Ed Danaher
BSc (Hons), MIAI MCIfA
Managing Director and Principal Archaeologist
Ed is the Director of Archaeological Management Solutions, which specialises in providing a complete archaeological management service from project inception through planning, procurement, contractual operations to close out.
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Experience
Ed is a highly experienced and accomplished archaeologist and project manager. He has over 20 years’ experience working on large-scale infrastructural projects throughout Ireland and Britain, including all stages from archaeological assessment and design of fieldwork strategies to management of archaeological fieldwork.
Expertise
As a site director, he has managed many large-scale archaeological projects on behalf of archaeological contractors. He has carried out over 90 archaeological assessments and excavations and written reports for each, and has been involved in some of the largest excavations undertaken in Ireland. He also has extensive publication experience including a book entitled Monumental Beginnings, the Archaeology of the N4 Sligo Inner Relief Road.
Other Professional Interests
Ed also has extensive experience providing archaeological technical advice across a wide range of projects on behalf of clients including government and semi-state bodies, local authorities, engineering consultancies, and private developers. His provision of robust management and his ability to provide cost- and time-effective solutions have ensured successful outcomes.
He currently acts as Transport Scotland’s Historic Environment Advisor on all of their Trunk Road Projects, is the appointed Office of Public Works Project Archaeologist on many of their flood relief schemes, and currently advises numerous engineering consultancies on the procurement and management of the archaeological components of their infrastructural projects.
Fintan Walsh
BSc (Hons), MIAI MCIfA
Excavation Manager
Fintan Walsh has over 20 years’ experience in the commercial archaeology sector and in this time has undertaken over 160 licensed excavations, testing exercises and monitoring briefs.
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Experience
Fintan specialises in project management, report and publication production, editing and post-excavation management. He has project managed numerous large-scale archaeological excavations and projects throughout Ireland with teams in excess of 70 field archaeologists. Most recently these projects have included the N69 Listowel Bypass, and the N70, N72 and N86 Road Projects in Co. Kerry. Other major road schemes include the M7 Naas–Newbridge Bypass Upgrade, M7 Osberstown Interchange in Co. Kildare and the A31 Magherafelt Bypass in Co Derry.
Expertise
On these schemes, Fintan managed all aspects of archaeological fieldwork, Health and Safety (PSCS), programming of site works, quality control, client liaison and post-excavation. He has widely published his work and has presented the results of this work at numerous conferences. He is a full member of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (MIAI) and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (MCIfA).
Joanne Hughes
BA, MSc.
EIA Manager
Joanne has worked as a field archaeologist since 1996 and has directed excavations in Ireland since 2002. She completed a 1-year contract with Cork City Council (CCC) as Cork City Archaeologist in 2018 and subsequently undertook a project management role with CCC (MMIAH Project) before joining the AMS team in 2019.
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Experience and Expertise
In the heritage and tourism fields Joanne has worked with organizations including Office of Public Works, South Tipperary Development (LEADER) Company and South Tipperary Tourism Company. In a voluntary capacity she works with local committees to deliver archaeology and heritage related projects with an acknowledged high education value.
Richard Clutterbuck
BA (Hons), MLitt, PhD, MIAI
Head of Project Archaeology
Richard has over 20 years’ experience as a professional archaeologist and project manager working on large- and small-scale projects in rural and urban environments in Ireland. Richard also has specialist experience in LiDAR and Architectural Heritage.
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Experience
Richard is an experienced project archaeologist on large-scale urban redevelopment projects and flood alleviation schemes in Ireland. He has directed 50 excavations, ranging from small-scale urban assessments to large-scale rural excavations in advance of road construction. He has also project managed large-scale infrastructural projects, including the assessment phase archaeological excavations on a 13km section of the M6 Galway to Ballinasloe National Road Scheme, and archaeological investigations and mitigations for the Meath Bundled Wastewater Collection Scheme.
Expertise
Richard specialises in historic landscape analysis, GIS and LiDAR analysis, buildings recording, archaeological excavation and assessment in urban environments. Richard is the project archaeologist for the Abbey Creative Quarter, Kilkenny City. He was previously a Senior Archaeologist with CRDS for ten years before completing his doctoral research in 2015, funded by the Irish Research Council, on the historic landscape of rural Ireland.
Bryn Coldrick
BA (Hons), PgCert, MA
Editor and Report Quality
Bryn Coldrick is an experienced heritage consultant and qualified local historian with undergraduate qualifications in history and heritage studies, and postgraduate qualifications in local history and social science research methods.
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Experience
He has worked as a heritage consultant in Ireland and Australia for almost 20 years, and has wide experience in desktop research, impact assessment, report writing, community consultation, proofreading and editing. Between 1999 and 2003, he worked as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Archaeologist with Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd and Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd (as EIA Manager), undertaking around 170 impact assessments for residential, commercial and infrastructure projects. He was also co-author of a nationwide study for the Irish Government examining the impact of commercial afforestation on Ireland’s archaeological heritage. From 2003 to mid-2015, Bryn lived in Western Australia, where he worked with Aboriginal heritage and became Director of his own successful consultancy (Amergin Consulting). Working in collaboration with anthropologists, archaeologists, Aboriginal communities and others, he delivered or contributed to around 300 heritage projects. The majority of this work was development-driven and included road schemes valued at up to AU$1.2BN (approx. €775M); some of the largest industrial developments in Australia including railway lines; and some of the largest mining developments in the world for proponents including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and FMG.
Expertise
Bryn is a published historian and has contributed to journal articles as well as local and international conferences, drawing on his experiences working with Aboriginal communities in Western Australia and his historical research interests in Ireland.
Labhaoise McKenna
BA, HDip, MSc
Strategy, Policy and Governance
Labhaoise joins the AMS Team after 14 years in local government working a range of areas from heritage management to strategic policy and corporate governance. Labhaoise will be working as Strategy, Policy and Governance Manager to support and deliver the further expansion of the business into new markets.
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Experience
Labhaoise has worked for the last 14 years in various local, regional and national government bodies at a senior level in strategy, policy, HR and corporate governance. She has also worked at European level representing the Irish Member State on various European Programme Monitoring Committees.
Her previous experience in the cultural heritage sector includes the role of Heritage Officer in local authorities specialising in community engagement and public participation in policy and planning.
She has successfully delivered a range of European funded projects with particular emphasis on inland waterways and biodiversity.
Labhaoise previously worked as a coastal and marine archaeologist in both Ireland and the UK and qualified as a commercial diver. She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, University College Cork and National University of Ireland Galway. Most recently, Labhaoise has completed a course in Leadership for Performance and Change in IT Carlow.
Expertise
Labhaoise has expertise in strategic policy and governance. She also has expertise in stakeholder engagement and has undertaken large-scale community participation events.
Steve Lancaster
BSc (Hons), PhD, ACIfA, FSA(Scot)
UK Manager
Steve has over 16 years experience in the heritage sector. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Archaeology and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. specialising in EIA, geoarchaeology and marine cultural heritage.
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Experience
Steve has undertaken EIA work on a wide range of projects carrying out all aspects of the process from initial scoping to producing EIAR/ES chapters and devising mitigation strategies. EIA projects that Steve has worked on range across on- and offshore windfarms, quarries/surface mines, biomass plants, cable routes, nuclear power, harbour regeneration and road schemes. His EIA work involves all aspects of the EIA process, including undertaking setting impact assessments.
Expertise
In addition to working on EIAs, Steve has acted as geoarchaeological consultant on infrastructure projects, especially road schemes, gas pipelines, energy from waste facilities and offshore cable routes, applying his geoarchaeological expertise to develop deposit models and develop suitable sampling and recording strategies to enable the most effective mitigation of impacts on cultural heritage.
Dan Atkinson
BA (Hons), MLitt, PhD (Archaeology)
Head of Coastal, Marine & Inland Waters
Dan has over 25 years of professional archaeological experience, working on and directing on numerous terrestrial sites throughout the UK). For the last 15 years, he has specialised in marine and maritime archaeology across the UK, Ireland, and abroad.
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Experience
Dan has over 25 years professional archaeological experience, working throughout Ireland, the UK and further afield.
The former Director of Scotland and Coastal & Marine with Wessex Archaeology, Dan is now the Head of Coastal, Marine and Inland Waters for AMS. This role includes providing consultancy advice and specialist services for all manner of heritage projects across freshwater, coastal, inter-tidal, and marine environments.
Dan has a proven track record in project management and effective delivery of a broad portfolio of projects, working in collaboration with clients, partners, and stakeholders, and delivering to the highest standards. Past projects cross several sectors including renewable energy, ports & harbours, capital dredging, flood alleviation and coastal protection, aggregates extraction, energy transmission (marine cables and interconnectors, onshore grid connection), oil and gas, defence, and national and regional heritage bodies and museums.
