Professor Seán P. ÓRíordáin (1903-1957) Professor of Celtic Archaeology (1943-1957)
In 1943 Seán P. Ó Ríordáin succeeded R.A.S. Macalister as Professor of Celtic Archaeology in UCD.He began his working life as a dockyard apprentice, studying at night to qualify eventually as a teacher. While teaching in Cork he took Celtic Studies courses at UCC and was awarded a B.A. in 1928. Aided by an NUI Travelling Studentship awarded in 1930, he acquired Continental experience in excavation techniques and museum studies. On his return to Ireland he worked in the National Museum and conducted research into halberds, leading to a major monograph on the subject, published in 1936.
In that year,1936, he was appointed Professor of Celtic Archaeology at University College Cork. He then conducted several important archaeological excavations, notably at Cush and Lough Gur in county Limerick. Following his appointment to the Chair of Celtic Archaeology in Dublin he continued his excavations. In the early 1950s he began a major excavation programme at Tara in county Meath, initially at Ráth na Seanad (Rath of the Synods) and then Duma na nGiall (Mound of the Hostages). He completed his examination of Ráth na Seanad, but he became terminally ill after two seasons at Dumha na nGiall and he died in 1957.
He was an outstanding excavator and some of his best known publications are excavation reports. He also wrote Antiquities of the Irish Countryside which, in its revised form, is still an unsurpassed guide to archaeological monuments in Ireland.