Dublin City Library and Archives
Dublin City Library
(photo: Wikimedia Commons)
The following words of wisdom are based on my own experiences. Please get in touch if you can add to this advice with your own observations.
What is this archive and what might you find there?
Dublin City Library and Archives are located in Pearse St., not far from Trinity College Dublin's north-eastern corner. Check their main website for opening hours and details of special exhibitions they host in their entrance lobby. They also play host to talks and society meetings throughout the year so make a note of the location.
You need to show proof of Irish residency to be issued with a borrower's ticket but visitors with photo identification can easily obtain a Research Card to gain access to the City Archives reading room ... which you will find replete with snoozing students making the most of the free wi-fi! The reading room has terminals to access the on-line collections (more below) and open shelving on which I found some beautiful original editions of the Treble Almanac of Dublin complete with rare original fold-out maps. According to their website these date from 1752 - you won't find these on-line!
How to find your way to treasure in this archive, in person or remotely?
If you do visit in person, you can get access to a number of on-line important Irish genealogical resources for free including the Irish Newspaper Archives and the Irish Times Digital Archive, both of which can be pricey to sign up to individually, so make a plan and make the most of these resources if you are on a research trip.
The most relevant resource for family historians researching from afar are their free-to-search Dublin City Databases, which owe their existence to the trusty endeavours of John Grenham. Note carefully that the home page for the databases offers a combined search of the following databases (which can also be search individually by following the links below). For access to the other collections, use the links on the Dublin City Databases link above.
As someone who loves maps, one of my favourite resources is their Dublin Graveyard Directory which pinpoints the location of your chosen graveyard on a map. Each entry also has information on what records might have survived and where they might be, plus details of any transcripts, articles or books that the burials might appear in - just brilliant! In the following example for St. James' in Dublin, not only are you directed to the burial transcripts that appear on the Irish Genealogy site, but there are also some links to some publications by Sean Murphy which tell you so much more about the graveyard.
What is this archive and what might you find there?
Dublin City Library and Archives are located in Pearse St., not far from Trinity College Dublin's north-eastern corner. Check their main website for opening hours and details of special exhibitions they host in their entrance lobby. They also play host to talks and society meetings throughout the year so make a note of the location.
You need to show proof of Irish residency to be issued with a borrower's ticket but visitors with photo identification can easily obtain a Research Card to gain access to the City Archives reading room ... which you will find replete with snoozing students making the most of the free wi-fi! The reading room has terminals to access the on-line collections (more below) and open shelving on which I found some beautiful original editions of the Treble Almanac of Dublin complete with rare original fold-out maps. According to their website these date from 1752 - you won't find these on-line!
How to find your way to treasure in this archive, in person or remotely?
If you do visit in person, you can get access to a number of on-line important Irish genealogical resources for free including the Irish Newspaper Archives and the Irish Times Digital Archive, both of which can be pricey to sign up to individually, so make a plan and make the most of these resources if you are on a research trip.
The most relevant resource for family historians researching from afar are their free-to-search Dublin City Databases, which owe their existence to the trusty endeavours of John Grenham. Note carefully that the home page for the databases offers a combined search of the following databases (which can also be search individually by following the links below). For access to the other collections, use the links on the Dublin City Databases link above.
- Ancient Freemen of Dublin (1461-1491 & 1564-1774)
- Electoral Lists 1908-1915
- Dublin Directory 1647-1706
- Cemetery Burial Registers (Clontarf, Drimnagh & Finglas)
As someone who loves maps, one of my favourite resources is their Dublin Graveyard Directory which pinpoints the location of your chosen graveyard on a map. Each entry also has information on what records might have survived and where they might be, plus details of any transcripts, articles or books that the burials might appear in - just brilliant! In the following example for St. James' in Dublin, not only are you directed to the burial transcripts that appear on the Irish Genealogy site, but there are also some links to some publications by Sean Murphy which tell you so much more about the graveyard.
(c) Irish Geneaography - 2023