Expertise
With a solid academic and commercial background in maritime archaeology, Dan has particular expertise in:
- project management and team development
- environmental impact assessment for marine development
- the archaeology of maritime installations such as ports, docks and harbours
- boat and ship archaeology, and
- the conservation and management of the maritime and marine historic environment.
Dan is a former Co-Chair of the Marine and Maritime Panel of the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF), charged with developing a long-term and sustainable research agenda for marine and maritime archaeology in Scotland; Convenor of the Maritime Taskforce for the Built Environment Forum for Scotland (BEFS); and a former committee member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists Council and Maritime Affairs Group (CIfA MAG).
He has presented numerous papers at conferences and trades events on a variety of topics, including the consideration of the marine historic environment in offshore renewable development.
Cristina Ocejo
BSc MSc
Administrator
Cristina’s role in AMS involves matters relating to administration, HR and secretarial requirements, and supporting the team throughout Ireland and the UK.
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Experience and Expertise
Cristina has over a decade of experience in a variety of administrative and project support roles in Spain and Ireland. She has worked across a diverse range of different sectors from the health service and the European airline industry to a global data and technology company.
Karina Coldrick
BCom, GradDipFinPlan
Marketing and Communications Manager
Karina Coldrick is a marketing and business development specialist with extensive experience in stakeholder consultation, strategic planning, market research and communications. Her role with AMS supports branding and business planning.
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Experience
Karina has over fifteen years experience in marketing and strategic planning across a wide range of industries in both Ireland and Australia. As the former National Head of Process Innovation for an Australian market research company, her role was to drive the integration of market research, digital communication and business consulting arms. Previously, in Ireland, she was the National Brand Manager for Jameson Whiskey.
Expertise
Karina has particular expertise in:
- Market feasibility assessments
- Marketing Communications planning and development
- Brand development and management
- Stakeholder consultation
She is a former Fellow of Finsia (2006-2011) and an Australian Certified Practising Marketer (2003-2011).
Fintan Walsh
BSc (Hons), MIAI, MCIfA
Excavation Team Manager
Fintan Walsh has over 20 years’ experience in the commercial archaeology sector and in this time has undertaken over 160 licensed excavations, testing exercises and monitoring briefs.
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Experience
Fintan specialises in project management, report and publication production, editing and post-excavation management. He has project managed numerous large-scale archaeological excavations and projects throughout Ireland with teams in excess of 70 field archaeologists. Most recently these projects have included the N69 Listowel Bypass, and the N70, N72 and N86 Road Projects in Co. Kerry. Other major road schemes include the M7 Naas–Newbridge Bypass Upgrade, M7 Osberstown Interchange in Co. Kildare and the A31 Magherafelt Bypass in Co Derry.
Expertise
On these schemes, Fintan managed all aspects of archaeological fieldwork, Health and Safety (PSCS), programming of site works, quality control, client liaison and post-excavation. He has widely published his work and has presented the results of this work at numerous conferences. He is a full member of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (MIAI) and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (MCIfA).
Dr Mara Tesorieri
MSc PhD MCIfA MIAPO
Post-excavation Project Manager and Osteoarchaeologist
Mara Tesorieri has 15 years’ experience as an archaeologist, osteoarchaeologist, academic, and project manager, having worked in both Ireland and Britain from small- to large scale infrastructure schemes such as HS2. Mara has been involved in all phases of archaeology, including tendering, excavation, specialist work, report writing and dissemination.
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Experience
Mara has been working in archaeology for over 15 years throughout Ireland and Britain in both fieldwork and post-excavation as an Osteoarchaeologist and Post-Excavation Project Manager. In 2009 Mara began her doctoral research at University College Cork where she focused on regional health patterns in early medieval Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. During this time, she continued her involvement in the commercial sector. Collections analysed have included both cremated and non-cremated human skeletal remains, from prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval sties. She has provided osteological reports for archaeological consultancies, county councils, museums and universities, from single site excavations and monitoring sites to large scale projects.
Mara has collaborated on several research projects including the INSTAR Project: People of Prehistoric Ireland; a synthesis of osteoarchaeological reports on prehistoric skeletal remains, The Poulnabrone Project; the re-analysis of one of Ireland’s most famous Neolithic Portal tombs, and the Spike Island Archaeological Project: the investigation of 19th century prison life in Ireland.
Following four years of working within academia and the commercial archaeology sector in the UK, Mara joined AMS Consultancy in 2022 as Post-Excavation Project Manager and Osteoarchaeologist. From 2018 to 2019, Mara was a Teaching Fellow in Osteoarchaeology in the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at University of Leicester where her teaching responsibilities included both campus and distance learning courses in Archaeology, Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Archaeology, Human Skeletal Analysis and Environmental Archaeology as well as supervising graduate research. Mara continues to work with University of Leicester as an Associate Tutor through the Chemistry department for the MSc in Forensic Science.
Mara worked in the English commercial sector from 2019-2022, where she was responsible for the successful delivery of the post-excavation programme and dissemination of results for AOC Archaeology Group. As senior osteoarcheologist, she was responsible for the analysis of human skeletal remains recovered from excavations including large-scale infrastructure projects such as HS2 as well as skeletal remains recovered under the Historic Environment Scotland Call-Off Contract.
Expertise
Mara specialises in osteoarchaeology and has supervised a range of archaeological excavations for both small scale research projects and large-scale infrastructure schemes, urban church sites and crypt archaeology. Mara has analysed and produced over 50 specialist reports for cremated skeletal remains, articulated inhumations and disarticulated remains. In addition to providing and maintaining specialist guidance on the excavation and processing of human skeletal remains, she is responsible for identifying and submitting samples for C14 dating, aDNA and stable isotope analyses.
Mara’s interests and primary research focuses on health patterns, economic structure, and cultural landscapes. In particular, she has focused on regional health patterns throughout early medieval Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, by identifying non-specific stress markers on the human skeletal system. Results of her research are to be published by University Press of Florida as a monograph entitled Heath in Early Medieval Ireland and Britain: A Bioarchaeology of Regions in the series Bioarchaeological Interpretations of the Human Past: Local, Regional, and Global Perspectives. The monograph focuses on the local and regional differences observed in the physical, cultural and political landscapes in Ireland and Britain and how these differences affected the health of each population.
Mara is a member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), Irish Association of Professional Osteoarchaeologists and the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology.
Tony Bartlett
MIAI, PGCert
Senior Archaeologist
Tony has over 20 years’ experience in the commercial archaeology sector throughout Ireland, Germany and Australia in all aspects of archaeological research, fieldwork and excavation, post-excavation analysis and dissemination, report writing and publication.
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Experience
As a licensed director, he has managed numerous excavations including several large-scale projects throughout Ireland, particularly linear developments such as gas pipelines and roads. In his native Kerry Tony has managed the archaeological services for the N22 Tralee Bypass, the N69 Listowel Bypass, the N70 Brackaharagh and N72 Stagmount Bends Road Improvement Schemes and the Kerry, Cork and Clare Bridge Rehabilitation Scheme.
Colum Hardy
MA (Hons)
Senior Archaeologist
Colum Hardy is a highly experienced and accomplished archaeologist and project manager with over 15 years’ experience working on small and large-scale infrastructural projects.
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Experience
As a site director, he has managed many large-scale archaeological projects on behalf of archaeological contractors. He has carried out archaeological assessments and excavations and written reports, and has been involved in some of the largest excavations undertaken in Ireland.
Dr Ros O Maolduin
BSc (Hons), PhD
Senior Archaeologist
Ros is a highly-skilled archaeologist with over 20 years’ experience in archaeological research and excavation, during which he has worked in Ireland, Britain, France, Romania, Italy and Lesotho.
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Experience
Ros has particularly extensive experience in the management of large infrastructure projects and in the delivery of training, and maintains an active research profile. He has previously worked as a ‘Senior Archaeologist’ in Ireland (VJK Ltd and ADS Ltd) and ‘Senior Project Manager’ the United Kingdom (OA), where he oversaw the archaeological components of several major infrastructure projects, from tendering, through assessment, project design, fieldwork and publication. During that work, he was responsible for up to 300+ personnel and oversaw a wide variety of situations which he successfully mitigated for his clients.
Expertise
Ros has a special research interest in the Neolithic and Bronze Age of north-western Europe and has been the recipient of grants from several prestigious research institutions, including the ‘Royal Irish Academy’ and the ‘Mellon Foundation’. He lectures part-time at the National University of Ireland, Galway and directs a university accredited field-school (www.prehistoricfieldschool.ie), where along with conducting cutting-edge research he is developing digital recording techniques. He is also currently collaborating with an international team of scientists on several ancient DNA projects.
