PROFESSOR Michael Henty was elected president of the Royal Irish Academy on Saturday. He taught archaeology at University College, Dublin, for over 30 years. He retired in 1994. He was also Dean of Celtic Studies at UCD 1984 and 1990.
He has served on the National Monuments Advisory Council, is a member of the Governing body of UCD, the Senate of the National University of Ireland and a trustee of Navan Fort at Armagh. He is a past president of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.
Dr T B H McMurray, professor of organic chemistry, UCD, was elected treasurer.
Three officers were re elected - secretary, Dr Eda Sagarra, professor of German, Trinity College, Dublin; science secretary, Dr R P Kernan, emeritus professor of physiology, UCD; polite literature and antiquities secretary, Dr Ronan Fanning, professor of modern history, UCD.
New members elected were Ms Maire Herbert, associate professor, early and medieval Irish, UCC; Mr Peter Humphries, researcher in medical molecular genetics, TCD; Mr Edward McParland, architectural historian; Mr James Mallory, reader in archaeology, Queen's University, Belfast; Ms Margaret Nelson, lecturer in chemistry, QUB and Open University; Mr Michael McConnell, lecturer in botany, UCG; Mr Daibhi O Croinin, lecturer in history, UCG; Mr David Williams, associate professor of biochemistry, TCD.
Mr Martin Carey, professor of medicine and health sciences and technology, Harvard University, was elected an honorary member.