Royal Irish Academy

The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; Irish: Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the natural sciences, arts, literature, and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier learned society and one of its leading cultural and academic institutions. The academy was established in 1785 and granted a royal charter by King George III in 1786. As of 2019,^[update] the RIA has 600 members, with regular members being Irish residents elected in recognition of their academic achievements, and honorary members similarly qualified but usually based abroad; a small number of members are also elected in recognition of non-academic contributions to the Irish society. All members are entitled to use the honorific title MRIA with their names.

Until the late 19th century the Royal Irish Academy was the owner of the main national collection of Irish antiquities. It presented its collection of archaeological artefacts and similar items, which included such famous pieces as the Tara Brooch, the Cross of Cong and the Ardagh Chalice to what is now the National Museum of Ireland, but retains its very significant collection of manuscripts including the famous Cathach of Colmcille, the Lebor na hUidre (c. 1100), the later medieval Leabhar Breac, the Book of Ballymote, and the Annals of the Four Masters.

The RIA is an independent forum of peer-elected experts, operating on an all-Ireland basis, which draws on members' expertise to contribute to public debate and policy formation on issues in science, technology and culture. It works across the academic world, and with government and business, and it leads national research projects, particularly in areas relating to Ireland and its heritage. The RIA also represents Irish learning internationally, operates a major research library, and is an academic publisher.

Election to membership of the academy is a public recognition of academic excellence and is sometimes held to be the highest academic honour in Ireland. Those elected are entitled to use the designation "MRIA" after their name. The criterion for election to membership is a significant contribution to scholarly research as shown in the candidate's published academic work. However some of those elected to membership are not academics at all but receive the accolade in recognition of other contributions to society: these include former public servants, philanthropists, leaders in political and business life, and others.

To be elected to regular membership, a candidate has to be proposed and recommended by five members, and selection is made by a rotating committee of existing members, their names not made known outside the academy. Presently, up to 24 members are elected each year, equally divided between the sciences and humanities. Regular membership is open only to those resident in Ireland.

Honorary membership can be awarded to persons who have made an outstanding contribution to their academic discipline, but who are normally resident outside the island of Ireland. At least two existing members must propose and recommend a candidate for honorary membership. Honorary members are entitled to use the designation "Hon. MRIA" after their name.

The academy is one of the longest-established publishers in Ireland, having commenced in 1787. The academy currently publishes six journals:

The academy's research projects also regularly publish the Irish Historic Towns Atlas series, the Documents on Irish Foreign Policy, Foclóir na nua-Ghaeilge, the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources, and the New Survey of Clare Island. In 2014 the academy published (in association with Yale University Press) the five-volume Art and Architecture of Ireland.