Dr Eve Campbell
PhD, MIAI
Senior Archaeologist
Eve has worked as an archaeologist, researcher, and heritage professional since 2003. She is licence-eligible and a member of the IAI and the Irish Post-Medieval Archaeology Group.
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Expertise and Experience
After gaining a first-class honours degree in history and archaeology from NUIG, she worked as a commercial archaeologist before completing a PhD on the archaeology of the Cromwellian Transplantation as an IRCHSS scholar at NUI Galway. Since graduating, she has worked on multiple projects in the commercial, research and community sectors, including the Louth Field Names Project, and the Archaeology of 1916.
Stephen Hickey
Senior Archaeologist
BA, MIAI
Steve is a licenced archaeologist with over 20 years experience in the field. A graduate of Archaeology and Greek & Roman Civilisation, Steve has experience in monitoring, testing and excavating a wide range of site types, settings and periods in Ireland and abroad since 1999.
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Experience
As a licenced director Steve has seen sites through from the assessment phase to post-excavation in both a rural and urban context. This experience is complemented by a number of diverse roles within the profession; notibly working with the Wood Quay and ethnographic collections in the National Museum of Ireland, working alongside the City Archaeologist in DCC, and for a seven-year period working as a researcher, surveyor and illustrator in a architectural conservation firm specialising in measured survey, planning and conservation issues, photomontages, visual impact, record photography, and restoration.
Expertise
His expertise in AutoCAD and Photoshop is utilised in the design and production of mapping and report illustrations, as well as digitising site drawings. His interests lie in the archaeology and architecture of Dublin city.
Joe Nunan
BS(Merit), BA(Hons), MA(Hons), PGDip, MPhil
Site Director
Joe Nunan has over 17 years experience as an archaeologist working on infrastructural, commercial, private, and academic projects throughout Ireland, the US, and the UK.
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Experience
Joe has extensive experience as a site director; he has been license eligible since 2007.
Joe has worked as an archaeologist with the University and Museum of Texas Tech (US), the Museum of London Archaeology (UK), and with University College Cork (IRL).
Expertise
His interests are focused on, but not limited, to Plantation and Frontier archaeology.
Patrick Walsh
BA (Hons), HDip, MA, PMEP
Site Director
As a licensed archaeologist with over 20 years’ field experience, Patrick’s work has involved all aspects of archaeological excavation, from pre-excavation services through to excavation, post-excavation and publication.
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Experience
Patrick has experience working on a range of large-scale projects, particularly linear developments such as roads and pipelines, and has worked for a range of clients including private developers, State and semi-State bodies.
Expertise
In addition to working as a field archaeologist, he has also been employed as a Research Analyst, Research Fellow and Tutor for the Department of Archaeology, University College Dublin.
John Channing
BA, HDip, MIAI
Site Director
John combines over 30 years experience in commercial archaeology with 100+ licensed excavations with a love of visual communication and graphic design. He likes bringing technical data to life visually, making it accessible.
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Experience
John has a wide range of experience in developer driven archaeology from planning advice to survey, excavation and publication. Developments range in scale from single dwelling to large infrastructural projects with a matching diversity in client base. John previously spent over 10 years with V.J.Keeley Ltd as a Senior Archaeologist where he sat on the company management team working directly with company owners and 220 field Archaeologists to bring large infrastructural projects to successful completion.
These include:
- M7 Heath-Mayfield
- N9N10 Kilcullen to Waterford
- N6 Kinnegad-Kilbeggan
- N30 Co. Wexford
John’s graphic and visual work has seen him conduct photo-shoots for portrait, commercial and wedding clients in Ireland, UK, Portugal, Italy, and France. His commercial clients range from the Commercial Bank of Qatar to Independent News and Media while his private clients remain just that, they come from Europe (east and west), USA, Brazil, India, Australia and New Zealand
Expertise
John brings a wealth of experience and an open inquiring mind to every project. He is a member of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (MIAI). He specialises in excavation, project management and photography.
Zbigniew Malek
MA
Site Director
Zbigniew has directed regional archaeological projects and large-scale excavations in Poland, and worked for a range of clients including councils or private developers. Since 2005, he has experienced all stages of field work in Ireland through his work on large road projects around the country, including the M6 Galway-Ballinasloe, the M8 Cashel-Mitchelstown and M8 Cashel-Cullahill.
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Experience
Zbigniew graduated in 2003 from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. Since then, he has worked in commercial archaeology both in Poland and Ireland across a range of clients, including councils and private developers. As a licensed director in Poland since 2009, he has directed regional archaeological projects and large-scale excavations. He has over fifteen years of experience across all stages of field work on large road projects around Ireland, including the M6 Galway-Ballinasloe, the M8 Cashel-Mitchelstown and M8 Cashel-Cullahill. He is Irish licence-eligible since 2020.
Expertise
His study area of specialisation was burial practices in the late Iron Age, particularly in southern Poland.
Alan Healy
BSc
Site Director
Alan has over ten years’ experience in all aspects of archaeological research, fieldwork and excavation, post-excavation analysis and dissemination and report writing.
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Experience
Alan has worked on numerous small and large-scale infrastructural projects throughout Ireland, including the N61 Ranelagh Realignment Road Project, Co. Roscommon, N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin Road Development, Co. Sligo, the N60 Oran Realignment Road Project, Co. Roscommon, the N69 Listowel Bypass, Co. Kerry and the N5Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge, Co. Roscommon.
Expertise
He has a wide range of research interests, including how past peoples used their surrounding landscape and the flora and fauna within, whether for food or making tools or personal items. He is currently involved in a research project ‘Neolithic Marine Resource Exploitation in Atlantic Europe’ (NeoMarE), investigating shell middens in Co. Sligo, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the exploitation of the marine environment in the past, to help define how these sites relate to the wider archaeological and cultural landscape in Co. Sligo.
Dr Paul Stevens
BA (Hons), HND, PhD, MIAI
Consultant Archaeologist
Paul has 30 years’ experience as a professional archaeologist, spanning a broad range of environments and commercial projects. He has extensive excavation, post-excavation and publication project management experience.
Paul has a doctorate in early medieval archaeology in Ireland, and is a specialist in jet and lignite artefacts.
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Experience
Paul has worked as a professional archaeologist in Ireland, UK and Australia, since 1991 and licence-eligible since 1995 in Ireland. With over 20 years’ project management experience spanning a broad range of commercial and archaeological research projects, across rural, urban, riverine and wetland environments. Large-scale infrastructure, mining and urban development project excavation and senior management experience includes: Lisheen Mine Archaeological Project, Kilkenny City (River Nore) Drainage Scheme, M6/N52, M11 Gorey Bypass and M8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Schemes. He was Publications Manager on the M6/N52 (Fartullagh) and N6 (Kilbegly) NRA monographs and Post-excavation Manager overseeing Lisheen Mine II Project, Waterford City Shopping Centre Excavation Project, Drumclay Crannog Post Excavation Project, Bord na Mona Post-excavation Project (2000-13), plus the M7 & Sallins, N80 Maidenhead, N86 Lispole and N4 Catlebaldwin-Coolooney Stage (iv) road scheme projects. Paul has now joined our Kilkenny office.
Expertise
He was previously a Senior Archaeologist / Project Manager with Margaret Gowen & Co Ltd. for six years, and Valerie J Keeley Ltd. for seven years, before completing his Irish Research Council funded-doctoral research at UCD in 2018, on the role of the church in the expansion of the early medieval economy in Ireland, AD 400-1100. After that he was Senior Archaeologist / Post-excavation Manager with IAC Archaeology for the last four years. Paul has co-authored two books on Irish archaeological excavations, as well as authoring several book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles, including Medieval Archaeology. His academic qualifications also include a BA Hons in Archaeology from Leicester University and a (BTEC) HND in Practical Archaeology from Bournemouth University. He has delivered international research conference papers in USA, Germany, UK and Ireland.
Other Professional Interests
He is a full member of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (MIAI), and is a former Honorary Secretary and committee member of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society.
Joanne O’Meadhra
BA, MA, MIAI
Archaeological Services Team Lead
Joanne is an archaeology and heritage professional with 22 years experience of large infrastructure and museum projects predominantly in Ireland, but also in Australia. She has particular expertise in museum standards accreditation through documentation, cataloguing and inventory.
