The 1926 Census records for Ireland have been released to the public for the first time, marking a century since their collection. Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the release as 'allowing us to step back in time' to the early years of the Irish Free State.
The records, now freely searchable on the National Archives website, include over 750,000 household and enumerator returns. This was the first census undertaken by the independent Irish Free State, established in 1922, and covers a population of 2.9 million people.
Mr Martin noted the significance of the census, which followed a decade of conflict including the Easter Rising, War of Independence, and Civil War. He called it a 'bold and visionary decision' and a 'historic moment in the development of modern Ireland'.
Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan praised the National Archives for their work in preserving and cataloguing the records. Director Orlaith McBride emphasised that the census 'is the story of us', connecting present-day descendants with their ancestors.
To mark the release, the National Archives has opened an exhibition at Dublin Castle, running until August 2027, with future stops in London, Boston, and across Ireland.
