The Discovery Programme has reached its twentieth year, having been established on 11 May 1991. This significant anniversary was marked by a presentation to Prof. George Eogan of a framed Discovery Programme LiDAR image of the Brú na Bóinne complex, with which he has had such a long working connection. Although the Discovery Programme was established by the then Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Charles J. Haughey, it is generally acknowledged that Prof. Eogan played a seminal background role.

At the presentation the current Chairman, Prof. Terry Barry, spoke about the organisation's work over the past twenty years which has included 6 major projects and several smaller ones, as well as participation in several INSTAR and EU-supported programmes. The DP has published 11 monographs (including the North Munster two-volume study) and 9 more are in preparation. There have been 6 editions of the journal Discovery Programme Reports and 9 'popular' booklets and posters. DP staff have published over 500 articles on their projects and private research work and, additionally, 12 books not connected directly with their DP work have been written by staff members. 15 editions of different learned journals have been edited by members of staff, and over 600 presentations have been given to university classes, conferences, societies and groups all over Ireland and the UK and in about 15 other countries from Iceland to New Zealand and Japan to Canada. The DP has taken a leading role also in the introduction to Irish archaeology of new technologies and techniques – many of them now commonplace throughout the profession. It has also made its own technical resources available to a wide range of external research projects.

The original grant to the DP was Ir£500,000 (€640,000). At its highest (in 2007) Heritage Council funding rose to €1,476,000 - although since 2001 the DP has had to pay its accommodation costs and is increasingly subjected to more detailed and, therefore, more expensive auditing procedures. However, the Heritage Council has been very generous directing occasional extra finance to us. Unfortunately the grant in 2011 is only €850,000. It is clear that resource limitations are the greatest brake on the DP's achievements and ambitions.

Over the years many leading archaeologists from at home and abroad have served on the Directorate, Council and committees of the Discovery Programme, and several former members of staff have taken up important permanent posts in archaeology - again both at home and abroad.

Hopefully the next 20 years will be even more fruitful – ar thóir na sean!