Rúaidhrí de Valera facts for kids

Rúaidhrí de Valera (born November 3, 1916 – died October 28, 1978) was an important Irish archaeologist. He was famous for studying ancient stone tombs in Ireland. His parents were Éamon de Valera and Sinéad de Valera. Éamon de Valera was a very well-known leader in Ireland.

Becoming an Archaeologist

Rúaidhrí de Valera went to University College Dublin. In 1939, he earned a degree in Celtic studies. This field focuses on the history, languages, and cultures of Celtic peoples.

After college, he served a short time in the Irish Army. Then, he taught at the National University of Ireland in Maynooth for one year. He decided to continue his studies in archaeology. He wrote his master's thesis about very old tombs in County Clare.

Exploring Ancient Tombs

In 1947, Rúaidhrí de Valera started working for Ordnance Survey Ireland. This organization maps the country and records historical sites. He became their Archaeological Officer. This job allowed him to start a big project. He wanted to survey all the megalithic tombs in Ireland. Megalithic tombs are ancient structures made from large stones.

He wrote many important papers about Ireland's early history. These papers helped him earn his doctorate degree in 1954.

Teaching and Discoveries

In 1957, de Valera became a professor at University College Dublin. He was in charge of Celtic Archaeology. He worked hard to make the department bigger and better. He kept publishing books and articles about ancient Irish tombs. He was especially interested in Court cairns. These are a type of ancient burial monument. He believed they first appeared in the west of Ireland.

Later in his career, de Valera also helped dig at the Mound of the Hostages. This is an important historical site at Tara.

Rúaidhrí de Valera passed away suddenly on October 28, 1978. He was visiting the Fermanagh County Museum in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.