Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland

Cover of the full article by James A. Finnegan, available to download.

Draco_constellation_map.png: Torsten Bronger derivative work: Kxx (talk) - Draco_constellation_map.png

Nice new addition to our Molyneux Papers page 🙂
'William + Samuel Molyneux, Astronomers of Castle Dillon, Armagh' by James A. Finnegan.
www.virtualtreasury.ie/hidden-stori...

www.virtualtreasury.ie/curated-coll...
@tcdlibrary.bsky.social
New user? See our help page: www.virtualtreasury.ie/help

Continuing with medieval women, money, property and politics for #IWD2026 here is a taster of @elizabethbiggs.bsky.social research.
Elizabeth's full journal article is due out later this year.

Rediscovering the Women of the Medieval Irish Exchequer
www.virtualtreasury.ie/archive-feve...

Seal of Mary Whitshead. RIA GSA/25/1, Deeds of the Guild of St Anne, 9 George I, Item 1 (13 February 1723) - By 1723, the heavy wax seals hanging from the bottom of the parchment have been done away with in favor of an image impressed into several drops of wax poured directly on the document itself. https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/RIA-GSA-25-1

Locating women in the historical archive deepens our understanding of the past.
For #IWD2026 we're sharing records + research highlighting women in the records + their role in History. Starting with this 😀 👇️
Women in the Guild of St Anne - Virtual Treasury
virtualtreasury.ie/image-galler...

Check out Elizabeth's Knowledge Graph entry to see he other letters to Arlington: https://kg.virtualtreasury.ie/entity-card/person/Butler_Elizabeth_c17/v1z89hn Thanks to our generous colleagues in https://www.dib.ie/ for sharing Elizabeth's biography, included in the Knowledge Graph. https://www.dib.ie/biography/Butler-Elizabeth-a1245

Elizabeth Butler's signature, using her title 'Elizabeth Ormonde. Dr Neil Johnson's work at TNA continues to uncover individual women and men in the State Papers Ireland collection, a real treasure trove! https://virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/state-papers-ireland Our Technical Director Dr Éamonn Kenny manages to make this complex web of data visible for users online. Dr Lynn Kilgallon, Dr Lucy McKenna and Dr Alex Randles are the team behind the growing Knowledge Graph for Irish History. https://kg.virtualtreasury.ie/

#IWD2026 June1666 'E. Ormond' sends a letter to London. virtualtreasury.ie/item/TNA-SP-...
Elite women like Elizabeth Butler, duchess of Ormond are easier to spot in the archive. The tone of her letter to Secretary of State Arlington shows her social standing. 👀 ALT

Oops! 🫨 Users reporting a 404 error on the 1766 Census Gold Seam. We're working to fix that bug.

A temp workaround:
1: Click the round button to the left of the repository name to unfurl the clickable records.
2: Select your record - it will open as normal.

See screen grabs below 👍

A specimen of the 1841 Census form (not Anne Evett's - it burned in 1922!) I, Anne Evatt, feeble, old, and poor, answer - may the devil scald the framers of this tyrannical inquisition, reminding the afflicted of their sorrows and losses; I lost the bulk of my fortune by the failure of the Grand Canal Company, in the reign of George the Third; I lost 1s. 8d. on every pound note in the reign of George the Fourth; since these losses I have had many sorrows, death having deprived me of many kind friends; a poor widow came to see me this morning, I told her it would cause just grief to three widows of my acquaintance; her eyes filled with tears, and she replied - ‘It will cause heart-scald to many to be obliged to record the deaths of their husbands.’ ‘Can you write’ - ‘can you read’, And whom do you feed? I’ll make you pay if you dare; Keep my little from from me of ev’ry day fare, And say ‘have you married another man’s wife?’ Answer with truth, as you value your life; Or should a wife stray within your walls, Pray send her to the Viscount’s halls.

#IWD2026 Individual acts of resistance.
Anne Evett, Jervis Street, Dublin. condemns the 1841 census: 'may the devil scald the framers of this tyrannical inquisition...'
👉️ virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE...
See the story in ALT text 🧐
Many more women's names 👇️
virtualtreasury.ie/portals/popu...

Seven fragments of the surviving Religious Census of Newchapel, 1766. These were rescued from the rubble of 1922. Preserved by the NAI. Then carefully cleaned, flattened and reunited into a single sheet by the dextrous Jessica Baldwin, Senior Conservator, NAI.

