Michael Ryan, a distinguished academic and heritage/museum professional, is an expert on Irish medieval art and archaeology. He is a past President of the Royal Irish Academy and he also served as Director of the Chester Beatty Library. He trained as an archaeologist and was Keeper of Irish Antiquities in the National Museum of Ireland from 1979-1992. He is an Honorary Professor in Art History and Honorary Fellow of Trinity College Dublin. His research interests include early-medieval art and archaeology, ancient metalwork, landscape history and early prehistory in Ireland and the life and achievements of Sir William Wilde. He is the editor of Ireland and Insular Art, A.D.500-1200: Conference Proceedings (1987).