The Continued Lifecycle of Archaeological Archives in Ireland

This article will discuss how the archaeological collections of Ireland are currently managed in line with archiving principles, how the provision of access to such a wealth of information is the ultimate goal, and how this is being achieved in spite of resourcing challenges that all within this sector will be familiar with. Public demand for access to records has recently seen a distinct shift towards the expectation of receiving material in digital format, without researchers necessarily being obliged to consult original material in a reading room. While it is a welcomed fact that digital records reach a wider audience, it is important for users of archives to recognise that most records are not suitable to be digitised instantaneously upon deposit with an archive. From an archivist’s point of view, the processing of collections, which includes preparing, indexing, cataloguing and digitising records that were not originally born digital, in advance of any provision of access, requires consistency, attention to detail and, most importantly, time. Ninety percent of the National Monuments Service (NMS) Archive collections are not born digital, therefore the work does not cease when the records are deposited, and it is in fact only the beginning of the process to make the information as widely available as possible. While the ambition of archivists remains that of making collections available, it is often the case that it is necessary to be creative and realistic in order to make this possible. The process can be challenging, with regular complications such as lack of funding, lack of staff or insufficient ICT support, and it can take time, but the end goal remains the same – the provision of access to the collections under care to the wider public. The NMS Archive supports this goal and is making steady progress to achieve this.

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• Keywords: archaeology, archives, archaeological archives, preservation, digitisation, access, National Monuments Service, Historic Environment Viewer, Virtual Reading Room, Irish archaeology
• Accepted: November 2025. Published: March 2026
• Funding: The publication of this article is funded by the European Archaeological Council.
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