Ciarán Wallace

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

Delighted be part of this excellent volume. Thanks to @heatherlwellis.bsky.social and @capandgown.bsky.social for overseeing the project to completion!

'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...
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Old colour map of Waterford City. Parish boundaries are marked on the map. An index is included listing street names as numbered on the map and also includes significant buildings.

Happy #MapMonday!
This colour map of Waterford City from 1830 shows the city's parish boundaries. An index lists the street names as numbered on the map and also includes significant buildings such as the Town Hall; Cathedral; Old Courthouse; Female Blue School and others: doi.org/10.7486/DRI....

Cover of IHTA no. 1 Kildare, by John Andrews. Cream background with an reproduction of an engraving with teh round tower in green.

For #MapMonday the Irish Historic Towns Atlas (IHTA) will be showcasing our open source material. There are 32 atlases available as open access on #IHTAonline. To start the series, we’ll look at the first atlas published in the series: Kildare, by John Andrews, published by the @ria.ie in 1986.

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....
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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
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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...
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We’re building a thriving Dublin — and we need your input.
Take part in Dublin City Council’s Citizen Sentiment Survey and help set a baseline for how the city is performing today. Your feedback directly informs our priorities.
👉 Complete the survey: https://engage.dublincity.ie/

IGRS Top Research Tip #196: Were any of your ancestors part of the 17th century plantation of Ulster? The Ulster Settlers Database brings together a variety of surviving sources which identify many of the early settlers: ulster-settlers.maynoothuniversity.ie

A selection of books form the Fagel Collection

TCD Library is recruiting a Senior Bibliographer to help catalogue the Fagel Collection! This is a fabulous professional opportunity to work on one of Europe's great early modern private libraries. Closing 10 March at noon. Full details available at www.tcd.ie/hr/vacancies

VRTI will be posting some information about the 1766 religious census returns over the next few days (260th 🎂 approaching). Keep an 👁️out. We'll be revealing some hidden gems 💎 among the surviving returns.

Half a million stories, research projects, and historical breakthroughs. 🌍 We are officially celebrating 500,000 Transkribus users!

Thank you for being part of our journey! 🎉

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...
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Invite a random selection in for a wee chat about their work 🙂

Dr Who flew it to a different point in the space-time continuum

Authenticity, creative practices and blurred lines (Military Service Pensions Archive: Letter from “Mrs Higgins”, sister of Mohill shooting victim Patrick McKenna and found on Terence…

Read “Authenticity, creative practices and blurred lines“ by Cécile Chemin - Archives on Medium: medium.com/@cecilechemi...

Pleased to have contributed to this upcoming TG4 documentary on the Blueblouses, the women's wing of the Blueshirts in the early 1930s in Ireland, which airs on Wednesday 4 March at 9.30pm on TG4

An important and timely documentary on a largely forgotten organisation

www.imdb.com/title/tt3974...

Another media appearance by @brian-hanley.bsky.social: speaking about Father Coughlin and the American far right in the 1930s in this documentary www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaFJ...

This is the most incredible footage of blue whales I’ve ever seen

1824 - Royal Arcade and Grand Promenade, College Green, Dublin - Architecture of Dublin City, Lost Buildings of Ireland - Archiseek.com Destroyed by fire in 1837. Described as "a beautiful structure two storeys high. The under one being the Arcade contained 30 shops filled with all sorts

This weekend's Object of Unexpected Interest was
www.archiseek.com/1820s-royal-...

"John Prescott would be loving this"

Pope Leo Will Spend July 4 Visiting Migrant Crossing Island Pope Leo has spoken out against the treatment of migrants in the United States several times over the last year.

JD Vance personally invited Pope Leo to the U.S. 250th celebration on the 4th of July. Today the Vatican announced Leo will be spending the day with migrants instead.

We're hiring text poster with a photograph of a man looking at negatives

📣 We’re #hiring! AK1 Photographic Collections 📸

The National Library of Ireland is recruiting an Assistant Keeper Grade 1 to help care for and develop our Photographic Collections.

