During the economic boom Ireland became a mecca for archaeologists. There was full employment, strong career prospects, remarkable archaeology and reasonable salaries, much of it fuelled by infrastructure development and regulation of cultural heritage. That changed abruptly with the economic collapse from 2008.

Archaeologists work closely with the construction industry and are often among the first subcontractors affected when development stops. A survey by James Eogan reported a 37% reduction in archaeological excavations between 2007 and 2008 and a further 44% reduction between 2008 and 2009. By 2010 employment had fallen dramatically, companies had ceased trading and many skilled archaeologists were retraining or emigrating.

The loss was not only personal. Specialist knowledge built up during the boom years was leaving the profession and could not easily be replaced.

The future of Irish archaeology was uncertain and challenging, but archaeology is a broad discipline integrated with construction, education, tourism, planning, media and many other sectors. The company was exploring new products and markets that could build on the experience gained during the Celtic Tiger years, with the aim of adapting Irish archaeological expertise to new opportunities.