Looking as fresh as the day it was written, 260 years ago, the reunified census sheet for Newchapel Parish, in the Diocese of Cashel and Emly. See a detailed transcription by Brian Gurrin, VRTI, here: https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CEN-1766-2-696

A neat end to our 1766 Religious Census anniversary + linking to #IWD2026 😊
Before + after pics showing the amazing work of Jessica Baldwin, Senior Conservator, National Archives Ireland.
Damaged in 1922. Cleaned, flattened + reunited 🥳👏
www.virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP...
👀 the story in ALT

From ‘A Prospect of the City of Dublin, from the Magazine Hill’ (1753) James Mason, after Joseph Tudor. Yale Centre for British Art.

#IWD2026 A nice find among the records in the Public Record Office of Ireland (before the fire of 1922!) Katherine Bayly's 'domestic accounts books'. Her daily life with her daughters in 18th-century Dublin.
Read more 👇️
virtualtreasury.ie/hidden-stori...

Help page👇️
virtualtreasury.ie/help

Screen grab of the National Archives Ireland's new webpage celebrating the anniversary of the 1766 Religious Census of Ireland. 'A crucial genealogical resource for 18th century Ireland. https://nationalarchives.ie/help-with-research/research-guides/religious-census-1766/

Screengrab from the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland showing the first in the series of rare surviving original 1766 census records held at NAI, where they have been carefully conserved. The screen grab shows how to browse through this collection using the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons. https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP-1-648

Great new webpage by our wonderful colleagues at National Archives, Ireland, marking the anniversary of the 1766 Religious Census.
nationalarchives.ie/help-with-re... 🤩

See NAI's rare surviving 1766 originals 👇
virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP...
Click through to see the full series 🧐
See ALT text.

In 2006 I told the late (great) Prof. Ray Gillespie that I wanted to publish every surviving scrap from the 1766 religious census, by 2016. I missed the 🎯by 10 yrs, but 😃 to report that on the 260th anniv. it's done. Everything, >50k names & population details, now online.
@maynoothuniversity.ie

Typescript sheet of names in three columns. 'A list of the Protestants and Popish inhabitants of the parish of Inch' in 1766. PRONI T808/15267, pp 31-34 (typed). Many if these 1766 names also appear in the rare 1813 census abstract for Inch. Or see PRONI T808/15011 for handwritten copy.

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

A detailed 1766 census for in Inch, Co. Down.
Amazingly the 1813 census for Inch survives too!
The only townland in all Ireland with names from both.

www.virtualtreasury.ie/item/PRONI-T...
virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE...
www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/c...
👀 ALT for details

A detailed map of Ireland showing which Civil Parishes have surviving names (originals or transcribed copies) and extra information, which have surviving population numbers (originals or transcribed copies) and extra data.

Legend for the map showing colour codes for Civil Parishes with the following types of data: Names of householders, and more (original return) Names of householders (original return) Names of householders, and more (transcript, full) Names of householders (transcript, full) Names of householders, and more (transcript, partial) Names of householders (transcript, partial) Numbers by religion, and more (original return) Numbers by religion (original return) Numbers by religion, and more (transcript) Numbers by religion (transcript)

See this new Hidden Story about the 1766 Census. https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/hidden-stories/the-1766-religious-census-of-ireland-5-march-5-may-1766 Rare surviving census return sent from Tipperary to Henry Baker Sterne, coordinator of the 1766 Census.

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

A 260th Birthday Present from Ireland's first census 🥳 🎁
This detailed map shows parishes with surviving names or population numbers.
Some parishes have a handful of names - others have hundreds!
www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1...
New user? See Help Page www.virtualtreasury.ie/help
👀 ALT

A map of Ireland showing the scale and type of census returns sent in by local clergymen. https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

A map showing the extent of recovered names and numbers across the island of Ireland. 50,000 names across 246 civil parishes!

Legend accompanying the map of recovered names and numbers across the island of Ireland. Names of householders or local population numbers.

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

Happy 260th Birthday to Ireland's first census! 🎂
Amazing coverage back in 1766 🙂 A tragic loss in 1922 🔥😩
Now available - over 50,000 recovered names! 📜📚5️⃣0️⃣,0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ 🥳
www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1...

📢 More detailed Survivors map coming today! 🔎

Illustration is a water colour by Louisa Beaufort, entitled a Connemara net-maker. It shows a lady and gentleman on the quays with nets, water, cobbled, stone, clouded sky. Uploaded to Wikipedia by JaneMaxwell63

#DIBNewLives Born in July 1781 and at a time when women’s intellectual contributions were rarely publicly disseminated, Louisa Beaufort was among the first in Ireland to publish in her own name and to contribute original antiquarian research. www.dib.ie/biography/be...

