Ireland’s archaeological and cultural heritage represents many aspects of Irish identity. Every townland and parish in Ireland is made up of a tapestry of archaeological monuments, landscapes, settlements and place names.

The people of these townlands and parishes retain the island’s history in their personal names, surnames, relationships and oral memories. Throughout the world, libraries and museums hold artefacts, books, manuscripts and maps of cultural significance to Ireland’s past. Since the seventeenth century scholars have delved into this past and saved it from destruction. Despite the efforts of countless great scholars, much about our past remains unexplored an hidden away.

It is the mission of the Centre for Irish Archaeological Research (aka The Discovery Programme Company Ltd.) to continue this scholarly research using the most modern tools available to us. This research is not just the concern of a small community of archaeologists and historians. It requires the wider community to participate and to support our work. Communities can become the custodians of their own landscapes. They can see archaeology reveal the story of earlier communities who left imprints in their landscapes.

Cuid lárnach de mhórán dár bhféiniúlachas ilghnéitheach is ea ár n-oidhreacht seandálaíochta agus chultúrtha. Taipéis de shuíomhanna seandálaíochta, tírdhreachanna, lonnaíochtaí agus logainmneacha atá againn i ngach baile fearainn agus paróiste ar fud na hÉireann.

Caomhnaíonn muintir na mbailte fearainn agus na bparóistí sin stair an oileáin ina gcuid ainmneacha pearsanta, sloinnte, ceangail gaolta agus cuimhní cinn. Tá cultúr ábhartha, leabhair, lámhscríbhinní agus léarscáileanna a bhfuil baint acu le hÉirinn san anallód lonnaithe i leabharlanna agus iarsmalanna ar fud an domhain.Ón seachtú aois déag anuas tá taighde déanta ag scoláirí ar an oidhreacht seo agus iad go minic á shábháil ó scrios.Ach in ainneoin iarrachtaí mórán scoláirí, tá mór-chuid dár n-oidhreacht gan trácht air nó ceilte go fóill. Ta sé mar aidhm ag an Clár Fionnachtana: Ionad Seandálaíochta agus Nuála Éireann leanúint leis an taighde scolártha seo trí thriail a bhaint as na modhanna nua-aimseartha atá infhaighte dúinn. Ach ní le comhluadar beag seandálaithe agus stairithe a bhaineann an taighde uile. Baineann an tionscadal seo leis an pobal go coiteann. Tig leo sealbh a ghlacadh ar a dtimpeallachtaí féin. Tig leo tuiscint a fháil ar an bunadh tosaigh a d’fhág rian ar an timpeallacht sin.