Past Presidents of the RSAI

Over its history the Royal Society of Antiquaries has had 37 Presidents. The names and backgrounds of the individuals tell us of the history of the Society, and indeed of society in general since 1849.

The 38th and current president of the RSAI is Ms Aighleann O’Shaughnessy.

Aighleann O’Shaughnessy studied Architecture at University College Dublin and joined the Office of Public Works on graduating in 1971. Early years in OPW involved her in design of public buildings including schools. In 1973 she moved to the National Monuments Service and was Senior Conservation Architect since 1988. She was in charge of National Monuments in 2 of the 6 regions into which the country is divided, together covering an area roughly defined by drawing a line just south of Glendalough, across almost to Limerick city and down to Bantry Bay. She undertook various studies during her time there, such as a short course in conservation studies in York in England, an archaeology course in UCD and qualification in Health and Safety at Work, also in UCD.

Aighleann was a visiting lecturer with the MUBC (Masters in Urban and Building conservation) in University College Dublin, and occasional lecturer and for 3 years external examiner for the Conservation Course in the School of Engineering in Trinity College Dublin.

After retiring from OPW, she maintained her interest in heritage by membership of groups such as Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, the Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works in Ireland and ICOMOS Ireland.

She has been recently involved in a small number of projects with Margaret Quinlan Architects in Dublin, contributing to the formulation of Conservation Plans for a number of heritage sites.

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Past Presidents

  • Rev. Charles A. Vignoles

    1849-1877

  • The 4th Duke of Leinster

    1878-1887

  • Lord James Wandesford Butler

    1888-1894

  • Sir Thomas Drew

    1895-1897

  • Rt. Hon. O’Conor Don

    1898-1899 (Honorary President 1900)

  • Edward Percival Wright

    1900-1903

  • John Ribbon Garstin

    1903-1903

  • Patrick Weston Joyce

    1906-1908

  • Robert Cochrane

    1909-1912

  • Count Plunkett

    1913-1916

  • Thomas Johnson Westropp

    1917-1920

  • Michael Joseph McEnery

    1920-1923

  • R.A.S. Macalister

    1924-1928

  • W.F. Butler

    1928-1930

  • Goddard H. Orpen

    1931-1932

  • Thomas P. Le Fanu

    1933-1936

  • Eoin MacNeill

    1937-1940

  • Harold G. Leask

    1941-1944

  • Rev. Prof. John Ryan S.J.

    1945-1948

  • Seán P. Ó Riordáin

    1953-1956

  • G.F. Mitchell

    1957-1960

  • Joseph Raftery

    1961-1964

  • Helen M. Roe

    1965-1968

  • A.T. Lucas

    1969-1972

  • Henry A. Wheeler

    1973-1976

  • Michael Herity

    1977-1980

  • James Lydon

    1981-1984

  • Etienne Rynne

    1985-1988

  • Seán Ó Nualláin

    1989-1992

  • Rhoda Kavanagh

    1993-1996

  • Próinséas Ní Chatháin

    1997-2000

  • Conleth Manning

    2001-2004

  • Aideen Ireland

    2005-2008

  • Charles Doherty

    2009-2012

  • Dr Rachel Moss

    2013-2016

  • Dr Conor Lucey

    2017-2020

  • Dr Kelly Fitzgerald

    2021- 2025

  • Ms Aighleann O’Shaughnessy

    2025-2028