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Experience
Joanne has worked across all aspects of the profession, from pre-excavation through to post-excavation. Her roles have included EIA consultant, Scheme Liaison Officer and, most recently, Post-Ex Manager. She has also been involved in the creation of various exhibitions such as The Ancient Forts of Cork in 2019 at The Cork Public Museum, Pastimes in Past Times at Fota House Museum Cork, 2019 as well as participating in various volunteer led projects such as Digivol at Australian Museum, Sydney in 2013 and Sydney Open 2012 for Sydney Living Museums.
Drawing on 22 years of professional experience, Joanne can turn her hand to any aspect of archaeological, museums and heritage projects. She currently serves on the Board of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI).
Expertise
In addition to her general interests in archaeology, Joanne specialises in the development of policy and procedures relating to archaeologically excavated collections, with a particular interest in the area of curation crisis. She is passionate about assisting museums in the pursuit of their museum standards accreditation through documentation, cataloguing and inventory. She also has a keen appreciation of the ‘Big Houses’ of Ireland and the collections they hold.
Joanne has an MA in Museum Studies from UCC and is currently a member of Irish Museum Association (IMA).
Conn Herriott
PhD, MIAI
Supervisor / Report Writer
Conn has worked in commercial archaeology and academic field research for almost 20 years, on a wide range of projects in Ireland, the UK, USA, Australia and several Mediterranean countries. Most recently he directed excavations in Israel, before returning to Ireland in 2019 and joining AMS.
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Experience
Conn has supervised excavations of multiple site types and periods around Ireland (M8 Fermoy-Mitchelstown Motorway, Greystones Harbour, Kilkenny Castle Parade). His field experience abroad is also wide-ranging: academic research excavations and surveys in Portugal, Greece, USA, UK and Turkey, commercial excavations and survey in Australia, and directing large and complex commercial excavations in Israel. Conn also has a background in maritime archaeology.
Conn has written, edited and coordinated a range of archaeological publications, including monograph-format reports on his excavations, as well as academic papers, specialist analyses and conference presentations. He also has extensive experience in the production of archaeological illustrations and reconstruction drawings. Since January 2021 Conn has written and edited reports on AMS findings along the route of the N5 roadway realignment in Co. Roscommon. Since August 2021 he has been editing Archaeological Survey of Ireland field reports on behalf of the National Monuments Service. Conn is a full member of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland.
Expertise
Conn specialises in archaeological excavation, survey and dissemination, with research expertise in Mesolithic-Neolithic ritual, religion and ethnographic analogy (PhD, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2018) and lithic analysis.
Ross Drummond
BA (Hons), MSc (Hons)
Archaeologist
Ross is a field archaeologist with over 3 years experience in the commercial archaeology sector working on sites in both Ireland and the UK. He also has skills in report writing and production, as well as report technical reviewing.
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Experience and Expertise
Ross has worked as both a site assistant and a site supervisor on major road projects in Ireland over the past number of years, including: the N86 Ballynasare Lower to Annascaul and Doonore North to Ballygarret, the N72 Stagmount Bends (both Co. Kerry), the N24 Davitt Street, Church Street (Tipperary Town) and N5 Ballaghdereen to Scramoge Road Project, Co. Roscommon Road Improvement Schemes.
As a student he also has excavation and tour guiding experience from the Spike Island Archaeological Project with University College Cork and various projects with the University of the Highlands and Islands in the Orkney Islands and wider Scotland, including the renowned Ness of Brodgar Excavation.
As part of his master’s course in Scotland, as well as being a site assistant and supervisor on various excavations, Ross also interacted and worked with members of the public (including younger audiences) through a range of outreach activities including: social media, site tours, site talks, public talks and public workshops, as well as writing several detailed blogs on each project; making the archaeology accessible and understandable to the general public.
Dr Kevin Kearney
BA (Hons), LLB, HDip, PhD
Archaeologist
Kevin has over seven years’ experience as an archaeologist in both the commercial and academic archaeology sectors. He has a special interest in environmental archaeology.
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Experience
Kevin has over seven years’ experience as an archaeologist in both the commercial and academic archaeology sectors. In addition to work as a field archaeologist, he has also worked as a palaeoenvironmental (pollen) and Bayesian chronological specialist on various major infrastructural projects in Ireland and the UK. Prior to joining AMS, Kevin worked on a number of highly impactful academic projects including the European Research Council-funded Europe’s Lost Frontiers and the Historic Environments Scotland-funded The Lairg Palaeoenvironments Project.
Expertise
Kevin has a special interest in environmental archaeology, especially palynological approaches to landscape reconstruction, and scientific dating techniques. He is also engaged in correlating records of cultural and environmental change with special reference to Bayesian approaches.
Brigid Melloy
BA (Hons), MA (Hons)
Archaeologist
Brigid holds a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Landscape Archaeology from NUIG. She has a special interest in equine archaeology and wilderness theory.
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Expertise and Experience
Brigid holds a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Landscape Archaeology from NUIG. While a student, she was heavily involved with the Archaeology Society and served as Auditor for two years. As part of an effort to increase student engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic and dissemination of archaeological topics, she hosted a podcast series, interviewing a variety of archaeologists, historians, and other interesting academics. Brigid has a special interest in the archaeology of the horse and the role of wilderness in society and culture.
Joanne Hughes
BA, MSc.
EIA Manager
Joanne has worked as a field archaeologist since 1996 and has directed excavations in Ireland since 2002. She completed a 1-year contract with Cork City Council (CCC) as Cork City Archaeologist in 2018 and subsequently undertook a project management role with CCC (MMIAH Project) before joining the AMS team in 2019.
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Experience and Expertise
In the heritage and tourism fields Joanne has worked with organizations including Office of Public Works, South Tipperary Development (LEADER) Company and South Tipperary Tourism Company. In a voluntary capacity she works with local committees to deliver archaeology and heritage related projects with an acknowledged high education value.
Bryn Coldrick
BA (Hons), PgCert, MA
Senior Consultant and Editor
Bryn Coldrick is an experienced heritage consultant and qualified local historian with undergraduate qualifications in history and heritage studies, and postgraduate qualifications in local history and social science research methods.
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Experience
He has worked as a heritage consultant in Ireland and Australia for almost 20 years, and has wide experience in desktop research, impact assessment, report writing, community consultation, proofreading and editing. Between 1999 and 2003, he worked as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Archaeologist with Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd and Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd (as EIA Manager), undertaking around 170 impact assessments for residential, commercial and infrastructure projects. He was also co-author of a nationwide study for the Irish Government examining the impact of commercial afforestation on Ireland’s archaeological heritage. From 2003 to mid-2015, Bryn lived in Western Australia, where he worked with Aboriginal heritage and became Director of his own successful consultancy (Amergin Consulting). Working in collaboration with anthropologists, archaeologists, Aboriginal communities and others, he delivered or contributed to around 300 heritage projects. The majority of this work was development-driven and included road schemes valued at up to AU$1.2BN (approx. €775M); some of the largest industrial developments in Australia including railway lines; and some of the largest mining developments in the world for proponents including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and FMG.
Expertise
Bryn is a published historian and has contributed to journal articles as well as local and international conferences, drawing on his experiences working with Aboriginal communities in Western Australia and his historical research interests in Ireland.
Dr Steve Lancaster
BSc (Hons), PhD, ACIfA, FSA(Scot)
UK Manager
Steve has over 16 years experience in the heritage sector. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Archaeology and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. specialising in EIA, geoarchaeology and marine cultural heritage.
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Experience
Steve has undertaken EIA work on a wide range of projects carrying out all aspects of the process from initial scoping to producing EIAR/ES chapters and devising mitigation strategies. EIA projects that Steve has worked on range across on- and offshore windfarms, quarries/surface mines, biomass plants, cable routes, nuclear power, harbour regeneration and road schemes. His EIA work involves all aspects of the EIA process, including undertaking setting impact assessments.
Expertise
In addition to working on EIAs, Steve has acted as geoarchaeological consultant on infrastructure projects, especially road schemes, gas pipelines, energy from waste facilities and offshore cable routes, applying his geoarchaeological expertise to develop deposit models and develop suitable sampling and recording strategies to enable the most effective mitigation of impacts on cultural heritage.
Dr Kim Rice
EIA Consultant
BA (Hons), MA (Hons), PhD, MIAI
Kim is a licence eligible archaeologist with over eighteen years’ professional experience. She has worked in the academic and commercial sectors and has participated in archaeological research projects in Ireland, England, France, Italy, Portugal and the Philippines. Kim was recently awarded an Advanced Dip. in Planning and Environmental Law from Kings Inn.
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Experience
In addition to undertaking desk-based assessments, managing post-excavation projects and producing technical reports and publications, Kim has directed excavations in Dublin City and its surrounding hinterlands.
