Joseph Raftery facts for kids

Joseph Raftery was an important Irish archaeologist. He also served as the director of the National Museum of Ireland. He lived from 1913 to 1992.

Early Life and Education

Joseph Raftery was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1913. His father, John Raftery, was the governor of Mountjoy Prison. Joseph spent most of his childhood in Portlaoise, County Laois. He went to St Mary's Christian Brothers' School there, after winning a scholarship.

He earned another scholarship to study at University College Dublin. In 1933, he graduated with a degree in Celtic Studies. The next year, in 1934, he completed his master's degree in archaeology. His master's project was about ancient monuments in Counties Laois and Tipperary.

Studying Archaeology Abroad

Joseph Raftery received a special grant to travel to Europe. He visited many museum collections to learn more about archaeology. When he came back to Ireland, he was chosen to work with the Harvard Archaeological Mission. This was a team led by Hugh O'Neill Hencken. Working with them helped Joseph improve his skills in fieldwork, which means digging and studying ancient sites.

He later studied in Germany at the University of Marburg. He received his doctorate degree in 1939. That same year, he married Charlotte Lang, whom he had met in Germany. They were able to leave Germany just before World War II began. Joseph and Charlotte had two sons. One of their sons, Barry Raftery, also became an archaeologist.

Career at the National Museum

In 1939, Joseph Raftery started working at the National Museum of Ireland (NMI). This museum collects and displays important items from Ireland's past.

Rising Through the Ranks

After Adolf Mahr left his position in 1945, Raftery was promoted. He became the acting keeper of Irish antiquities. This meant he was in charge of the museum's collection of ancient Irish objects. In 1949, he was officially appointed as the keeper.

Later, in 1976, Raftery was promoted again. He became the director of the National Museum of Ireland. He held this important position until he retired in 1979. As director, he helped add many new and important items to the museum's collections. These included a gold treasure from Gorteenreagh in County Clare. He also added a collection of bronze and gold objects from the Iron Age found in Somerset, County Galway.

Published Works and Contributions

In 1951, Joseph Raftery published his first major book, called Prehistoric Ireland. This book was an important effort to show many pictures and details about Irish archaeology. Throughout his career, and even after he retired, Raftery wrote many articles and books. He wrote about topics like ancient stone burials from the Irish Iron Age. He also wrote about Viking-era silver and various gold treasures.

Raftery was also involved in many professional groups. He served as president of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. In 1941, he became a member of the Royal Irish Academy. He served on its council several times. He was also vice-president from 1963 to 1965, and president in 1967.

Joseph Raftery passed away on May 12, 1992.