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  • National Archives

    Went there yesterday and today....was really impressed with the set-up, staff
    very friendly and helpful. You'll all probably know this but in case not, you have
    to get a readers ticket which is free and lasts up to 3 years. (you do need to bring photographic id with you for this.) Then you go up to the reading room.
    the staff are very helpful, you have a little "interview" first to tell them what you're looking for and they point you in the right direction. I wanted to see the
    workhouse admission records for a particular year, these are on microfilm up
    to 1918 but the one i needed was later so they had to order the original ledger from another site. It was fascinating looking through it and I found what I was
    looking for and more.......really pleased with my visit there.

  • #2
    National Archives in Dublin.

    I just made my first long awaited visit to the National Archives in Dublin and I must say I am very disappointed with the way the staff handle your queries. I know you said they were great, but honestly I wouldn't write this only I need to say it. At the counter I found the fellows there to be bordering on rude and they would only give my friend and myself the bare minimum information. We were only asking for the most basic help with some things. I wouldn't mind if we were pestering them with questions or something. They avoided dealing with us as much as possible. I wouldn't be bothered ever going back there again. I have been to similar places in England an they can't do enough to help you. It seems the fellows at that counter do not have to do very much and it seems that very little is expected of them. Pity. What a shame to leave with such a negative result to a long awaited visit. My advice is to anybody, try to do it all online and email them if you have a query, because they all have their heads stuck in computers so that way there might be a better chance of them answering you.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by swapshop View Post
      I just made my first long awaited visit to the National Archives in Dublin and I must say I am very disappointed with the way the staff handle your queries. I know you said they were great, but honestly I wouldn't write this only I need to say it. At the counter I found the fellows there to be bordering on rude and they would only give my friend and myself the bare minimum information. We were only asking for the most basic help with some things. I wouldn't mind if we were pestering them with questions or something. They avoided dealing with us as much as possible. I wouldn't be bothered ever going back there again. I have been to similar places in England an they can't do enough to help you. It seems the fellows at that counter do not have to do very much and it seems that very little is expected of them. Pity. What a shame to leave with such a negative result to a long awaited visit. My advice is to anybody, try to do it all online and email them if you have a query, because they all have their heads stuck in computers so that way there might be a better chance of them answering you.
      That's a shame.....I must admit, I was referring to the staff that you speak to initially, when you first go up to the third or fourth floor - I found them very helpful-
      the others perhaps less so, but I was still able to access the information I was looking
      for quite easily.

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      • #4
        I only ever visited once but found everyone to be polite and as helpful as they could. I did not master the micro fiche viewer and the man going around put the reel on for me. I do think it is a place where they have a lot of people going in who do there own research and staff are not there to do it. They just facilitate the public to access material. It really is a minefield walking into a place like that for the first time to find out how things are done and where to find the different materials.I don't think they answer email queries they'd be snowed under. By the way welcome to the forum swapshop

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        • #5
          Yes, welcome Swapshop.
          I went there thinking I'd be left to my own devices, trying to access records on machines, which was why I was grateful to be taken in for "interrogation" and pointed in the right direction. The info I needed was not yet on microfilm, and they
          had to order the original workhouse ledgers from another site, which was great, seeing the originals.

          Comment


          • #6
            Nation Archives

            Thanks for the welcome. I felt really bad for my friend Joey, he was really hoping to see some records, but the way we were handled, I don't blame him for wanting to leave. I couldn't be bothered to make the effort again now, it doesn't seem worth the trouble. They left me with a bad impression anyway, I'm glad yous had a better experience.

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            • #7
              my friend from South Africa and myself had great fun with the microfiche reels
              we either went to slow or so fast the film shot through to the end
              after a few hours we were experts at fixing them back on
              thought they were going to throw us out for laughing so much

              Comment


              • #8
                Have you tried the library in Pearse Street. It's a smaller place less intimidating. You need the usual ID to join. They have the census records, baptism records, old newspapers, etc and there is a very helpful man in there called Leo who will steer you in the right direction if he can.

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                • #9
                  Maybe it depends on the staff who are on duty at the time, even the way you're feeling at the time; I went to the Gilbert Library in Pearse Street to look for electoral
                  rolls; I was told by one person they had the ones I was looking for, then someone
                  else said they didn't - I was really tired at the time and had a go at the woman, but
                  then realised it was just a mistake and felt really embarrassed at my reaction.

                  ha ha jg....just saw your post....Leo obviously wasn't there when i went lol

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by KatieMorag View Post
                    Maybe it depends on the staff who are on duty at the time, even the way you're feeling at the time; I went to the Gilbert Library in Pearse Street to look for electoral
                    rolls; I was told by one person they had the ones I was looking for, then someone
                    else said they didn't - I was really tired at the time and had a go at the woman, but
                    then realised it was just a mistake and felt really embarrassed at my reaction.

                    ha ha jg....just saw your post....Leo obviously wasn't there when i went lol
                    They have the electoral rolls fron 1939 up to 1964 I think

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                    • #11
                      hello jg.....do you know where i could look up dublin births online...
                      Here Rex!!!...Here Rex!!!.....Wuff!!!....... Wuff!!!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by jeangenie View Post
                        They have the electoral rolls fron 1939 up to 1964 I think
                        yes, I was looking for earlier ones, one woman said they had them and another one
                        said they didn't -hence the row!

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by quinner View Post
                          hello jg.....do you know where i could look up dublin births online...
                          Ancestry.com is good for that, but you have to subscribe to get all the details, but
                          irishgenealogy.ie is good for baptism records, though not so good for 20th century
                          ones, athough apparently they're having an update.....sorry jg, i jumped in there.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by KatieMorag View Post
                            Ancestry.com is good for that, but you have to subscribe to get all the details, but
                            irishgenealogy.ie is good for baptism records, though not so good for 20th century
                            ones, athough apparently they're having an update.....sorry jg, i jumped in there.
                            thank you katie.....

                            it is the 20th century one i am after....

                            i would like to find my belfast granny's maiden name...i don't know when or where they got married....they had their first daughter in london....
                            Here Rex!!!...Here Rex!!!.....Wuff!!!....... Wuff!!!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by quinner View Post
                              thank you katie.....

                              it is the 20th century one i am after....

                              i would like to find my belfast granny's maiden name...i don't know when or where they got married....they had their first daughter in london....
                              the birth record for the daughter on ancestry.com/uk may show he maiden name.
                              There's also a site called FindMyPast which someone has mentioned one here - it's
                              meant to be very good, though i haven't used it yet.

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