The Documents on Irish Foreign Policy project is vital for studying 20th century Irish history. It is a collection of documents on Irish foreign policy.
About the collaboration
The National Archives fully supports the project by hosting historians who research the material for its publications. This gives them access to thousands of files from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of the Taoiseach.
By focusing on specific timeframes, historians can conduct in-depth analyses of the archives. They select 500 to 600 essential documents that are crucial for understanding Irish foreign policy, to be included in each volume. These publications are especially valuable for individuals who may not have the opportunity to visit the National Archives in person
Published volumes
The series begins with the founding of the State, publishing volumes in chronological order. The documents are selected based on their significance in understanding the evolution of policies and decisions.
The first volume of Documents on Irish Foreign Policy was published in November 1998. Since then, new volumes have been released every two years, covering periods from 1919 onward. Volume XIII (1965-1969) was published in December 2022, and Volume XIV (1969-1973) is expected in late 2024. As the series progresses, the documents are made freely available online after a brief interval.
Access Volume 1 to Volume 9 (1919–51) at Documents on Irish Foreign Policy.
