage Cloud (ECCCH) is a major European initiative designed to provide heritage professionals and researchers with access to data and advanced digital tools. The goal of this course is to build learners’ foundational understanding of the key concepts and technologies necessary to e...

19/06/2026

The Discovery Programme team were delighted to welcome our Board member, Noel Dunne, to the Woodstown excavation today. Our first really wet day on site after almost 2 weeks of sunshine! Today, we also said goodbye to our environmental specialist, David Stone, before he heads to Mongolia on Monday!

This project is a collaboration between Irish and Norwegian archaeologists, with Abarta Heritage, Discovery Programme, and Arkeologisk museum, Universitetet i Stavanger and it is supported by The Royal Irish Academy, National Monuments Service - Archaeology, Waterford City and County Council and The Heritage Council.

18/06/2026

Archaeologists are excavating a Viking Age structure at Woodstown, Co. Waterford, which may prove to be the largest Viking building in Ireland.