The staff of the National Museum of Ireland past and present are deeply saddened to learn of the death of our former Director and dear colleague, Raghnall Ó Floinn.
Raghnall joined the National Museum of Ireland as an Assistant Keeper in the Irish Antiquities Division in 1976. He went on to become the first Head of Collections in 2003, then Director in 2013 until his retirement in 2018.
It is impossible to overstate the contribution that Raghnall has made to the National Museum and to the field of Irish archaeology. His interests ranged from antiquarianism to Iron Age and early Medieval Ireland, Medieval period reliquaries and beyond. He was internationally renowned as a Viking scholar. Raghnall’s contribution is reflected in his vast range of publications and in exhibitions across the National Museum as well as many other museums at home and abroad. We will all remember him too as a kind and generous colleague and friend.
Our thoughts are with his wife Edel, his daughter Sorcha, son Muiris, his brothers and sisters and extended family at this sad time.
We will be closing the Museum of Archaeology on Kildare St. early on Friday 13th of December at 1pm in memory of our colleague and to enable staff to pay their respects.
Suaimhneas síoraí dá ainm léannta agus dílis