🗓️ #Apply by 3pm, 27 Feb 2026 via our website: https://www.nli.ie/about-us/working-national-library-ireland

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, welcomed the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Micheál Martin, to Cambridge to celebrate the appointment of the University’s first Childers Professor of Irish History. Photo of Prof Alvin Jackson, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and Vice-Chancellor Prof Deborah Prentice standing in the Great Court, Trinity College, Cambridge. Photo credit: University of Cambridge The text of the Taoiseach's speech is available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/speeches/address-of-taoiseach-miche%C3%A1l-martin-announcement-of-the-first-childers-professor-of-modern-irish-history-at-cambridge-university-trinity-college-cambridge-friday-20th-february-2026/

https://virtualtreasury.ie/item/CamTrinity-MS-1388 Flyleaves from MS 1388, Gesta Romanorum, Trinity College, Cambridge. The three flyleaves at the beginning are fragments of an account roll of cent. xiv, xv. On one side, well written, are portions of an Irish rental. Among the names that occur are 1. Ballythormoth · Ballybrodyn · Mologhrath· Balyrothe ...Henr. Adameson.Christopher de Holywode.Manerium de Trym. 2. Nouum castrum de Lyones Tasshagard.... Joh. Humbleton... Laurencius Neweton....fratres Carmelitarum leghlyn... Galfr. de Vale miles.Cromlyn.Bally Margg.Capella Isold et saltus salmonum... Walt. de la Hyde... Edw.Perrers... Will. Wellesley... Th. Monyn... Will. Kylmyngton.Walt. Eure... Prior S. Joh. Jerusalem hibern. 3. Balyskeagh.Manerium de demore.Castelricard.Maneria de Rathtoirith(?) Ardumlghan · Moylagli · Kyldalk Each paragraph ends with a statement of what is due to the King: "itaque domino Refi," "et sic Regi" etc On the other side in a rougher hand are some more accounts, viz Rentale Johannis Shordich and copenhanger doune. See more Cambridge MSs in VRTI: https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/collecting-history-exhibition

The Statue of Kilkenny's ban on mixed marriages being enforced. 1396/7. Translation of entry on Page 32 of MS 3104: J.W. is indicted because he took Finowle Ó hAnluain, an Irish woman, in cayff and held her for two years feloniously, contrary to the form of the Statute of Kilkenny. And he pleaded for pardon. 20 Richard II, roll 7. (Trans. P. Crooks) See more Cambridge MSs in VRTI: https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/collecting-history-exhibition

See Irish historical records shared by Cambridge and other British and Irish research libraries at our online exhibition: https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/collecting-history-exhibition

Welcome remarks by @micheal-martin.bsky.social at @trincolllibcam.bsky.social
Irish + British histories are bound together:
sometimes literally! virtualtreasury.ie/item/CamTrin...
often personally - virtualtreasury.ie/item/CUL-MS-...
and collaboratively 👍️
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@camlibresearch.bsky.social

The succession of the Roman Catholic bishops of Cloyne and Ross was not thrilling enough to take Miss Bourke off this dreamy annotator's mind...

@nlireland.bsky.social is still as romantic as ever 🥰

Fascinating work here by @ucddublin.bsky.social
and @rialibrary.bsky.social 👍

Prompted us to check this will from 1790, shared by @rcpi.bsky.social Heritage Centre.
www.virtualtreasury.ie/item/RCPI-TP...

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The RIA has an exciting lineup of free public lectures, panel discussions and cultural events you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re passionate about science, the humanities or Ireland’s heritage, there’s something on the calendar for everyone

Find out all the events at https://www.ria.ie/events/

Read our new blog - Finances and Funerals: The Digital Archive of Irish Tontines! Dr Andrew McDiarmid @ucddublin.bsky.social is our guest contributor. His project 'Forgotten Funding' is funded by a @researchireland.ie Pathways Fellowship. www.ria.ie/blog/finance...