Come To Your Census: The Podcast
History
About
In April 1926, a few short years after the foundation of the Irish Free State, a census was taken to count and record people resident here. Nearly three million people were recorded in that census, every household return capturing the fabric of everyday life: names and families, occupations and languages, faith, birthplace. The details that shaped communities across the country. A century later, the release of the 1926 Census of Population into the public domain offers a rare and intimate glimpse into a pivotal moment in Ireland’s history as the foundations of a new state. To mark this historic release, the Na...
Episodes
- Dublin’s Social Housing
This episode examines Dublin's early public housing from the 1926 Census, featuring historian Liz Gillis with Maria O'Reilly and Eamonn Delaney. It covers The Tenters and Marino estates, discussing residents and British-built housing for W…
- Foreign Nationals And The Free State
This episode examines the 1926 Irish Census to understand the presence and impact of foreign nationals in the newly independent Irish Free State, discussing factors like military legacy and international business.
- The Protestant Population Of Ireland’s Border Counties
Dr. Cormac Moore and Liz Gillis examine the 1926 Census data concerning the Protestant population in Ireland’s border counties. They discuss population changes in Drum, Co. Monaghan, and Pettigo, Co. Donegal, exploring the local impact of…
- Be Our Guest – A Temporary Bed For The Night
Liz Gillis and Zoe Reid examine census records of people staying away from home, revealing insights into the Free State's tourism, work travel, and visitors. The episode also touches on the staff caring for these temporary residents.
- Revolutionaries – Where Are They Now?
This episode explores the post-revolution lives of key Irish figures in 1926, following a period of national upheaval. Historian Greg Walls discusses how leaders like Eamon de Valera, Kevin O’Higgins, and Constance Markievicz were living a…
- From Gola Island To The World
Liz Gillis interviews Orlaith McBride, Director of the National Archives of Ireland, about the Census's personal and national importance. McBride shares how census records document a Donegal island community and discusses the digitization…