The Nation's largest microfilm & digital archive
Our newspaper and documents of historical interest collection on microfilm and available on word searchable DVD is the largest available in the country and covers a wide spectrum of Irish social history over a period of three centuries.
National Daily Newspapers
"The Irish Independent" is by far Ireland's largest circulating daily national paper with over 1.3 million readers daily. The Irish Independent was established in 1905 when William Martyn Murphy amalgamated three Dublin newspapers. The following year the Sunday Independent was established. After the 1916 rising William Martyn Murphy bought the ruined buildings in Abbey Street, Dublin as the headquarters for his newspaper empire. The Irish Independent quickly established itself as Ireland's premiere paper and since its inception has cemented this position. The newspaper archive reports on events that helped shape the modern Irish State. Such events as the cultural renaissance of the early twentieth century, and the radicalisation of Irish politics away from demands for Home Rule to full independence. The paper comments on the growing disquiet in Ireland over the British suppression of the unpopular 1916 insurrection and how this disquiet slid in a full-scale war of independence. It illustrates the treaty with the British that led to the partition of Ireland and resulting in the brutal civil war during the creation of the Irish Free State and later the Irish Republic. All these events are reported in the Irish Independent as they occurred and were viewed by the readers of the time. The Irish Independent can indeed lay claim to being the voice of the Irish people. The paper is today a major influence on Irish politics and propagates Irish cultural awareness internationally through its many expatriate associations.
"The Irish Press" was found by Emmon DeValera in 1931 to espouse the Finna Gael party's political opposition to Finna Fail. The paper remained under the DeValera's family influence until its unfortunate demise in 1995 as a victim of the worldwide trend of rationalisation in the newspaper industry.
The Evening Herald is Ireland most respected daily tabloid paper. The paper was first published in 1891 as a Dublin broad sheet but later developed into a tabloid paper.
| Title | Years | Reel Count | Reels Per Yr | Word Searchable Dual Layer DVD |
| Irish Independent | 1905 - Current date | 1,185 | 36 | 90 |
| Irish Famers Journal | 1957 - Current date | 624 | 24 | 30 |
| Evening Herald | 1891 - Current date | 1028 | 36 | 79 |
| Sunday Independent | 1906 - Current date | 269 | 12 | 21 |
| Sunday Tribune | 2004 - Current date | 60 | 12 | 6 |
| The Irish Press | 1931-1995 | 560 | 24 | 40 |
| The Belfast Newsletter | 1737 - 1925 |
*All titles available on Standing Order Bases
**Generous discounts on large run orders
***If a title is not present on this list we have many more we can source
Regional Weekly Newspapers From Ireland
Our regional newspaper collection covers the lenght and breath of the country, North and South. When you consider that there had been in excess of 400 titles published over the last three hundred years, many unfortunately now defunct, you can appreciate the magnitude of the task involved in microfilming these titles for posterity. A collection of this archive resource will enable the researcher to investigate major international, national and local historical events and their effect in the provincial regions through Ireland's provincial newspapers. These papers were very often more radical than their contemporary national papers and will enable the researcher to better gauge the radicalisation of Irish politics outside the British seat of government in Dublin.