NAI IHP/1/685. https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CEN-1766-2-685 Image of the original cover sheet, showing fold-marks to form an envelope. The red wax seal was broken to open the letter. The letter was sent from T.PERARY (Tipperary) shown at the top, the date AP|28 (April 28th) appears in a circle at the bottom. A century later this item was deposited in the new Public Record Office of Ireland at the Four Courts. While most of the 1766 census records perished in 1922, this survivor gives a good sense of how the originals looked.

Close-up image of the seal and stamps on: NAI IHP/1/685. https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CEN-1766-2-685 Image of the original cover sheet, showing fold-marks to form an envelope. The letter was sent from T.PERARY (Tipperary) on AP|28 (April 28th).

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

Remarkably, some original census covers survive! A red wax seal is still visible on this return for Clonbeg, sent from Tipperary Town to Henry Baker Sterne, Parliament House, Dublin on 28 April 1766.
Ironically, Baker Sterne had died a fortnight previously.
virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP...
👀 ALT

The annexed return of Protestant and Popish families [list lost] has been very carefully made, and may be relied on. Protestant families, 63; Papist do, 690. Reputed parish priest, William Taaffe; reputed assistant priest, [not given] Roche. The only observation further necessary to be made to their Lordships is, that of the families above-named as Protestants, probably seven are only nominally such. Edward Whitty, curate of Killabban. M. Comerford, Collections relating to the dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin (Dublin, n.d.), volume 3, p. 405.

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

Paying lip-service in Killabban parish, Queen’s Co. (Laois) 1766
Rev. Edward Whitty's careful list of names was lost in 1922 - but he noted that of the 63 local Protestants, 'probably seven are only nominally such’.
virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE...
👀 ALT for details.

https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CEN-1766-2-696 Information shown: details on spouse. the number of sons above 14 years old, and below 14. the number of daughters above 14 years old, and below 14. the number of male and female servants. the number of male lodgers and female lodgers. the total number of Protestants and Catholics.

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

Newchapel, Co. Tipperary
A wonderful 1766 census return! Rev. F.S.Thomas lists names, marital status and even servants and non-family members.
This sheet was beautifully conserved by Jessica Baldwin, National Archives Ireland.
virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP...
@tipperarylive.bsky.social
👀 ALT 👍️

Map of Ireland showing the Church of Ireland diocese used for the 1766 Religious Census - but with no other information added. A detailed map of surviving records will be posted on our Social Media channels on Thu 5 March

📢 The lost 1766 Religious Census is 260 y.o. 🎂🎉
Watch out for our new 'Survivors' map on 5 March 👀

Originals, transcripts, names and numbers🧐🔎
@gensocireland.bsky.social @cbgenealogy.ie
@igrs1936.bsky.social @ifhs.bsky.social
@eshsi.bsky.social @kiaragregory.bsky.social @alliethinks.bsky.social

#DIBNewLives Educational researcher Tom Kellaghan was integral to the 1969 establishment of the Special Education Centre which aimed to better prepare local children largely from highly disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds for the demands of formal schooling. www.dib.ie/biography/ke...

M. Comerford, Collections relating to the dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin (Dublin, n.d.), volume 1, p. 271. The original compiled by Reverend Antoine Vinchon des Voeux, provided a full list of householders’ names., including these mixed-marriages.

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

Mixed marriages in1766.
Lea parish, Queen’s Co (Laois) had 145 Protestant households.
The lost list of 'Papists' ran to several pages.
Only the names of 15 ‘mongrels or mixed families’ survived, in Rev. Michael Comerford's history of Kildare and Leighlin.
virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE...
👀 ALT

'Bohoe - I may furter observe to you Sir that this D[istrict] is mostly under stock or grazing, & one Papist [Catholic] is generally a herdsman for a whole townland, there is not a Papist in the D[istrict] anyway considerable [worthy of consideration] either in circumstances or mental capacity, all poor low illiterate people'. National Archives, Ireland NAI PRIV/M/2476(D), pp 6-7. A transcript by Tenison Groves of original return compiled by Reverend John White. https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-PRIV-M-2476-%28D%29

Image of the 1766 Religious Census Gold Seam page; https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

Boho parish, County Fermanagh
Rev. White describes his ‘Papist’ parishioners as not ‘anyway considerable, either in circumstances, or mental capacity, all poor, low, illiterate people’.
virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE...
(See ALT )

Image of a surviving original return from the 1766 Religious Census. The rector blames the local 'insurrection called Hearts of Oak' on the 'Dissenters' (Presbyterians) who are 'the spawn of Scottish Covanenters, avowed enemies to all civil and religious establishment, and the most virulent, and furious persecutors of the Established clergy during the late tumults in the north of Ireland.' See full transcript here: https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP-1-668 National Archives, Ireland IHP/1/668.

