Celebrating Ireland’s Archaeological Heritage
Both Ireland and Croatia are very proud of their national heritage. In a unique way, they give us deep insights into our past and culture, bestowing a distinct character to the beauty of our distant landscapes. Archaeological monuments provide us with a lens through which we can understand ourselves and consider our histories.
While certain iconic monuments are well known nationally, every locality has its own unique treasures and gems, which loom large in the conscious ness and hearts of the people raised there. Irish and Croatians share this sense of belonging to a place and the importance of such connections as an anchor of our identities.
In Ireland, we are very fortunate to have the Office of Public Works and National Monuments Service to carefully conserve what has been left to us by previous generations.
I am delighted that it has been possible for the National Monuments Service, in partnership with the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb and the Embassy, to put together this wonderful exhibition highlighting some outstanding examples of Ireland’s rich archaeological heritage. I want to thank all involved for their great efforts and hard work, which made this exhibition possible.
I hope this glimpse of Ireland’ s heritage will encourage people to explore it further and perhaps visit Ireland to see it for themselves. I look forward to further fruitful collaborations between Irish and Croatian archaeology in the future and hope this exhibition will be the first of many joint endeavours.
Beir bua agus beannacht
Ambassador of Ireland to Croatia
Ruaidhri Dowling
