Irish Libraries: Archives, Museums & Genealogical Centres: A Visitor's Guide

By Ulster Historical Foundation

This book introduces researchers to the treasure of printed and manuscript resources available in Irish libraries, archives,and genealogical centers. Irish and non-Irish researchers alike will find it of inestimable value for their research anywhere in Ireland.

Essential information on operating hours, contact information, access and service information, descriptions, and the location of these repositories will prove to be immensely practical. There are lists of publications, a detailed glossary and bibliography, and an extensive index. Of special interest are the vital reference details for each parish in Ireland for the crucially important tithe and valuation records from c. 1830 in the record offices in Belfast and Dublin.

The guide also provides information of practical benefit to many other interested parties, including holidaymakers interested in learning about local resources available to them during their stay in Ireland.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ulster Historical Foundation
• Release date: Sep 1, 2007
• ISBN: 9781908448026

Book preview

Antrim

COUNTY ANTRIM

INCLUDES BELFAST

BALLYMONEY LIBRARY

Rodden Foot, Queen Street

BALLYMONEY, COUNTY ANTRIM, BT53 6JB

Northern Ireland

TELEPHONE: [phone]; FAX: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

Website: www.neelb.org.uk

HOURS

M, W, F, 10.00am–5.30pm; Tu, Th, 10.00am–8.00pm; Sa, 10.00am–5.00pm

ACCESS AND SERVICES

Visitors welcome, but borrowing privileges for visitors may be restricted. Consult with Librarian. Disabled access facilities. Fees for photocopying and fax services. Free internet access for all Northern Ireland public library members. One membership card valid for all libraries. Charge of £1.50 per half hour for non-members; ID required. Membership open to anyone living, working or studying in the area.

CONTACT

Leah Tweed, Branch Librarian

DESCRIPTION

One of 28 member libraries in the North-Eastern Education and Library Board Library Service network. Ballymoney’s special collections offer material of great interest to scholars.

HOLDINGS

Small branch library with general educational and reading collection. The library houses two special collections, the George Shiels Collection and the Ballymoney Special Collection. The former comprises plays, books, typescripts, cards, correspondence and photographs of the playwright (1886–1949), whose work was often performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. The latter contains titles of Ballymoney interest, purchased through bequests left to the people of Ballymoney in the 1800s.

LOCATION

Town centre. Parking to the rear of the library building.

NORTH-EASTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD – LIBRARY SERVICE HEADQUARTERS

Local Studies Service, Demesne Avenue

BALLYMENA, COUNTY ANTRIM, BT43 7BG

Northern Ireland

TELEPHONE: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

Website: www.ni-libraries.net

HOURS

M–W, F–Sa, 9.00am–5.00pm; Th, 9.00am–8.00pm

ACCESS AND SERVICES

Visitors welcome, but advance notice preferred. Collection for reference only. Disabled access facilities. Fees for photocopying and microfilm prints. Internet access for local studies research only.

CONTACT

Yvonne Hirst, Local Studies Development Officer

DESCRIPTION

Local Studies Service oversees local study collections at the various libraries within the 28 member network of the North-Eastern Education and Library Board Library Service, established in 1973. In addition to local collections in most of these libraries, there are a number of important special collections. These include the Langford Lodge Collection, Ballymena; the Hugh Thomson Collection at Coleraine, County Londonderry; the M’Skimin Room, Carrickfergus; and the George Shiels Collection at Ballymoney Library. It is the goal of the Library Service to collect, record, organise and conserve all appropriate material documenting the life and history of the area it serves.

HOLDINGS

The Local Studies Service, in addition to coordinating local studies collections throughout the NEELB Library Service area, maintains a reference only local studies collection in Ballymena. This collection includes Griffith’s Valuation for County Antrim and part of County Londonderry; the 1901 census for Counties Antrim and Londonderry and parts of Belfast; and Ordnance Survey maps.

School records: it is not generally known that the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has redistributed considerable parts of its holdings of records of public elementary schools. These are mainly post-1945 school roll books but some earlier roll books and daily report books are included. These records were distributed to the Area Library Boards with coverage for their area of responsibility. This means that the collection of records for over 80 schools now held in the library at Ballymena includes records for Draperstown and Magherafelt schools in the southern part of County Londonderry and also for schools in Coleraine and District. Samples of these records include: Ballynagashel (Loughguile) roll books 1875–80, 1895–9, 1938–51, 10 vols; Cranny (Desertmartin, County Londonderry) roll books 1875–8, 1887–90 and 1893–9. For half of the schools, records transferred include pupil registers dating from c. 1940.