Expertise
Her research interests include early prehistoric landscapes and material culture, social archaeology, and increasingly, the built environment, urban landscapes (contemporary and historic), and post-medieval archaeology. She has presented papers on her research in Ireland, England, France, Jordan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Freya Smith
BA (Hons), HDip, PGDip, MPhil
EIA Archaeologist
A graduate in archaeology and history, with several postgraduate qualifications in related areas (Osteoarchaeology, GIS and Heritage Visualisation), Freya Smith has over 20 years’ professional experience working within the private and public heritage sectors.
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Experience
The earlier part of her career focused on developing a thorough grounding in all aspects of on-site/post-ex works, desk-based/historical research, writing technical reports and impact assessments, and supervising on-site teams.Freya also has extensive project management experience, having worked over an eight-year period managing archaeological/heritage aspects for light rail, metro and road projects for the RPA and NRA (now merged into the TII).
Expertise
More recently, following two years of post-graduate study in the theory and practice of Digital Heritage Visualisation (focusing on GIS and 3D Visualisation), Freya worked in this field as a Research Fellow in the School of Histories and Humanities, TCD. She is also a qualified osteoarchaeologist, experienced in co-ordinating cemetery excavations and undertaking specialist analysis.
Ciara O’Flynn
BA MA MIAI
Built Heritage Specialist
Ciara has worked as a consultant in the built heritage conservation sector since 2004 working on a broad range of conservation projects from medieval towerhouses to advising on large scale city centre developments. Before joining AMS she was Architectural Conservation Officer for Cork City Council (2018-2022) and lectured on Built Heritage for the Centre of Planning and Sustainable Development, UCC.
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Expertise and Experience
Coming from an archaeology and folklore background, Ciara has worked with building owners, engineering and architectural firms for over 17 years to provide solutions for built heritage related issues for planning and development. She has extensive experience in surveying, assessment, planning and development enhanced by her tenure as Architectural Conservation Officer in Cork City Council.
She has also project managed a wide variety of on-site conservation projects from modest vernacular out-buildings to some of Irelands most significant structures such as St. FinBarres Cathedral, Cork, often managing and supervising works over numerous phases over several years. Ciara is expert at securing tax-relief and grant-aid for historic structures from a variety of funding avenues for private and public clients.
Ciara’s areas of special interest are vernacular cultural heritage, and retro-fit and energy upgrades in historic buildings.
Dr Caroline McGrath
EIA Consultant
BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Caroline has worked in archaeology since 2016 and has a wide range of fieldwork experience including the N22 Macroom Bypass, the medieval abbey of St. Thomas the Martyr and a multi-phase site in Chancery Lane which encompassed the Viking, Norman and medieval periods. She has also undertaken a large number of desk-based archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage assessments, in addition to a number of commercial and university-based research projects.
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Experience and Expertise
With a background in Irish language and Celtic Studies in which she published a number of academic papers and books, Caroline has a particular interest in Irish history and culture which lends itself to her archaeological research. She received an MSc in Professional Archaeology from Queens University Belfast in 2015 in which she studied many of the technical aspects of archaeology including GIS, geophysics, surveying and fieldwork. She has particular research interests in built heritage and medieval ecclesiastical history.
Caroline has worked for over six years on a wide variety of Irish archaeological projects, demonstrating skills such as excavation, recording, sampling and surveying. These excavations included a significant multi-phase site in Chancery Lane, Dublin, ranging from the Viking-age to the post-medieval era. In addition to archaeological site work, monitoring and post-excavation duties, she has undertaken a number of research projects including the Westmeath Industrial Heritage Project, where she contributed to compiling a corpus of industrial sites. She was also part of a team which assessed the iron samples from the excavation of a ringfort at Readsland in Dunshaughlin. In addition, she contributed the historic background to the report for the same excavation, and has undertaken desktop assessments for a wide variety of projects.
Al Curtis
MA(Hons), ACIfA
EIA Archaeologist
Al is a certified Associate of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists with 19 years’ professional experience working in the historic environment sector. In addition to undertaking cultural heritage inputs into Environmental Impact Assessments, Al has also designed programmes for both non-invasive and invasive archaeological investigations, prepared specifications and Written Schemes of Investigation (WSI) and tender and contract documents. He has managed archaeological contractors in the field and during the post excavation process, including review of deliverables and certification of costs.
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Experience
Al’s experience in EIA has been gained by involvement in highways projects on behalf of Transport Scotland and National Highways and flood risk management schemes on behalf of the Environment Agency and Falkirk Council:
- Aberdeen West Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T)
- A96 Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) Dualling Project
- A9/A96 Haudagain Improvements
- A9 Dualling Project: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam, Tay Crossing to Ballinluig, Pitlochry to Killiecrankie and Killiecrankie to Pitagowan
- The Queensferry Crossing
- Manchester Northwest Quadrant
- A1 Morpeth to Ellingham Dualling
- Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme
- Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme
- Kendal Phase 1 Flood Risk Management Scheme
- Kendal Phase 2 & 3 Flood Risk Management Scheme
Expertise
Al has also compiled reports on desk-based assessments and walkover surveys, watching briefs and monitoring works on AWPR/B-T. He was responsible for designing the strategy for both the Queensferry Crossing and the A9 Dualling Luncarty to Pass of Birnam Archaeological mitigation works and wrote the Invitation to Contract and Invasive and Noninvasive Archaeological Survey and Evaluation Contracts. He also designed non-invasive archaeological investigations involving Geophysical surveys to facilitate the DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statements for A9 Dualling Projects 3, 4 and 5 and wrote the Invitation to Tenders and Specifications and also both Metal Detecting and Geophysical surveys for the A96 Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass).
Breana McCulloch
BA, MES
Archaeologist
Breana has worked in commercial archaeology for 13 years. Her experience ranges from desktop-based studies to full-scale mitigations and reporting as well as traditional land use and community-based studies.
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Experience
Breana has worked in commercial archaeology for 13 years. Her experience ranges from desktop-based studies to full-scale mitigations and reporting as well as traditional land use and community-based studies. These projects across Canada, the UK and Ireland, included work for government agencies, private developers, and First Nations communities.
Expertise
Her research interests include prehistoric material culture (her Masters involved the spatial analysis of a significant Paleoindian site in Canada), as well as the intersection between archaeology and anthropology as seen in traditional land use studies or community-driven research which can aid in the consultation process prior to development.
Dr Fergal Donoghue
BA (Hons) MA (Hons) PhD
Historical and Archaeological Researcher
Fergal has an extensive background in historical research with over twenty years’ experience and expertise in cartography and urban history. He has worked in both the public and private sectors as a researcher and writer. He has worked in both the public and private sectors as a researcher and writer.
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Experience
Fergal has worked in archaeology and heritage since 1998. He has several years’ experience as a field archaeologist and first started EIA work in 2000 and worked on a wide variety of schemes and projects. He worked as a freelance archaeologist and researcher from 2003 to 2012. He was awarded a scholarship in 2013 to do a Ph.D. in Maynooth University where he studied urban morphology. He is also an experienced lecturer and has delivered modules on Art and Architecture 1600-1900, Surveys and surveying in Britain and Ireland in the nineteenth century, and Ireland in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries amongst others.
Expertise
Fergal is a published historian and editor. He has written on crime in Kilkenny in the mid nineteenth century, a history of the development of towns in Mayo and a book on Connolly’s Red Mills that explores the use and re-use of this site from the medieval period to the modern day. He is the current editor of the Old Kilkenny Review and has edited the last two volumes. He has also contributed to the Kilkenny library service centenary celebrations of the War of Independence with the publication of a pamphlet on a jail break in Kilkenny in 1921.
Richard Clutterbuck
BA (Hons), MLitt, PhD, MIAI
Project Archaeology Manager
Richard has over 20 years’ experience as a professional archaeologist and project manager working on large- and small-scale projects in rural and urban environments in Ireland.
Richard also has particular expertise in LiDAR and Architectural Heritage.
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Experience
Richard is an experienced project archaeologist on large-scale urban redevelopment projects and flood alleviation schemes in Ireland. He has directed 50 excavations, ranging from small-scale urban assessments to large-scale rural excavations in advance of road construction. He has also project managed large-scale infrastructural projects, including the assessment phase archaeological excavations on a 13km section of the M6 Galway to Ballinasloe National Road Scheme, and archaeological investigations and mitigations for the Meath Bundled Wastewater Collection Scheme.
Expertise
Richard specialises in historic landscape analysis, GIS and LiDAR analysis, buildings recording, archaeological excavation and assessment in urban environments. Richard is the project archaeologist for the Abbey Creative Quarter, Kilkenny City. He was previously a Senior Archaeologist with CRDS for ten years before completing his doctoral research in 2015, funded by the Irish Research Council, on the historic landscape of rural Ireland.
