The Three Cs of Irish Research: Civil Registration, Church Records, and Census

Three of the main Irish genealogical resources of key importance to those tracing their Irish ancestors are census returns, church records, and civil registration (vital records). Although pre-1901 census records were almost completely destroyed and church records also suffered from either a lack of record keeping or destruction, much still exists. This presentation is an overview of surviving censuses and census substitutes, church records and civil registration.