LOCATION

Demesne Avenue, near town centre.

BELFAST CENTRAL LIBRARY

Royal Avenue

BELFAST, BT1 1EA

Northern Ireland

TELEPHONE: [phone]; FAX: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

Website: www.belb.org.uk

HOURS

General Library: M, W, Th, 9.00am–8.00pm; Tu, F, 9.00am–5.30pm; Sa, 9.00am–4.30pm

Newspaper Library: M, Th, 9.00am–7.30pm; Tu–W, F, 9.00am–5.00pm; Sa, 9.00am–12.30pm (Note: access to Newspaper Library is in Library Street)

ACCESS AND SERVICES

Flagship library of the Belfast Education and Library Board, Belfast Central Library is open to visitors for reference services but borrowing privileges for non-residents may be restricted. Free internet access for all Northern Ireland public library members. One membership card valid for all libraries. Charge of £1.50 per half hour for non-members; ID required. Membership open to anyone living, working or studying in the area. Disabled access facilities. Closed stacks. Photocopying and microform prints available for a fee. Computerised, printed and card catalogues. Linked to emigration database of Ulster American Folk Park. The library offers various leaflets, brochures and guides to its holdings, including a Guide to Irish and Local Studies Department. Other publications of interest are: Annual Reports: Catalogue of Books and Bound Manuscripts of the Irish Historical, Archaeological and Antiquarian Library of the Late Francis Joseph Bigger (Belfast, 1930); and Thomas Watson, Natural History: a Select List of Fine Books from the Stock of Belfast Central Library (Belfast, 1988).

CONTACT

Katherine McCloskey, Chief Librarian

David Jess, Assistant Chief Librarian

DESCRIPTION

The Central Library, opened in 1888, is a major research and reference library. It is part of the Belfast Education and Library Board, which operates another 20 branch libraries throughout the city. In addition to maintaining a strong general collection and several major research collections, the library seeks to provide an up to date reference and information service to the general public.

The collection includes some 1,000,000 volumes, plus the largest newspaper collection in Northern Ireland. In addition, the library maintains significant collections of periodicals, maps, microforms, music scores, pamphlets, photographs, postcards, music recordings, theatre materials and government documents for Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the UK. Special collections include the 10,000 volume Natural History Collection; a rare book collection, including incunabula and pre-1701 English printed books; a pamphlet collection, especially of those dealing with the ‘Popish Plot’; the Fine Press Collection, including a complete run of Cuala Press, and the Irish Collection. The last of these is the largest in Northern Ireland, anchored by the 4,000 volume Francis Joseph Bigger Collection. The Bigger Collection is complemented by the Bigger Archive, with 10,000 items of archaeological, historical and biographical interest. This archive also includes a significant body of correspondence with notable local, national and international figures. Bigger (1863–1926), the grandson of United Irishman David Bigger, was a successful lawyer and member of the Gaelic League who assembled an impressive collection of books, pamphlets and bound manuscripts of Irish historical, archaeological and antiquarian interest. Frederic Bigger, the collector’s brother, donated the collection in 1927, and a catalogue of 3,000 entries was published in 1930. Other major Irish holdings include some 800 pre-1851 Belfast imprints, an extensive collection of printed maps of Ireland and several author collections, including books and manuscripts, e.g. Forrest Reid, Amanda McKittrick Ros, Lynn Doyle and Sam Thompson. Complementing the Irish Collection is the Newspaper Collection, which contains virtually complete runs of the Belfast Telegraph, News Letter, Irish News and Northern Whig, plus extensive holdings of provincial papers from Ireland, north and south. The library has a newspaper cuttings index covering the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that may provide a short cut to finding information in the papers. The library also houses the Deposit Collection of UK patents, a superb music library, and strong holdings in the humanities, local history, business information, fine arts and literature and science and technology. The library does not offer genealogical services per se, but its holdings in this area are extensive and staff are willing to assist researchers as far as possible.

