Start Making Census

Greystones Harbour Boating Slip 1926. Colourised by GG.

he publishing of the 1926 census by The National Archive of Ireland online last month has been something of a gold rush and a head rush for historians right across the country.

And none more so than here in sunny Wicklow, where pretty much every third person you meet is keen to tell you about their father’s father’s mother’s cousin’s cat that Patrick Pearse once tripped over.

Some local historians like to aim a little higher, and wider, pulling together great big chunks of our history that might otherwise may lay buried forever in dusty archives or fade away in forgotten old boxes in the bedroom cupboard.

The Paines being one of the most finest examples when it comes to keeping local history alive.

Another person keen to bring the past kicking and streaming with us into the future is Michael Seery, who reckoned that the newly-unleashed 1926 census could probably be tailored for any particular town or village.

Michael Seery

And so, that’s what the lad did, bringing Enniskerry and Powerscourt under one handy roof, with a search engine that concentrates on this particular purple patch of Wicklow. You can check it out right here.

Michael is also keen for other towns and villages around here to follow suit, and is happy to share the methods of his gladness with anyone interested in doing so.

We’ve already sent this on to Dr Brian Gurrin, who this year pulled together the 1766 religious census for Delgany, published in your snoreaway Guide back in February. So, the lad is on the case.

If you’re also excited agus delighted about the idea of covering your own home turf, you can contact Michael by email on [email protected].