| Title | County | Years | Reel Count | Reels Per Yr | Word Searchable Dual Layer DVD |
| Anglo-Celt | Cavan | 1846 - Current year | 199 | 4 | 15 |
| Connacht Tribune | Galway | 1909 - Current year | 225 | 4 | 17 |
| Galway City Tribune | Galway | 1975 - Current year | 57 | 4 | 4 |
| Connacht Sentinel | Galway | 1975 - Current year | 58 | 1 | 4 |
| Connaught Telegraph | May0 | 1975 - Current year | 98 | 4 | 8 |
| Donegal Democrat | Donegal | 1919 - 1987 | 76 | 6 | |
| Drogheda Independent | Louth | 1885- 1891 & 1988 - Current year | 55 | 4 | 4 |
| Dundalk Democrat | Louth | 1859 - Current year | 89 | 4 | 7 |
| Fingal Independent | Fingal | 1993 - Current year | 30 | 4 | 2 |
| The Kerryman | Kerry | 1904 - Current year | 301 | 1 | 23 |
| Killkenny People | Kilkenny | 1922 - Current year | 122 | 12 | 9 |
| Leinster Express | Laois | 1956 - Current year | 21 | 2 | |
| Leinster Leader | Kildare | 1993 - Current year | 36 | 6 | 3 |
| Leitrim Observer | Leitrim | 1923 - 1981 | 55 | 4 | 4 |
| Limerick Leader | Limerick | 1905 - 1998 | 125 | 6 | 10 |
| Mayo News | Mayo | 1979 - Current year | 46 | 4 | 4 |
| Meath Chronicle | Meath | 1904 - Current year | 183 | 4 | 14 |
| Munster Express | Waterford | 1908 - Current year | 189 | 6 | 15 |
| National & Munster Adv | Tipperary | 1890 - Current year | 227 | 4 | 17 |
| Nationalist & Leinster | Carlow | 1883 - Current year | 275 | 12 | 21 |
| Northern Standard | Monaghan | 1863 - Current year | 239 | 4 | 18 |
| The People | Wexford | 1990 - 2001 | |||
| Roscommon Herald | Roscommon | 1882 - 1993 | 180 | 14 | |
| Southern Star | Cork | 1921 - 1935 & 1974 - Current year | 106 | 4 | 8 |
| Tipperary Star | Tipperary | 1909 - Current year | 151 | 4 | 12 |
| Tuam Herald | Galway | 1987 - Current year | 2 | ||
| Western People | Mayo | 1889 - Current year | 151 | 6 | 12 |
| Annual Standing Orders Available | |||||
*All titles available on Standing Order Bases
**Generous discounts on large run orders
***If a title is not present on this list we have many more we can source
Documents of Special Historical Interest
Out of Print Political Journals
| Title | Years | Reel Count | Word Searchable Dual Layer DVD |
| Irish House of Commons Journal | 1613 - 1800 | 1 | 1 |
| Journal of the House of Lords | 1634 - 1752 | 3 | 1 |
| Statutes relating to Ireland | 1310 - 1776 | 10 | 1 |
| Index reel to the Statutes | |||
| Irish Teachers Journal | 1868- 1880 | 7 | 1 |
18th & 19th Century Trade Directories
Pigot's Directory 1820-22 & 1824
City of Dublin and Hibernia Directory containing classification of the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Professional Gentlemen, Merchants and Manufactures of Dublin and of over 220 of the principal cities, towns and seaports of Ireland. Concise historical and descriptive classification of the trade and designation of nearly 40,000 of the inhabitants. Copious directories of the merchants, manufacturers and wholesale traders in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield and also a complete guide and directory to the Isle of Man.
Slater's Directory 1846,56,70,81 & 1894
Directory of Ireland consisting of the trader's list, with alphabetical directories of Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Limerick. To which are added classified directories of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield and Bristol. A large Map of Ireland, which faithfully depicts the lines of railways in operation or under construction
The Commercial guide through Dublin 1825
Where to find every street, square, lane, public office, building and remarkable place in the city. A concise and descriptive account of all places of notoriety.
Dublin - A New City pictorial Directory 1850
This publication is a unique directory novel in design and in arrangement. It is not merely a work of references; it is a work of literary interest, a work that everyone will read. A special feature of the engravings of the principal streets of Dublin.
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland 1844 & 1847.
McDonalds Irish Directory 1902, 1906, 1911, 1918, 1926 & 1928
This directory comprises of lists that include, Members of Parliament, Lords-Lieutenants and high Sheriffs of Ireland, Magistrates, Municipal, Clerical and medical practitoners in Dublin, Belfast. It also includes British Consuls and Vice Consuls in foreign countries etc. It also contains the populations according to the current census and a new railway map of Ireland plus specially engraved plans for the cities of Dublin, Belfast and Cork. Sections are also included in these editions for the cities of Liverpool and Glasgow.
Leets Irish Directory 1814
Directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats and other noted places in Ireland. With reference to the counties in which they were located, the post-town to a general index of persons, names, referring to the place where their address will be found, together with a list of the present rates of postage throughout the Empire.
