Search the collections

The National Archives holds 60 million records covering a wide range of periods and information. Get to know more about each fascinating collections, its source and contents.

The online catalogue

Use the online catalogue to find government department records, modern court records and wills. The online catalogue is not a full catalogue of records held in the archive. What’s in this catalogue?

Image from the start of the 20th century of a family in Ireland in front of a cottage, overlaid with an image of a census from the time.

Census records

A systematic government census of the Irish population was taken every 10 years between 1821 and 1911. The 1901 and 1911 censuses are the only surviving full censuses of Ireland open to the public.

Decade of Centenaries

The National Archives of Ireland’s Decade of Centenaries website covers key events in Irish history from 1912 to 1923.

Court records

Court records are invaluable resources that provide insights into legal proceedings, decisions, and historical context.

Chief Secretary’s Office Registered Papers, 1818-1922

The Chief Secretary’s Office Registered Papers (CSO/RP) consists of correspondence received between 1818 and 1924 by the office of the Chief Secretary, which oversaw the administration of Ireland following the Act of Union in 1800.

Dáil Éireann Collections

These collections include the proceedings of the first (1919-1921) and second (1921-1922) Dáil and related activities.

Blue tinted collage showing a family in Ireland from the early 20th century, overlaid with an abstract section of a census form from the time.

Genealogy website

This site features multiple microsites, each representing a significant collection that greatly aids family history research.

A group of men posing in an old photograph with a section of the Irish Proclamation overlaid on top

Dublin Metropolitan Reports

The series is comprised of daily reports produced by the DMP Detective Department on the movements and associations of pro-independence suspects between 29 May 1915 and 20 April 1916.

A Cumann na mban group photograph with a headed letter from the group overlaid on the image

Sources for Women's History

This Collection reflects the richness of our archives relating to women across departmental, business, legal, religious, medical and private source records.