Welcome - Fáilte

The Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies at Athens (IIHSA) was founded in 1995 and formally recognised by the Greek Ministry of Culture in 1996. In Ireland it is a company limited by guarantee with charity status (CHY 13738). 

The core aims of the Institute are:
• to establish a distinctive Irish voice in the study of Greece and its culture from earliest times to the present day.
• to promote the mutual understanding of Greek and Irish culture through lectures and other events
• to maintain a permanent office and staff in Athens
• to develop research and study programmes, publications, and ongoing archaeological fieldwork.

The Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies at Athens is a collaboration of the following Irish Universities: Maynooth University; NUI Galway; University College Cork; Trinity College Dublin; University College Dublin.

Reflecting the special role of Greece as a key source of our shared European heritage, Athens is a unique centre of international research. Many European states have their own research Institutes there, some dating back to the 19th century, others like the Irish Institute founded more recently. The Irish Institute, celebrating its twenty year anniversary during 2015-2016, takes its place in this dynamic international setting, supporting Irish-based scholars and students in their research and study, and promoting both Greek and Irish culture. 

Ireland has a long (but often overlooked) history of involvement in Greece, from early travellers and philhellenes to distinguished classical scholars. In more recent times Irish writers, including our distinguished Patron Seamus Heaney, have continued to find inspiration in Greek ideas and themes. Research into all aspects of Greek culture flourishes in our Universities, and the IIHSA provides a new and national focus for Irish research in Greece. There are already active research programmes in archaeology, focusing primarily on rural culture and landscapes, and in philosophy