Program Information

This program offers students the option to be on-site in Ireland for 5 weeks or 3 weeks. Both options include online work to be completed in the spring, after program acceptance and before arrival abroad (Feb-May). Course dates refer to the dates on-site in Ireland, with Session 1 (S1) lasting 5 weeks and Session 2 (S2) lasting 3 weeks. 

Overview

Help break ground on the first year of excavations of The Green Fort, a ‘star-shaped’ military fort likely constructed in 1599 on the site of an early medieval ringfort overlooking Sligo Town in northwest Ireland. Your research will help answer questions about the monument to discover its origin, military history, and other uses by its inhabitants, and you’ll contribute to the future preservation, protection, and presentation of this monument to the local community and visitors. Delve deeper into Irish archaeology, culture, society, and hospitality through field trips and evening activities, sure to leave a lifelong impression on you.

Field school highlights:

  • Witness the start of a dig as you help hand-excavate, sieve, collect samples, and make recordings that will be used for 3-D models, continuing excavation, and official reports of an ongoing public project.
  • Gain experience in an archaeological laboratory processing artefacts and samples.
  • Get a head start with online lectures to grasp the theoretical concepts before you arrive on-site, ready to dig in.
  • Create international connections and friendships as you work closely with the community, alongside local volunteers and Irish students.
Course Details
Course Dates 2 sessions in 2025
S1: May 18-June 20
S2: June 1-June 20
Course Type Archaeology
Instructors Dr. Fiona Beglane, Dr. Marion Dowd, Sam Moore & Dr. René Vellanoweth
Credits* TBA semester (TBA quarter)
Apply By February 1
Fees Due By April 15
Program Fees S1: 5 week
Tuition $6,900
Transcript Fee* $300
Health & Evacuation Insurance $160
Room (Meals not included) $1,580
TOTAL: $8,940
Program Fees S2: 3 week
Tuition $5,130
Transcript Fee* $300
Health & Evacuation Insurance $90
Room (Meals not included) $930
TOTAL: $6,450

*Please email admissions@ifrglobal.org for any application issues.

Applications accepted on a rolling basis until program fills or final deadline passes. 

Instructors

The directors welcome emails and inquiries about the research elements of this project. More general information (tuition, health insurance, and payment schedule) can be found under the ‘Students’ tab above. Any further questions may be addressed to IFR staff. Additional details about research, course schedule, travel, accommodation, and safety can be found on the syllabus. Contacting the directors or the IFR office is encouraged and appreciated. It may help you determine if this field school is a good fit for you.

Dr. Fiona Beglane
Dr. Fiona Beglane
Dr. Beglane is a Faculty member at ATU Sligo. Her main areas of research include zooarchaeology, scientific approaches to archaeology, and medieval and post-medieval ecclesiastical sites and landscapes.
Dr. Marion Dowd
Dr. Marion Dowd
Dr. Marion Dowd is a Faculty Member of ATU since 2005. She is an internationally recognized specialist in the archaeology of Irish caves, and has published extensively on the topic. Her research also investigates the intersection between archaeology and folklore.
Sam Moore
Sam Moore
Sam Moore is a Faculty Member in archaeology at ATU, Sligo. Sam has a considerable depth of knowledge concerning the archaeology, history and mythology of the Northwest of Ireland and his main research focus is on the Carrowkeel/Keshcorran passage tomb
complex in Co. Sligo.
Dr. René Vellanoweth
Dr. René Vellanoweth
Dr. Vellanoweth is a faculty member at the Department of Anthropology, California State University Los Angeles. He is a coastal archaeologist interested in maritime peoples around the world.

Testimonials

This is a new IFR field school. No student testimonials are available at this time.

Payment & Student Fees

Application Fee: There is a $45 fee to submit an online application.

Deposit Payment: A nonrefundable $500 deposit is due within 3 weeks of program acceptance in order to secure your place. The remainder of your program fees are due by the deadline indicated under “Course Details”.

*Transcript Fee & Academic Credit Opt Out: If you wish to participate in an IFR field school without earning academic credits, you will not be charged a transcript fee.

For more information about payment, fees, and policies, please see details under our Payment & Finances and Withdrawal and Cancellation Policy pages.

Accommodations

Students will be housed in holiday homes or student accommodations in single rooms close to the University and the excavation site.  There will be access to laundry facilities.

Food is not provided, however all the accommodations have fully equipped kitchens and are convenient to local stores. Students will need to prepare breakfast and evening meals within their households, and will need to prepare and bring their own packed lunch to the site daily during the excavation. For the post-excavation week, students may bring a packed lunch or use the University canteen facilities. Vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free meals are widely available and will be offered as necessary at communal meals. Religion-based diets such as kosher and halal meals may be difficult to accommodate in this relatively small town.

Travel Info

Natural disasters, political changes, weather conditions and various other factors may force the cancellation or alteration of a field school. IFR recommends students only purchase airline tickets that are fully refundable and consider travel insurance in case a program or travel plans must change for any reason.

General information for this program is below, but keep in mind we will discuss any updated travel information and regulations during the required program orientation, which could affect travel plans.

Travel Info Coming Soon!

VISA REQUIREMENTS
Info for US citizens coming soon! Citizens of other countries are asked to check the embassy website page at their home country for specific visa requirements