Census 1926 – Public programme launched
First Census of the Irish Free State to be published online on 18 April 2026

“Whether you’re interested in history, genealogy or theatre, our full programme has something for everybody, in Ireland and around the world” said National Archives Director Orlaith McBride

The National Archives is proud to announce a major public programme to mark the centenary release of the 1926 Census of Population, the first census conducted after the foundation of the Irish Free State. On 18 April 2026, this extraordinary collection of over 700,000 individual household returns will be made freely available and fully searchable online, offering a vivid portrait of Irish life one hundred years ago.

This landmark moment was officially launched on 22 October 2025 by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD and National Archives Director Orlaith McBride, who unveiled a rich and diverse programme of events designed to bring the census to life for communities across Ireland and the global Irish diaspora.

“Whether you’re interested in history, genealogy or theatre, our full programme has something for everybody, in Ireland and around the world” said National Archives Director Orlaith McBride

The Census 1926 digitisation project

The preparation of Census 1926 for public release has been a monumental project for the National Archives. This initiative involves the careful preservation, high-resolution scanning and transcription of every sheet, making the first census taken after the establishment of the State accessible to genealogists, historians and members of the public, both in Ireland and around the world.

The online platform will provide an unprecedented resource, allowing users to efficiently navigate detailed household returns and offering a unique snapshot of life in Ireland one hundred years ago.

Programme highlights

The comprehensive public programme is designed to bring the historical insights from Census 1926 to the broadest possible audience, in partnership with various national and international organisations. Full details of the individual elements of the programme including dates and booking information will be revealed over the coming months.

Key elements include:

Exhibitions: major exhibitions will be held in Dublin (Dublin Castle), London (British Academy) and Boston (Boston College) in April and May 2026, acknowledging the census’s significance to the Irish diaspora. A touring exhibition will also visit locations in every corner of Ireland.
Theatre production: a site-specific theatrical production co-produced with internationally-renowned Irish company ANU Productions will take place at the National Archives in May 2026.
TV documentary: a landmark RTÉ television documentary to air in April 2026 which will offer diverse interpretations of the census’s findings.
Book: the publication of a book, The Story of Us, Independent Ireland and the 1926 Census featuring 18 essays from leading historians.
Education and research: a new learning resource and teachers’ pack for schools plus a series of talks, workshops and presentations for family and local history enthusiasts, culminating in a major conference in Dublin in June 2026.

Centenarian Ambassadors programme

The National Archives is also launching a search for Centenarian Ambassadors who are people who were born before 18 April 1926 and are still alive today. It is estimated that there are over 1,000 people still alive who were recorded in the census and these individuals offer a unique, living perspective on the past century of Irish life.

The Ambassador programme aims to capture the first-hand personal testimony of those who will see their own original family records made public next April. Anyone or their families interested in becoming a Centenarian Ambassador should contact the National Archives at census1926@nationalarchives.ie.

A dedicated section of our website will be regularly updated with the latest information, resources and announcements related to the Census 1926 release — stay tuned for more details coming soon.