Our archives

Twenty ways to find a townland – and other hints and tips

The National Archives is delighted to announce the final talk in our evening lecture series for 2022. Entitled ‘Twenty ways to find a townland – and other hints and tips’, the lecture will be given by professional genealogist Georgina Scally (member of Accredited Genealogists Ireland). Finding the townland where one’s ancestor were from in Ireland is the goal of many family history researchers. Given that there are over 60,000 townlands in Ireland, finding the correct townland can sometimes prove a major stumbling block. Georgina’s talk aims to provide an insight into some of the better known and some lesser-known sources for finding townlands in Ireland. An important aspect of the search for a specific townland is the ability to understand the various, and sometimes confusing, administrative divisions in Ireland. Georgina will examine different administrative divisions and demonstrate how townlands fit into each. She will then look at (20) sources for townlands, what they are and most importantly, where to find them (with an emphasis – but not exclusively, on online databases).