1766 Killeeshill, Co. Tyrone
Original 1766 census return on Dissenters (Presbyterians): 'spawn of Scottish Covanenters...most virulent, and furious persecutors of the Established clergy during the late tumults in the north of Ireland.'
virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP...
@presoutlook.bsky.social

Image of a rare surviving original return from the 1766 Religious Census showing the bare minimum totals for Ballymore Parish, Co. Armagh. https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP-1-651 National Archives, Ireland IHP/1/651.

The 1766 Religious Census gold seam on the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

Ballymore parish, Co. Armagh
A rare surviving original census return! 🤩
But - instead of listing 901 names Rev. Sacheverell only sent
615 Protestant families
206 Popish (Catholic) families
'2 reputed Popish priests' 😩
virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE...
virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-IHP...
👀 ALT

Image of a single sheet with a transcribed list of the names from the 1766 Census for the Parish of Inchigeelagh Transcript in possession of Cumann Staire Uíbh Laoire/Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh Historical Society. For a full transcript of this document see https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CEN-1766-6-757

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census Home page for the 1766 Religious Census Gold Seam in the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland

Long thought lost this transcript of the 1766 census for Inchigeelagh Co. Cork was generously made available though the VRTI by Cumann Staire Uíbh Laoire/Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh Historical Society.
virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE....
@johncreedon.bsky.social
@corkbeo.bsky.social
👀 ALT

Printed transcript of the 1766 return for Castlewellan, '15 families, 2 of whom were papists' and including names such as: Terence and Elizabeth Hagan; Lord and lady Annesley; William and Mary Bridges; Andrew and Rebecca Newell; Cromwell and Anne Nicholson; Joseph and Grace Lascells. Source: James O’Laverty, Historical account of the diocese of Down and Connor, volume 1, p. lxxi

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census

The ruined interior of the Public Record Office of Ireland in 1922. Almost all the original 1766 census records were destroyed in the fire.

A route map from Dromore to Castlewellan (1777) https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/item/LBC-mid-348 Taylor and Skinner's Maps of the Roads of Ireland, plate 284-285: Dromore to Castlewellan and Clough-Ballynahinch and Rostrevor-Moira

Prudence Riddle, Elizabeth Hagan, Grace Lascells, Deborah Milligan.
Most 1766 census records for Co. Down were lost in 1922, but this transcript for Castlewellan records some names of adult women, and not just 'elite' women. A rarity in the census returns!
virtualtreasury.ie/item/VRTI-CE....
👀 ALT

https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-PRIV-M-5036-A-9 Handwritten copy of the Irish House of Lords resolution on 5 march 1766 ordering the 1766 Religious Census to be taken. Source: National Archives, Ireland, PRIV/M/5036A, p. 13.

https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/gold-seams/1766-religious-census The homepage for the 1766 Religious Census on the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. Every surviving copy census records from over a dozen archives are gathered together and fully searchable here.

Countdown to the 260th anniversary of Ireland's first census. 🕰️ 7️⃣
5 March 1766 the Irish House of Lords orders a census of all householders noting 'which are protestants and which are Papists' (Catholics).
They gave only 61 days to cover the whole country!
virtualtreasury.ie/item/NAI-PRI...
👀 ALT

Hot under the collar? Heat can make you angry and even aggressive, research finds | CNN If sweating though your shirt in summer’s extreme heat makes you mad, you’re not alone. In fact, research shows that there’s a direct correlation between high temperatures and hot tempers, and that an...

'Recreational Rioting' on warm summer evenings is a interesting related concept.
'Hot under the collar? Heat can make you angry and even aggressive, research finds.'
edition.cnn.com/2023/09/05/h...

#DIBLives Born #OTD 1891, anaesthetist & gynaecologist Dr Mary Hearn was elected first female fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 1924. RCPI's Mary Hearn Research Room & Dr Mary Hearn Park in Cork are named in her memory. www.dib.ie/biography/he... @womenmedireland.bsky.social

Tailte Éireann wishes to advise customers that the Registration Public Counter in our Chancery Street Office in Dublin will be relocating to our new HQ - Smithfield Hall, Smithfield, Dublin 7, DO7 AEF4 on Monday 2 of March 2026.

For much more on Ireland during the imperial crisis and American War of Independence see the @virtualtreasury.bsky.social's Age of Revolutions Portal (virtualtreasury.ie/portals/age-...). The browse feature underneath the main search bar to the right shows all repositories and documents.