About the Rebellion Papers
The Rebellion Papers (CSO/REB/620) are essential for understanding the political, social, and legal landscape of Ireland between 1790–1808. They offer detailed insights into administration, local events and significant historical events such as:
- The 1798 Rebellion
- The Act of Union in 1801
- The Robert Emmet Rebellion of 1803
They also cover the state of law and order up to 1831 as well as various administrative and social developments up to 1880.
Accessing the Rebellion Papers
The Rebellion Papers are indexed in five volumes. The original records are not usually given to researchers because copies are available on microfilm (MFP 6/1–149). However, the originals can be made available if the microfilm is illegible or damaged.
Access our microfilm collections
Volumes 1 and 2
These volumes include material related to prisoners, trials, and the United Irishmen.
You can find card indexes for these volumes in the Reading Room, organised by name, place and subject.
Volumes 3, 4, and 5
These volumes include correspondence to Dublin Castle from 1796 to 1804. There are seven alphabetical indexes in the Reading Room.
Each entry briefly references a subject or person and a page number.
For example: “Timolin, coach robbed, 728.” In this instance, on page 728 of the relevant volume, you will find a detailed description of the correspondence along with a reference number. This number can be used to locate the record on the corresponding microfilm.
Search the database of Rebellion Papers (see Additional resources below) or plan a visit to the Reading Room.
State of the Country Papers collection
The State of the Country Papers collection is divided into two series consisting of correspondence and reports about law and order from 1796 to 1831. These documents were originally part of the Rebellion Papers but were later separated and listed as the State of the Country Papers.
How to access the State of the Country Papers collection
Visit the Reading Room and a member of staff can assist you in identifying the records you require. You can then use the prefix SOC and reference number to order the records (e.g., SOC 1857).
Official Papers collection
The Official Papers collection includes documents similar to the Chief Secretary’s Office Registered Papers (CSORP). These documents cover a wide range of topics and are divided into three series:
- Series 1: 1790–1831 (133 boxes)
- Series 2: 1832–1880 (406 boxes)
- Official Papers Miscellaneous Assorted (OPMA): Various dates
How to access the Official Papers collection
Two card indexes for Series 1 and Series 2, organised alphabetically by name, subject and place are available in the Reading Room.
Series 1: Use the index cards to find the volume and page number in the calendars and then check the calendars to find the document’s details and its reference numbers.
For example:
- Calendar 1: 1790-1803 (OP 1/1–OP 1/156)
- Calendar 2: 1803–1810 (OP 1/157–OP 1/295, )
- Calendar 3: 1810–1831 (OP 1/297–OP 1/1007)
Series 2: Use the Series 2 card index to find the reference numbers, which include the year and document number with the prefix “OP”. For example, if the document number is from series 2, it will be OP 2/1.
Official Papers Miscellaneous Assorted Series: The finding aid for the OPMA series is titled “Chief Secretary’s Office: Official Papers Misc Assorted, 1832–1882”. Some items date back to the 1790s, and over 1,800 items have been recently re-listed and re-numbered.