Una Cosgrave Hanley
MA (Archaeology), GradDip (Heritage Management Studies)
Project Archaeologist
Una is a qualified archaeologist with a postgraduate qualification in palaeopathology and interests in underwater archaeology. She worked in field archaeology for 12 years and then as a Heritage Officer for 16 years. For the past eight years, Una has continued to work in heritage, managing projects as diverse as folklore research, tidy towns development plans and biodiversity enhancement projects.
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Experience
Una has worked in many aspects of heritage over the past 36 years and draws on her academic qualifications in Archaeology, Geography, Paleopathology and Heritage Management, coupled with her experience of managing multipartner projects at a variety of scales. This, with her training as a sports diver and teaching the sports diving community the basics of underwater survey work as a Nautical Archaeological Tutor, gives Una a reasonable understanding of the challenges faced with multidisciplinary, multipart cultural and heritage projects in both terrestrial and marine environments.
Expertise
As site director, Una managed urban rural, large- and small-scale excavations. As a Heritage Officer Una has been involved in drafting policy and procedures at local and national level, as well as managing multipart, multidisciplinary projects within all aspects of Built Natural and Cultural Heritage.
Lynda McCormack
BA, MIAI, PCIFA
Project Archaeologist
Lynda McCormack is an experienced field archaeologist with over a decade of experience in the commercial sector on large infrastructure projects across Ireland.
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Experience
Lynda returned from the UK where she Project Managed geophysical surveys for High Speed2 and has recently designed and project managed a number of Irish geophysical surveys in the greater Dublin area. She currently works as a Project Archaeologist, seconded with TII.
Expertise
Her specific research interests lie in the Irish Passage Tomb Tradition which forms the subject of her PhD research.
Other Professional Interests
She has been on the Board of the IAI since 2016 as Conference Organiser and recently become an Ordinary Board member.
Kevin Costello
BSc (Hons)
Project Archaeologist
Kevin has worked as a commercial archaeologist on a number of projects in the last four years in Louth, Roscommon, Dublin, and in the UK.
Kevin has a particular interest in GIS (his undergraduate thesis focused on site catchment analyses which examined the proximity of open-air mass-sites to their local archaeological and natural environment). His other areas of archaeological interest are prehistoric and post-medieval rock art/engravings.
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Experience
Kevin has worked as a commercial archaeologist on a number of projects in the last four years including the N5 Ballaghdareen to Scramoge Road Project in Co. Roscommon, the HS2 project in the UK as well as smaller-scale commercial sites in Co. Louth and Dublin. In addition, Kevin has assisted with community-based archaeological research projects such as the on-going investigations of a monastic site in Disert, Co. Donegal.
Expertise
Kevin has a particular interest in GIS (his undergraduate thesis focused on site catchment analyses which examined the proximity of open-air mass-sites to their local archaeological and natural environment) and photogrammetry. His other areas of archaeological interest are prehistoric and post-medieval rock art/engravings and the the role of religion in landscape archaeology.
Deirdre Kelly
BSc, MA
Archaeologist
Deirdre Kelly joined AMS in 2023. Her current role on the OPW Arterial Drainage Maintenance Schemes project involves using GIS to assess the presence of known cultural heritage in proximity to drainage channels, identifying areas where maintenance works may impact cultural heritage and thus advising on measures to mitigate any potential damage to heritage sites.
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Experience and Expertise
Over the last number of years, Deirdre has taken part in various archaeological excavations including the N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin road realignment in 2017 and several research excavations in the Boyne Valley. She also has experience undertaking geophysical surveys at sites including Knocknashee Hillfort, Co. Sligo and Dísert, Co. Donegal. Most recently she worked as a post-excavation assistant at UCD (2022).
Prior to becoming an archaeologist, Deirdre gained experience in a wide range of sectors including finance, marketing and childcare. She completed her degree in Applied Archaeology from IT Sligo in 2018 and then worked as a Graduate Ambassador with the Institute before embarking on a Masters degree at UCD in 2019.
Saoirse Bailey
BA (Hons), MSc (Hons), MIAI
Project Archaeologist and Forensic Archaeologist
As a Project Archaeologist, Saoirse advises clients on their heritage needs, risk management, fieldwork design, EIARs, mitigation advise and stakeholder consultation. She has UK and Irish experience, including work the N5 Ballaghdereen to Scramoge Road Project, Co. Roscommon, and the High Speed 2 (HS2), England.
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Experience
Saoirse has several years’ experience as a field archaeologist in the UK and Ireland having worked as both a site assistant and a site supervisor on major road projects, including the N5 Ballaghdereen to Scramoge Road Project, Co. Roscommon, and the High Speed 2 (HS2).
Expertise
Saoirse has a MSc in Forensic Archaeology from Bournemouth University and a BA in Archaeology from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Her specific research interests lie in the use of Forensic Archaeology as a tool to recover human remains from a mass grave associated with State operated institutions during twentieth century in Ireland which formed the subject of her Master’s research. Saoirse is trained as a Crime Scene Investigator and Expert Witness.
Ed Danaher
BSc (Hons), MIAI MCIfA
Director and Principal Archaeologist
Ed is the Director of Archaeological Management Solutions, which specialises in providing a complete archaeological management service from project inception through planning, procurement, contractual operations to close out.
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Experience
Ed is a highly experienced and accomplished archaeologist and project manager. He has over 20 years’ experience working on large-scale infrastructural projects throughout Ireland and Britain, including all stages from archaeological assessment and design of fieldwork strategies to management of archaeological fieldwork.
Expertise
As a site director, he has managed many large-scale archaeological projects on behalf of archaeological contractors. He has carried out over 90 archaeological assessments and excavations and written reports for each, and has been involved in some of the largest excavations undertaken in Ireland. He also has extensive publication experience including a book entitled Monumental Beginnings, the Archaeology of the N4 Sligo Inner Relief Road.
Other Professional Interests
Ed also has extensive experience providing archaeological technical advice across a wide range of projects on behalf of clients including government and semi-state bodies, local authorities, engineering consultancies, and private developers. His provision of robust management and his ability to provide cost- and time-effective solutions have ensured successful outcomes.
He currently acts as Transport Scotland’s Historic Environment Advisor on all of their Trunk Road Projects, is the appointed Office of Public Works Project Archaeologist on many of their flood relief schemes, and currently advises numerous engineering consultancies on the procurement and management of the archaeological components of their infrastructural projects.
Laura O’Connor
BA (Hons), MPhil, HDip (GIS), MCIFA
Head of Technology and Innovation
Laura O’Connor is an experienced GIS, geomatics and innovation professional, working in the archaeological industry in the UK and Ireland for over 15 years. She has overseen and implemented survey, geomatics and GIS solutions on small-to-large scale infrastructural schemes, driving forward innovation to produce high quality deliverables for projects and clients.
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Experience
Joining AMS in January 2022, Laura brings with her fifteen years’ experience working in UK and Irish archaeology with specific expertise in geomatics, GIS and innovation. Laura was previously the GIS & Geomatics Manager for AOC Archaeology in the UK, where she managed a team of technical specialists across six offices in capturing and producing high quality metric surveys and deliverables. She was responsible for the development and implementation of updated procedures for the collection and management of digital data deriving from geophysical and archaeological surveys, including the advancement of streamlined approaches for field recording. She successfully designed and implemented an overhaul of AOC’s survey data management procedures including effective quality assurance measures. She was also the BIM lead for HS2 fieldwork projects for Connect Archaeology. Designing and developing GIS and survey methodologies in line with HS2 standards and procedures for all Connect Archaeology partners was a key element of this role, as well as managing and producing high quality GIS deliverables for HS2.
Prior to this, Laura was involved in notable projects including the INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community) Directive Implementation Project and the HS2 Design Project. Through her work with Cotswold Archaeology, she field directed and undertook several terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetric surveys including the Roman Baths Archway Project area in the heart of the City of Bath World Heritage Site and the Roman Masonry Stones Recording Project – this entailed the recording and 3D modelling of 101 architectural fragments that were removed from the Roman Baths and stored offsite. She has also undertaken terrestrial laser scanning surveys on historic building recording projects such as the historic walled garden at Tregony in Cornwall, Hestercombe Estate in Somerset, Quayside in Gloucester and Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Based on her experience using mobile laser scanning on site, she authored a case study on its application within cultural heritage for inclusion in Historic England (2018) 3D Laser Scanning for Heritage: Advice and Guidance on the Use of Laser Scanning in Archaeology and Architecture.