LOCATION

City centre, a few blocks north of Belfast City Hall. Public car parks nearby.

BUSINESS INFORMATION SERVICES AND EURO INFO CENTRE

See INVEST NORTHERN IRELAND, Belfast

DIOCESAN LIBRARY OF DOWN, DROMORE AND CONNOR

Note: This Church of Ireland library no longer exists. Books were split between the Representative Church Body Library, Dublin, and the Armagh Public Library, Armagh. Some manuscript material was sent to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast.

DOWN AND CONNOR DIOCESAN ARCHIVES

73a Somerton Road

BELFAST, BT15 4DJ

Northern Ireland

TELEPHONE: [phone]

HOURS

By appointment

ACCESS AND SERVICES

Privately funded archives of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor, which includes Belfast. Advance notice required. Apply to Archivist. Photocopying available for a fee.

CONTACT

Diocesan Archivist

DESCRIPTION

Archives for the largest Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Ireland, which historically embraces Belfast, County Antrim, most of County Down and the Liberties of Coleraine in County Londonderry.

HOLDINGS

Houses the official records of the Roman Catholic see of Down and Connor. Of special interest are the correspondence files of various bishops of the diocese dating back to 1803.

LOCATION

In the Fortwilliam section of north-east Belfast, between Antrim Road and Shore Road.

EDGEHILL THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

9 Lennoxvale

BELFAST, BT9 5BY

Northern Ireland

TELEPHONE: [phone]; FAX: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

Website: www.edgehillcollege.org

HOURS

Term time: M–F, 9.00am–5.00pm

Vacation period: by appointment

ACCESS AND SERVICES

Theological library primarily for the faculty and students of this Methodist college. Visitors welcome but restrictions may apply. Photocopying available for a fee.

CONTACT

Stephen Edgar, College Librarian

DESCRIPTION

Private religious library run by the Methodist Church in Ireland.

HOLDINGS

Library of some 10,000 volumes, with special emphasis on Methodism and theology. Includes some rare material. Note: some older material has been transferred to the WESLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN IRELAND, Belfast.

LOCATION

3.5 acre campus located about 1.5 miles south of the city centre, between Malone Road and Stranmillis Road, near Stranmillis University College and Queen’s University.

GAMBLE LIBRARY

See UNION THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE, Belfast

GENERAL REGISTER OFFICE

Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency,

Oxford House, 49–55 Chichester Street

BELFAST, BT1 4HL

Northern Ireland

TELEPHONE: [phone]; FAX: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail] (birth, death and marriage certificate enquiries),

[e-mail] (marriage, re-registration and adoptions),

[e-mail] (statistical queries)

Website: www.groni.gov.uk

HOURS

M–F, 9.30am–4.00pm; closed public holidays

ACCESS AND SERVICES

Open to the general public, but application forms required. Disabled access facilities. General searches and index searches may be made by any member of the public over 16 years of age. Fees charged for searches and extracts. Current (December 2005) fees: full certified birth, death, marriage and adoption certificates, £11; short birth certificate, £11; staff search for each five year period, £5.50; general searches, £24 per hour; index searches, £10 (up to six hours or part thereof). Further verifications £2.50 each.

The GRO now offers an online certificate ordering service (www.groni.gov.uk). The following public search facilities are available for anyone interested in tracing ancestors:

Assisted searches. General search of records assisted by members of GRO staff for any period of years and any number of entries. Children cannot be admitted to the search room.

Index search. Volumes of indexes are available for searching with limited verification of entries by staff. Children cannot be admitted to the search room.

Note: To book the above services, telephone [phone]. Appointments should be made up to two weeks in advance, but are not compulsory. Access can be gained if the facility is not fully booked.

CONTACT

Customer Services Manager

DESCRIPTION

The GRO is part of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and is primarily concerned with the administration of the registration of births, deaths and marriages. The main records held are statutory registers of births, deaths, marriages, still births and adoptions. The registers themselves are not open to inspection, but the information from them is supplied in the form of certificates. The GRO, formally established in 1922 following partition, stores vital records of Northern Ireland for issue of certified copies to the public. Birth, death and Roman Catholic marriage registrations date from 1864 to present; non Roman Catholic marriages date from 1845 to present; adoptions date from 1930 to present; still-births date from 1961 to