A century ago, in a clash of war and fire, a priceless collection of Irish archives disappeared. Today, an ambitious project is bringing seven centuries of history back to life, offering an immersive dive into the past and a goldmine for genealogists, historians and the curious from all over the world.
On June 28, 1922, in the midst of civil war, Irish government cannons rained down on the Four Yards complex in Dublin to dislodge the anti-Treatyists. Fire broke out and ravaged the Public Record Office of Ireland: over seven centuries of official documents, censuses, medieval manuscripts and court records were reduced to ashes in just a few hours. Considered one of the greatest cultural disasters of the XXᵉ century, the event marked the disappearance of an essential part of the national memory.
To commemorate this loss, Trinity College Dublin launched Beyond 2022, an ambitious initiative called the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. The aim? To virtually reconstruct the lost archives, thanks to an international coalition of 75 institutions, bringing together historians, archivists and experts in artificial intelligence.
Spectacular result:
Among these treasures, censuses from the XIXᵉ century, previously unexploited, have been reconstructed. An incredible 60,000 names have resurfaced thanks to transcriptions gleaned from various archive centers. A real boon for the thousands of members of the Irish diaspora in search of their roots.
The project provides the public with powerful thematic portals:
Whether you’re a political buff, a spy enthusiast or curious about the past, you can now explore these fascinating historical files, including a revealed diary of the corruption surrounding the Act of Union of 1800.
Much more than a simple online presence, the project uses advanced technologies to reinvent access to archives:
A digital gem for anyone eager to discover Irish history, at home or on the move.
This project is the fruit of a worldwide collaboration: over 70 archives, the Irish State via Trinity College, the National Archives of Ireland, the UK National Archives, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, the Irish Manuscripts Commission, and the ADAPT Centre (SFI), among others.
The ambition is twofold: to democratize access and rewrite national memory. More than a treasure trove for academics, it’s an invitation to retrace our personal histories.
The Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland is a time machine, a journey into the Dublin of yesteryear, a compass for understanding Ireland, its conflicts, its unions, its families. Project after project, these digital archives bring back to life a past thought buried forever.
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