Expertise
Laura has extensive experience in utilising GIS technology and innovative workflows to transform office-based and fieldwork practices with the introduction of new tools and apps. Through her work in the UK archaeological sector, she managed the development of GIS, including web apps and bespoke GIS project designs for various departments including fieldwork, post excavation, geophysical survey and consultancy. She has spoken at national conferences on her approach to innovation in this area.
She has a strong interest in developing innovative approaches to the interpretation and dissemination of archaeological data, particularly from large-scale infrastructure projects, and how data derived from these projects can further inform research frameworks. To further enhance her skillset in innovative visualisation techniques using Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, gaming engines and advance 3D modelling systems, she has accepted an unconditional offer to study at the Glasgow School of Arts as part of the MSc Heritage Visualisation 2022/2023 course. She is a full member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (MCIfA).
Dr Mara Tesorieri
MSc PhD MCIfA MIAPO
Post-excavation Project Manager and Osteoarchaeologist
Mara Tesorieri has 15 years’ experience as an archaeologist, osteoarchaeologist, academic, and project manager, having worked in both Ireland and Britain from small-to-large scale infrastructure schemes such as HS2. Mara has been involved in all phases of archaeology, including tendering, excavation, specialist work, report writing and dissemination.
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Experience
Mara has been working in archaeology for over 15 years throughout Ireland and Britain in both fieldwork and post-excavation as an Osteoarchaeologist and Post-Excavation Project Manager. In 2009 Mara began her doctoral research at University College Cork where she focused on regional health patterns in early medieval Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. During this time, she continued her involvement in the commercial sector. Collections analysed have included both cremated and non-cremated human skeletal remains, from prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval sties. She has provided osteological reports for archaeological consultancies, county councils, museums and universities, from single site excavations and monitoring sites to large scale projects.
Mara has collaborated on several research projects including the INSTAR Project: People of Prehistoric Ireland; a synthesis of osteoarchaeological reports on prehistoric skeletal remains, The Poulnabrone Project; the re-analysis of one of Ireland’s most famous Neolithic Portal tombs, and the Spike Island Archaeological Project: the investigation of 19th century prison life in Ireland.
Following four years of working within academia and the commercial archaeology sector in the UK, Mara joined AMS Consultancy in 2022 as Post-Excavation Project Manager and Osteoarchaeologist. From 2018 to 2019, Mara was a Teaching Fellow in Osteoarchaeology in the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at University of Leicester where her teaching responsibilities included both campus and distance learning courses in Archaeology, Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Archaeology, Human Skeletal Analysis and Environmental Archaeology as well as supervising graduate research. Mara continues to work with University of Leicester as an Associate Tutor through the Chemistry department for the MSc in Forensic Science.
Mara worked in the English commercial sector from 2019-2022, where she was responsible for the successful delivery of the post-excavation programme and dissemination of results for AOC Archaeology Group. As senior osteoarcheologist, she was responsible for the analysis of human skeletal remains recovered from excavations including large-scale infrastructure projects such as HS2 as well as skeletal remains recovered under the Historic Environment Scotland Call-Off Contract.
Expertise
Mara specialises in osteoarchaeology and has supervised a range of archaeological excavations for both small scale research projects and large-scale infrastructure schemes, urban church sites and crypt archaeology. Mara has analysed and produced over 50 specialist reports for cremated skeletal remains, articulated inhumations and disarticulated remains. In addition to providing and maintaining specialist guidance on the excavation and processing of human skeletal remains, she is responsible for identifying and submitting samples for C14 dating, aDNA and stable isotope analyses.
Mara’s interests and primary research focuses on health patterns, economic structure, and cultural landscapes. In particular, she has focused on regional health patterns throughout early medieval Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, by identifying non-specific stress markers on the human skeletal system. Results of her research are to be published by University Press of Florida as a monograph entitled Heath in Early Medieval Ireland and Britain: A Bioarchaeology of Regions in the series Bioarchaeological Interpretations of the Human Past: Local, Regional, and Global Perspectives. The monograph focuses on the local and regional differences observed in the physical, cultural and political landscapes in Ireland and Britain and how these differences affected the health of each population.
Mara is a member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), Irish Association of Professional Osteoarchaeologists and the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology.
Elaine Lynch
MA, MPhil, MIAI
Specialist Prehistoric Pottery and Artefact Illustrator
Elaine Lynch has over 17 years’ experience in commercial and research excavations in Ireland.
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Experience
Elaine’s primary degree is in ceramic production from the Limerick College of Art and Design. She holds an MA in the History of Art and Architecture from UCD and an MPhil in Archaeology from UCC, where her doctoral thesis was entitled ‘A study of Grooved Ware in Ireland’. She is a specialist in prehistoric pottery and the illustration of artefacts.
Expertise
Elaine has worked on multiple projects in the commercial, research, and community sectors and in post-excavation on a variety of projects. Since completing her MPhil she has produced several specialist reports on prehistoric pottery. She has also produced numerous artefact illustrations and digital plans, many of which have been published.
In recent years, Elaine has taken on a part-time role with the Field Monument Advisor Programme. This has involved working directly with the Burren Programme and the farming community in Co. Clare. Other elements of this work have involved the local community via Burrenbeo Trust, with works consisting of overseeing scrub clearing monuments, public presentations, walking tours, community excavations and other preservation works.
Elaine is licence-eligible and her most recent excavation was that of a hut site in Lismoher, Co. Clare, funded by the Royal Irish Academy.
She has recently joined the Board of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) as a conference organiser.
Robyn Kelly
BA, MIAI
Post-Excavation Supervisor
Robyn is an archaeologist with over 3 years experience in the commercial archaeology sector working on sites in both Ireland and the UK.
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Expertise and Experience
Robyn completed her BA in History and Archaeology at UCD in 2020, during which she served as auditor of the Archaeology Society for two years. Her studies were heavily focused on colonialism and the driving forces of ethnic and demographic shifts over time, and the expression of identity through material culture and landscapes.
She has worked on a number of excavations in a wide range of site types and periods in Ireland and the UK since 2020, including large scale infrastructure schemes such as HS2 in England and the N86 Road Improvement Scheme in Co. Kerry. Robyn began working on accession of legacy projects in the National Museum of Ireland in 2022 and moved into post-excavation, where she is currently the Post-Excavation Supervisor for AMS.
Robyn currently serves as Secretary on the Board of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI).
Dr James Bonsall
BA (Hons), MSc, PhD
Consultant Archaeologist – LiDAR specialist
James Bonsall is a Consultant Archaeologist specialising in geophysical surveying, lidar and remote sensing. He has directed more than two hundred geophysical surveys for development-led and research projects and taught GIS, Lidar Analysis, Archaeological Geophysics and Geoarchaeology at the Institute of Technology Sligo.
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Experience
James co-owned and directed Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics (2002-2019), the largest private sector company in Ireland dedicated to the investigation of archaeological remains using geophysical and remote sensing techniques. James directed more than two hundred geophysical surveys for a variety of projects, and closed out more than seventy linear corridor infrastructure projects for the NRA/TII. Since 2008 James has worked as a consultant for the Serious Crime Review Team of An Garda Siochána and regularly provides them with geo-forensic advice and surveys. Between 2010-2014, James held a National Roads Authority Fellowship and completed his PhD which resulted in a number of peer-reviewed publications and a procedural guidance document for NRA (now TII, Transport Infrastructure Ireland) staff on how to commission and procure archaeological geophysical surveys on infrastructure projects.
Between 2014-2021, James worked as a Lecturer at the Sligo Institute of Technology in the Department of Environmental Sciences, where he was responsible for delivering modules in Applied Archaeology and supervising postgraduate research. He taught GIS, Lidar Analysis, Archaeological Geophysics and Geoarchaeology. James is also a geophysicist for the ERC-funded Lost Frontiers Project, collecting geophysical data and sediments to map palaeolandscapes beneath the Irish Sea. He convened the first International Weather Beaten Archaeology Conference (2015) and the 13th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection (2019) at IT Sligo.
Expertise
James has directed academic research on a number of projects and is currently publishing on the 1798 Battlefield of Vinegar Hill, legacy data from historic excavations in Alice and Gwendoline Cave, Geoarchaeological analysis of Neolithic cave sediments in the Irish uplands, Community Archaeology in County Mayo, and the mapping of palaeolandscapes beneath the Irish Sea via seismic and borehole data. James has more than 20 years of geophysical and remote sensing experience, working on archaeological sites in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Britain, Italy and Norway, across all archaeological periods, from Mesolithic sites at Larne, Neolithic henge monuments at Stonehenge, proto-Roman settlement at Civitalba, boathouses at the Roman harbour of Portus, Hiberno-Scandinavian longphort at Waterford, Viking settlements at Avaldsnes and Stiklestad, the Black Pig’s Dyke, conflict sites of Vinegar Hill, Cheriton, Kinsale and Stiklestad and the garden archaeology of Castle Coole to Second World War air raid shelters in Ireland and Britain.
