Database description
BUSINESS RECORDS SURVEY
In 1970, the Irish Manuscripts Commission initiated a survey of business records with the object of locating and reporting on collections in the Republic of Ireland and ensuring the preservation of material of historical interest. Since then, the survey has examined the records of over 5000 firms and other institutions and over 600 collections of records have been transferred for safekeeping to the National Archives, under whose aegis it now operates.
The following finding aid database comprises a select listing of accessions made by the Business Records Survey. Fuller details of accessions made and of collections listed but not accessioned, can be obtained from the Journal of the Economic and Social History Society of Ireland, which is published annually. It should also be noted that certain collections may be closed for research purposes for various reasons. Please note that although some collections have no restrictions on access, they may not be listed and therefore may not be available for consultation.
The collections accessioned as part of the survey are assigned reference numbers on the basis of their county of origin in the Republic of Ireland. In many instances, it has been possible to indicate what town or village within the county to which the records relate. There is a brief indication as to the type of material of which the collection is composed and, where possible, business type is also indicated. The covering dates given are generally taken from the earliest to the latest document in the collection. It is important to note that collection size, though not listed below, can also vary from anything for one item to hundreds of items. The accessioning of records as part of the survey is an ongoing process and continues to provide a picture of business life past and present in the Republic of Ireland.