"In 1923 (Leask) was appointed first inspector of national monuments in the newly founded Irish Free State, and he remained in this post until his retirement in September 1949. For years Leask was almost single-handedly responsible for organising all aspects of assessment and conservation of, and access to, Ireland's important archaeological and historical sites. He managed to have more and more of them scheduled as national monuments, during a time when there was little public interest in particular aspects of Ireland's past, and particularly limited concern for the Anglo-Norman heritage."
"The University College Dublin chair centred (Macalister) on Irish antiquities; and he had a strong interest in the Gaelic revival. He was a founder of professional archaeology in the Irish Free State, becoming the first chairman of the national monuments advisory council (1930–43), president of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland (RSAI, 1924–8) and editor of its journal (1910–18), and he served on the Irish Manuscripts Commission. He was also president of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA, 1926–31) and of the Cambrian Archaeological Association (1932–3, 1934–5). His key position enabled him to influence the development of cultural policy in the new state. He strongly advocated the need for legislation to protect the archaeological heritage. He was a prolific, scholarly writer and produced several books that became standard texts." Dictionary of Irish Biography
RI Best. On Ancient Irish Studies in the Academy.
Vol LI, Section C #1 Hodges, Figgis :Dublin 1946 Softcover. Sl wear Octavo pp 15 - 34
"At the Collège de France he acquired a knowledge of palaeography and an enthusiasm for Old and Middle Irish which he demonstrated in 1903 by publishing his translation and annotations of that eminent French Celticist's Le cycle mythologique irlandais et la mythologie celtique (1884). In 1904 Best joined the staff of the National Library of Ireland (NLI) in Dublin. He was honorary secretary of the School of Irish Learning from its foundation (1903) until its incorporation, largely due to his own efforts, into the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) (1926); he edited the school's journal Ériu for some years. Best was elected a member of the RIA (1906) and served as its president (1943–6)." Dictionary of Irish Biography
Other publications by the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy to be listed. About 250 copies, mostly on archaeology, some science, and botany.