The preparation of the 1926 Census for public release has been a monumental project for the National Archives – an initiative that involves the careful preservation, high-resolution scanning, and transcription of every sheet, making the first census taken after the establishment of the State accessible to genealogists, historians and members of the public, both in Ireland and around the world.
April 18th 2026 will mark a key moment in Irish history, when the National Archives will make the entire census, comprising over 700,000 individual household returns, freely available and fully searchable online. The online platform will provide an unprecedented resource, allowing users to efficiently navigate detailed household returns and offering a unique snapshot of life one hundred years ago.
EXTENSIVE PROGRAMME
A comprehensive public programme will celebrate the upcoming centenary release of the 1926 Census of Population records and was recently unveiled by the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, and National Archives Director Orlaith McBride. The programme will include a landmark RTÉ documentary, a theatrical production with world-renowned ANU Productions, major exhibitions in Dublin, London, Boston and across Ireland, and the search for official ‘Centenarian Ambassadors’.
It is estimated that there are over 1,000 people recorded in the census who are still alive, born before 18th April, 1926, and these individuals offer a unique, living perspective on the past century of Irish life. The Centenarian Ambassador programme aims to capture the first-hand personal testimony of those who will see their own original family records made public next April.
Programme Highlights
The comprehensive public programme is designed to bring the historical insights from the 1926 Census to the broadest possible audience, in partnership with various national and international organisations.
National Archives Director, Orlaith McBride, said that “the records will provide a comprehensive and publicly accessible dataset of life in Ireland following the establishment of the State.”
“The census isn’t about lists and numbers; it’s about the people living in Ireland in 1926 and all of their descendants today. It’s the story of us, and we want to hear from as many people as possible who are in the unique position of having been recorded in this historic document.”
Full details of the individual elements of the programme, including dates and booking information, will be revealed over the coming months.
Anyone – or their families – interested in becoming a Centenarian Ambassador should contact the National Archives at: census1926@nationalarchives.ie
