Archaeological Survey of County Donegal
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County Donegal was the first county in Ireland to have a full survey of its archaeological sites conducted and published in book form in 1983. In about 1970 Máiréad Dunlevy, from the county but working at the National Museum of Ireland, organised an ‘amateur’ survey conducted by voluntary members of the County Donegal Historical Society. In 1979 Dermot Walsh of the Donegal Regional Development Organisation proposed that the survey be put on a professional basis by Donegal County Council using money from the government’s Employment Guarantee Fund. About 35 persons, mainly young archaeology graduates, were employed at one time or another on the project. The project director was Dr Brian Lacey. The fieldwork took place between the summers of 1980 and 1981. About 4000 sites were inspected of which 2,500 were deemed to date prior to the chosen cut-off date of AD1700. Where appropriate the sites were described, drawn, and photographed on 35mm film.
Donegal County Museum holds the original Field Notes, survey drawings and slides. The Museum received Heritage Stewardship Funding from the Heritage Council to digitise the slides and drawings and created an accompanying exhibition which tells the story of the Archaeological Survey of County Donegal.