Northern Ireland Archives and Libraries

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Archives and Libraries

Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm. If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one. Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the FamilySearch Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them. National Archives Both the National Archives (Ireland) and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland collect records for all of Ireland. Neither staff does major research for patrons, but both may conduct brief searches if you supply them with sufficient information.

National Archives, Republic of Ireland

Bishop Street
Dublin D08 DF85
Ireland (Eire)
mail@nationalarchives.ie
Website

The National Archives was created in 1988 by merging the State Paper Office (created in 1702) and the Public Record Office of Ireland (created in 1867). Records at the National Archives include Church of Ireland parish records, gravestone inscriptions, census returns, probate records, deeds, Tithe Applotment books, rebellion and outrage papers, convict reference files, and other historical and genealogical sources. Some records, or indexes, have been digitized and are searchable on the archives' website.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)

2 Titanic Boulevard
Belfast BT3 9HQ
Northern Ireland
proni@dcalni.gov.uk
Website

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has a fairly complete collection of church records (all denominations) for all of Northern Ireland as well as some records for the counties of Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan. The office's holdings also include estate papers, gravestone inscriptions, census records, Tithe Applotment books, valuation lists, and other historical and genealogical sources. Some records, or indexes, have been digitized and are searchable on the PRONI website.

Religious Archives

Church of Ireland RCB Library
Braemor Park
Churchtown
Dublin 14
D14 N735

Tel: +353 (0)1 492 3979
Email: library@ireland.anglican.org

• Request a Search
  
• List of Parish Registers

Libraries

National Library of Ireland

Kildare Street
Dublin 2
Ireland (Eire)
info@nli.ie
Website
Family History Service

The National Library is Ireland's main repository of filmed Catholic parish registers. Other records on deposit at the National Library include newspapers, city and regional directories, estate records, the Householders Index, and Griffith's Primary Valuation. The library's staff does not do commissioned searches. An online database, Sources: a National Library of Ireland database for Irish Research should be searched before visiting the library.

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The National Collection of Northern Ireland Publications

National Collection of Northern Ireland Publications
17 Donegall Square North
Belfast BT1 5GB
Northern Ireland

Telephone: +44 (0)28 9032 1707
Email: info@linenhall.com
NIPR Website

NIPR (formerly known as the Northern Ireland Publications Resource) is Northern Ireland’s National Collection of Northern Ireland Publications, a systematic collection and catalogue of all books, journals, pamphlets and reports published in Northern Ireland. As Northern Ireland has no National Library, no local institution is legally responsible for collecting all material published in Northern Ireland. Prior to the creation of NIPR, there was no reliable way of finding out what was published in Northern Ireland, who was collecting it, and where it was held.

With funding from the British Library, the Library and Information Services Council for Northern Ireland set out to redress the situation and officially launched the Northern Ireland Publications Resource (NIPR) in October 2000. The aim of the project was to collect every book, pamphlet, journal and periodical published in Northern Ireland since January 2000, preserving them for posterity and make them available for consultation by the general public. After a successful initial two-year pilot scheme, further funding was provided by the Northern Ireland Executive to continue the scheme.

The Linen Hall Library, Belfast, is our lead partner, providing assistance with collecting and preserving the collection, and a dedicated repository has been set up within the Linen Hall Library to house the collection.

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Irish & Local Studies Collection
Linen Hall Library
17 Donegall Square North
Belfast
BT1 5GB
Northern Ireland

Telephone: +44 (0)28 9032 1707
Email: info@linenhall.com
Website

Main library in Belfast containing many genealogical records for the area including County Antrim. The Linen Hall has fantastic resources to support genealogy and the study of family histories attracting researchers locally and from around the world. From ‘how to’ guides for those beginning their genealogy journey, to gravestone inscriptions, military lists, passenger lists, lists of clergy, and information on surnames, place-names and street directories. Unique to the Linen Hall, the Blackwood Pedigrees of handwritten family trees and the Belfast News Letter Birth, Death and Marriage Index 1737-1863 are fascinating resources which bring family history to life.

Public Libraries and Museums

• Each county and most major city in Ireland have a main library. Many of these libraries have a local and family history collection. These collections may include estate records, newspapers, gravestone inscriptions, minute books of various local and county government agencies, poor law records, family pedigrees, and histories. Some libraries have indexed parts of their collections.
• County or specialty museums may also contain genealogical records, including estate, military, tax, church, and business or employment records.
• Other archives also contain information of genealogical value. Three such archives are described below.

The Queen's University of Belfast

University Rd,
Belfast BT7 1NN,
United Kingdom
Website

The Library of the Queen's University has extensive archival records relating to the Northern Counties of Ireland. It is also the repository of most religious records that are Protestant in nature.

Websites

Emerald Ancestors index ($)

Its database includes a selection of parish baptism registers covering the period 1796 to 1924, and parish marriage registers from 1823 to 1901 for the six counties that now make up Northern Ireland.

The death records collection is made up of graveyard inscriptions, burial registers and a comprehensive index from the Irish Wills Calendars for the six counties plus Donegal, Louth and Monaghan.

In addition, it holds extracts from the 1841 and 1851 Irish census as well as 'church censuses' and school registers.

Foster, Janet, and Julia Sheppard. British Archives: A Guide to Archive Resources in the United Kingdom. 3rd ed. New York, New York: Macmillan Publishers, 1995. (FS Library book Ref 942 J54f 1995;) This guide lists the addresses, major records, and publications of several repositories in Northern Ireland. The guide is indexed by county and by type of collection.

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Ulster Historical Foundation($)

Search over 2 million records incl. birth, death & marriages (BMD), census records, street directories and more.

General Guides

The Irish Archives Resource
Website IAR is an online service for finding records. We do not hold any collections but thanks to our contributors we can help researchers find out where records are held and how to access them.

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Foster, Janet, and Julia Sheppard. British Archives: A Guide to Archive Resources in the United Kingdom. 3rd ed. New York, New York: Macmillan Publishers, 1995. (FS Library book Ref 942 J54f 1995;) This guide lists the addresses, major records, and publications of several repositories in Northern Ireland. The guide is indexed by county and by type of collection.

Grenham, John. "Research Services, Societies and Repositories." In Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: The Complete Guide. This chapter lists the names, addresses, phone numbers, and hours of various repositories in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Helferty, Seamus, and Raymond Refausse, eds. Directory of Irish Archives. 5th ed. Blackrock, Ireland: Irish Academic Press, 2011, (FS Library book Ref Directory of Irish Archives.) This book alphabetically lists for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland each repository, its address, its major record holdings, and any guides to its collections. The book is indexed by county and by record subject.