What you need to know to apply for ARWHS

Applications are accepted for the following:

Non-destructive archaeological research, which may include inter alia surveys, such as mapping, LIDAR, building surveys, measured surveys of earthworks, geophysics, fieldwalking, palynology, soil sampling and public archaeology initiatives related to the archaeology of the Brú na Bóinne and Sceilg Mhichíl World Heritage Properties and the Tentative List sites announced in 2022.

The Tentative list sites are as follows: The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo; Transatlantic Cable Ensemble: Valentia, County Kerry – Heart’s Content, Newfoundland and Labrador; and, The Royal Sites of Ireland: Dún Ailinne; Hill of Uisneach; Rock of Cashel; Rathcroghan; Tara, and Emain Macha/Navan Fort.

A mostly dark stone chamber lit from the background only with a person seated on the ground in the background. The person is wearing a navy hat and hi-vis jacket and is looking at a notebook.

Aims and priorities of Archaeological Research for World Heritage Properties:

To aid in the management of the archaeological resource within the designated areas and buffer zones of Ireland’s World Heritage Properties
To contribute to maintaining, and where possible, enhancing the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of these internationally important sites. [OUV is defined as how a site or place meets the relevant cultural and/or natural criteria, how the conditions of authenticity and integrity are fulfilled and how the requirements for protection and management are met.]

Applications should be informed by the actions/objectives within the most recent published management plans for each World Heritage Site, and in the case of Brú na Bóinne must reflect the (2009) Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site research framework.

Aims and priorities of Archaeological Research for Tentative List sites:

To aid in the identification and definition of the archaeological resource associated with Tentative List sites.
To aid in the management and/or conservation strategies of the archaeological resource associated with Tentative List sites.
To contribute to the definition and identification of attributes of potential OUV to demonstrate a contribution to refining and enhancing the preliminary statement of potential OUV.

Although not required, applicants are encouraged to consider how their project would assist in developing a comparative analysis of the Tentative List site in relation to similar archaeological sites, whether or not on the World Heritage List, both at the national and international levels.

[1] Applicants are advised to read the 2022 World Heritage Tentative List Technical Evaluation found here before preparing their application.

Who can apply?

This scheme is open to archaeological researchers/archaeologists. It is not open to undergraduate or postgraduate students, or PhD candidates.

Costs and activities which are eligible

Research costs, specialist’s fees, travel and subsistence.
Salary costs of grant recipients are considered an eligible cost if, in order to participate in the project they must have their time ‘bought out’, or they must take time out from their usual employment, or would not be funded to do this work without the grant funding and are not simultaneously in receipt of another income. As the Academy can only reimburse costs which are supported by evidence of payment any request to reimburse salary costs must be supported by evidence that the salary has been paid (in the form of payslips, paid invoices etc.) from the employing body.

Costs and activities which are ineligible

Applications for projects directly connected to postgraduate studies in a third level institution are excluded.
The grant does not fund institutional overheads, and the grant cannot be used to cover any element that should be properly ascribed to institutional overheads.
The purchase of items of equipment (e.g. cameras or survey equipment) that researchers would normally be expected to have are ineligible.
Applications from any applicant who has an outstanding requirement to submit a report, under a statutory/consent or licence, shall be ineligible unless they have agreed a submission date for outstanding reports and have an official Compliance Letter from NMS agreeing to this.