His published work tends to reflect his personal research interests including the use of novel remote sensing techniques and the assessment of legacy data as well as selected outputs from 20 years of work in the private sector. His grey literature outputs currently account for more than 200 reports on archaeological geophysics, lidar and upland archaeology, mostly derived from planning applications and EIAs, as well as research and community archaeology projects. He has published peer-reviewed articles in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Archaeologia Polona; Oxford Journal of Archaeology, Archaeological Prospection; the Journal of Conflict Archaeology; the Journal of Irish Archaeology; the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, Near Surface Geophysics and he has written chapters for several peer-reviewed books and monographs as well as extended abstracts/proceedings from numerous international conferences. In 2019 he published his first book, New Global Perspectives on Archaeological Prospection.
During his commercial and academic career, James has achieved funding from the National Roads Authority Fellowship Programme; International Society for Archaeological Prospection, ECO-UNESCO ‘Clubs in Action’ Programme; the International Society for Archaeological Prospection; the Heritage Council; Sligo County Council, Kildare County Council Community Heritage Grant Scheme; Kildare Archaeological Society Research Grant; LEARGAS European Commission’s Education and Culture Directorate General’s ‘Youth in Action’ Programme; the National Monuments Service; the Royal Irish Academy; the Young European Arena of Research.
Liamóg Roche
BSc (Hons)
Archaeologist/Remote Sensing Supervisor
Liamóg Roche is a remote sensing supervisor who has also worked as an archaeologist and geophysicist on both commercial and research projects over the last five years.
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Experience
Liamóg has held detection licences and directed archaeological investigations for major infrastructure projects, including the 80 ha Gathabawn Windfarm in Co. Kilkenny and the Shannon Liquid Natural Gas Pipeline in Co. Kerry and Co. Limerick. He has also undertaken archaeological geophysical surveys on the N70 Milltown Road Scheme (Co. Kerry) and across a range of other projects with Fourth Dimension Prospection Ltd. These surveys involved data collection, data processing and identifying potential archaeological remains through UAV-based surveying, photogrammetry, and 3D modelling.
Liamóg has also carried out archaeological excavations for AMS on a variety of projects including road schemes and data centres, including the N5 Roscommon, Kilshane, Huntstown, Bracetown, Milltown, Ballymakaily, and preparing, processing and recording human remains for final deposition at the National Museum of Ireland’s Collections Resource Centre (CRC). He has also been involved in research projects including the Tormore Cave Civil War Hideout and Carrowmore Complex, Co. Sligo, for IT Sligo and the Atlantic Technological University and the Lough Key Archaeological Research Project.
Expertise
Liamóg completed his degree with a focus on the deployment of UAV based thermal imaging and LiDAR in archaeological remote sensing and has acquired UAV-based LiDAR and thermal imaging data across a range of archaeological sites since. He has a keen interest in photogrammetric recording, 3D modelling, geospatial data and hand-held laser scanning, and has been involved in their deployment for recording and mapping on archaeological excavations.
Liamóg is a member of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group (AARG) and the International Society for Archaeological Prospection (ISAP).
Marcin Leszczynski
BSc(Hons) in Applied Archaeology
Geophysical Assistant/Archaeologist
Since January 2023, Marcin has worked on several geophysical projects for AMS including large-scale infrastructure projects. His primary duties include data collection, processing and interpretation as well as liaising with landowners.
Marcin’s prior experience in commercial archaeology included excavations on various sites across Ireland and also work on the HS2 scheme in the English midlands.
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Experience
Marcin has worked on several excavation sites since 2020, including a research dig at the Carrowmore Megalithic Complex Co. Sligo; the N73 Annakisha road improvement scheme, Co. Cork; HS2 excavation in the midlands of England; Lisheen Windfarm, Co. Kilkenny; and the M28 Ringaskiddy Motorway scheme in Co. Cork.
Expertise
Marcin has a keen interest in geophysics, GIS and other technologies used in archaeology, such as 3D reconstruction. He has a great interest in diseases of the past and their effect on humanity. His honours dissertation focused on plagues (namely the Antonine plague, the Black Death, and the Spanish Flu pandemic) and their parallels with Covid-19 in the context of economics, social behaviour, and overall impact on history.
Dr Martin Duffy
BA (Hons), MSc, PhD
Geomatics Officer
Martin is a GIS and remote sensing specialist, with a particular interest in applying digital solutions to archaeological research.
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Experience and Expertise
He holds an Msc from NUI Maynooth in GIS and remote sensing and one from University College London in archaeological GIS and spatial statistics. In the past he has worked with remotely sensed satellite data, and has completed his PhD thesis entitled “Mapping social, ideological and economic transformations: settlement and landscape in the early medieval kingdom of Brega, AD 400-1100” which relies heavily on GIS to study settlement in the early medieval kingdom of Brega.
Frank Mallon
BA
Maritime Archaeologist
Frank has over 20 years expertise in leading land and sea field operations with particular specialisms in subsea survey, marine environmental sampling hydrographic and bathymetric mapping. He is a HSE Part 1 commercial diver, commercial diving supervisor, an IMCA ROV pilot, AUV and USV pilot as well.
Most recently he has spent over 10 years working at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST, an international graduate research institution located on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia) managing and overseeing the oceanographic operations for the university in the Coastal Marine Core Laboratory.
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Experience and Expertise
After obtaining a degree in Archaeology from Queens University Belfast in 1997, Frank commenced his career working on land based surveys and excavations throughout Ireland. In 2001 he completed his HSE part 1 offshore commercial dive training at Fort Bovisand in Plymouth, UK and worked as an inshore commercial diver on various subsea projects in Ireland such as subsea pipeline installations and wreck recovery.
During his time with Wessex Archaeology, UK (2001 – 2006) Frank lead projects ranging from subsea shipwreck surveys and recovery to environmental assessments of various offshore projects such as the Ormen Lange gas pipeline project (UK sector) and various offshore windfarms. He was involved in archaeological dive and wreck recovery operations mandated by the British and Irish governments, such as the Princess Channel wreck in London and the Boyne River wreck in Ireland.
In 2007 he was instrumental in setting up the Marine Underwater Archaeology unit of ADS Ltd in Ireland where he worked as Irish government licensed Archaeological Director of numerous land and underwater archaeological investigations and excavations.
He also worked for the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) in Dublin and managed the archeological components of various large scale infrastructure projects, one of which included the planning of a rail/metro tunnel project to go under the river Liffey.
Recent major projects have included:
- Multibeam mapping of the Gulf of Aqaba
- Deep water gas seep detection in the Saudi sector of the Red Sea, involving mid water mapping, ROV survey and ROV sampling and deep water sediment collection
- Supporting the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board of Saudi Arabia in offshore training and black box search and recovery trials
- Managing and procuring KAUST hydrographic survey equipment, ROVs and AUVs.
- Overseeing the procurement and installation of multibeam systems such as Kongsberg EM710 MK2 on the KAUST offshore research vessel and a Reson T20 system for the 14m coastal hydrographic vessel.
Dr Kevin Martin
BA, MPhil, PhD
Project Archaeologist / Maritime Archaeologist
Kevin has over 20 years’ experience as a professional archaeologist working in the commercial, research and state sectors. He has previously directed archaeological excavations on a number of major National Road Schemes including the N11 Gorey to Arklow Link and the M3 Clonee-Kells Motorway.
In addition, he was a researcher on the Shipwreck Inventory of Ireland for the Underwater Archaeology Unit of the National Monuments Service and also was employed as a Project Archaeologist for the National Roads Authority.
Recently, he completed his PhD in archaeology at the University of Iceland. His thesis explored the vessels and ports of trade used during the Danish Trade Monopoly Period (1602-1787) in Iceland. He is a qualified HSE commercial diver and has been involved in marine archaeological projects in Iceland, Norway, Holland and Qatar.
Raúl Zafra
BEng(Hons), MIOA
Geomatics / Innovation Officer
Raúl is an engineer with fifteen years of experience working in Spain, the UK and now Ireland. His special area of interest is GIS but he also has a focus on technology and innovation.
Richy Hinchy
Geomatics / IT Officer
Richy has over ten years’ experience working as an archaeologist in Ireland but traded in his trowel to take up the position of IT support technician in the Netherlands. He returned to Ireland a few years ago and splits his time at AMS between IT Support and Site Assistant.