Masons parochial Directory 1814, 1816, 1819
A parochial survey of Ireland drawn up from the communications of the clergy by William Shaw Mason Esq., M.R.I.A. Remembrancer and receiver of the First Fruits and sector to the Board of Public Records
Out of Print Newspapers From Ireland
The Freeman's Journal
The Freeman's Journal was the Ireland's longest running National Newspaper running for 161 years since its publication in 1763. Throughout its long history the newspaper reflected the turbulent changes in Irish society from the Wolf -Tone Rebellion, to the Great Famine and the Establishment of the Irish Free State. The Freeman's Journal is the greatest source for social, political and historical studies through Ireland's great newsprint heritage.
The Nation
The Nation from its foundation in October 1842 sought, not only to disinfect the political life of the country, but to raise the whole standard of national self-respect based on the inalienable right of people to guard their own destinies; to inculcate a sentiment of pride in Ireland
Out of Print Newspapers
| Title | Years | Reel Count | Word Searchable Dual Layer DVD |
| The Freeman's Journal | 1763 - 1924 | 386 | 30 |
| The Nation | 1842 - 1897 | 43 | 3 |
| The Evening Telegraph | 1916 - 1919 | 7 | 1 |
| The Daily Independent | 1888 - 1904 | 40 | 3 |
| Ballina Herald | 1927 - 1962 | 15 | 1 |
| Finns Leinster Journal | 1767 -1828 | 20 | 2 |
| Rights of Irishmen | |||
| Press Dublin | 1797 - 1798 | 1 | 1 |
| Ballinrobe Chronicle | 1866-1903 | 19 | 1 |
| Western Journal | 1977-1983 | 12 | 1 |
| Kerry Weekly Reporter | 1927-1935 | 9 | 1 |
| Kerry People | 1925 - 1928 | 4 | 1 |
| Out of Print Newspapers In Irish | |||
| An Goadhal (Boston) Vol 1 - 13 | 1881-1898 | 2 | 1 |
| Inniu | 1943-1984 | 31 | 2 |
| Out of Print Magazines | |||
| Irish Monthly | 1873-1954 | 41 | 3 |
| "Religious literary magazine edited and published to the highest standards" | |||
| Irish Penny Journal | 1840 - 1841 | Microfiche | 1 |
| All Ireland Review | 1900 - 1906 | Microfiche | 1 |
*Generous discounts on large run orders
**If a title is not present on this list we have many more available
Robert French and the Lawrence Collection
From the patenting of the first daguerrotype in 1839, nineteeth-century photography was mainly a business for professionals. In the days when newspapers could reproduce only line engravings and photography as a hobby was a privilege of the rich. Vast numbers of photographs were sold in many forms to a world, which was curious to see it and educate it.
The photograph had taken over from painting as the visual means of communication and now had a vast and popular appeal. Photographic firms supplied this mass demand with studio portrays, cartes due visites of the famous and notorious, stereoscopic views, lantern-slides, picture postcards and albums of views. In every country firms competed vigorously for this lucrative trade. Each firm built up large numbers of negatives from which prints were made and marketed. In many cases these negatives have been broken or lost and it is rare to find a collection intact.
One of the most comprehensive collections of Victorian photographs to have been preserved in its entirety is housed in the National Library of Ireland. It consists of 50,000 glass negatives of Ireland. This vast collection was the property of the Dublin firm of William Lawrence & Sons. Lawrence began photographing Ireland in 1879. His firm's catalogue, "Ireland in the magic Lantern" lists merely a selection from his immense collection claiming, "to be the choicest and most graphic subjects to illustrate scenery and antiquities of Ireland". The quality is very high class. W. Lawrence lantern-slides are celebrated for their warmth of tone and brilliant transparency and have a world-wide sale and reputation. The Lawrence collection includes each city, county and beauty spot, portraits of priests, prelates and politicians, churches, jails & prisons, transport and shipping and scenes of both tragic and comic sketches of Irish life and character.
The Lawrence collection is available on roll film or as individual photographic reprints
Click here to download our catalogue