Statistical Report 1935-1936 - Department of Education and Skills

114In one particular case, the excavation of the Lagore Crann6g, this'co-operation was a very important feature of the Work as the amountof animal bones found was truly enormous. This excavation occupiedno fewer than three excavation seasons.During the year also the Harvard University Archaeological Missionto Ireland (Fourth Mission, 1935) continued its activities and conductedexcavations either on its own or under the aforesaid scheme ofState-financed excavations (as e.g. the work on the Lagore Crann6g).The method of co-operation on the part of the Museum remained onthe same footing as in former years.These large and ambitious schemes naturally exercised their influenceupon the Antiquities Division and, to a certain extent, also the NaturalHistory Division, and are responsible for a very large pe~centage of theacquisitions made during the year.The two Divisions co-operated also, as in 1934, in the work of theCommittee for Quaternary Research in Ireland, about which particularshave been given in the previous Report. The field work of theCommittee started from well-attested archaeological finds in 1934,other sites for field work being selected by the scientists serving onthis Committee, which is inter-institutional and is formed of representativesof many Irish scientific bodies of recognised standing. Thework continued in 1935 and the follOwing table shows its distributionOVer the two years ;_-SitesExaminedin 1934 in 1935 TotalArchaeological sites .. ·. 23 14 37Non-archaeologicalsites-· . 13 9 22-Total .. .. ·. 36 23 59~to ensure continuity of the work launched by this Committeein Ireland and to keep its tradition alive and the experiencethus gained available for future students in this field it was felt desirableto give some specially qualified persons the opportunity of anindividual period of training in Copenhagen, under the personal guidanceof Professor Knud .Iessen. This training was to be given in thefield and in the Laboratory. Two candidates were selected, one ofthem being an Assistant in the Botanical Section of the Museum whowas given special leave of absence and whose travelling expenses Werepartly defrayed from the Museum vote. Important archaeologicaland palaeobotanical finds coming within the orbit of Museum work will,therefore, henceforward be dealt with by the Museum itself withoutthe necessity of outside help.115Educational Activities.-Most of the work to be recorded will befound under the divisional subheads. The attendance by the publiccontinued in a satisfactory way, although showing a small decline.Whilst it cannot be said that the visits by school classes and con-.ducted tours for such could not be considerably augmented, it isgratifying to note that the existing facilities are availed of by anmcreasing number of schools. The following group visits were arrangedfor schools: St. James' N.S., Rialto (Boys); Leeson Park School(Girls) ; Glengara Park School, Glenageary (G) ; Dundrum N.S. (B) ;Kentstown N.S. (B); De La Salle Monastery, Bagenalstown (B);Mooncoin Vocational School, Kilkenny (B) ; the same (G) ; Two-Mile-House N.S., Co. Kildare (B) ; SaIlins N.S., Co. Kildare (B) ; TullamoreN.S., Co. Offaly (B); Pwllhelli (North Wales) (G); Stamfordham(Lincolnshire) (B.).Group visits Were also arranged for a travelling party of Canadianteachers and several groups of interested tourists from foreigncountries.n.-IrishAntiquities Division.Acquisitions.-During the year under review (ended 31st July,1936) the total number of acquisitions was 1,794 objects or groups ofobjects (as compared with 2,029 in 1934-35, and 1,954 in 1933-34),not including some very large groups of objects resulting from thesystematic excavations which can, and need, not be reckoned withindividually.Of this total of 1,794 register entries, 298 objects or groups of objectsWere donations or deposited similarly (as compared with 464 in1934-35, and 596 in 1933-34), and 27 objects were loan deposits.The remaining 1,469 entries represent purchases out of the MuseumGrant-in-Aid at a total expenditure to the State of £548 9s. 5d. (1934-35, £368 4s. lOd, 1933-34, £749 12s. 3d.). It must be borne 'in mindthat only a comparatively small proportion of this total outlay isdevoted to the acquisition of the archaeological yield from the systematicexcavations. The main portion of this expenditure is devotedto the acquisition of objects which are purchased all over the country.The Royal Irish Academy out of its own funds has purchased 20objects and received donation of 3 objects, so that the total numberof acquisitions in the year under report is 1,817. In addition to theexpenditure shown in the figures just quoted, there was a proportionateexpenditure by the State for additions to the photographic collections,whilst the Royal Irish Academy spent its available grants for thepurchase of archaeological specimens and in connection with fieldwork.