Counting from the Castle: Dublin Castle and Early Censuses of Ireland

PART OF THE VRTI LUNCHTIME TALKS AT THE CASTLE

Who counts in Irish history? For centuries the census has been a tool for developing the country – but also for controlling it. Ireland was a world-leader when it came to counting the people and Dublin Castle played a central role in the development of census taking. The first two official censuses – including the great census of 1821- were organised from the Castle, and their returns were stored here for the next fifty years. The returns from the 1766 religious census of Ireland, perhaps Ireland’s first census, were also safely retained in the Castle.

This talk will explain the importance of the census in 19th century life, and the Castle’s key role in surveying the population.

Speaker: Dr Brian Gurrin, Research Fellow
Date: Tuesday 6 May, 2025
Time: 13:00 – 14:00 (Doors at 12:30)
Venue: Bedford Tower, 1st Floor, Upper Yard, Dublin Castle D02 TN97

Attendance is free, but booking is essential: bit.ly/4gYBTMP

The Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland is set to offer a series of free public talks looking at Dublin Castle and Irish history from lesser known, and sometimes unexpected, angles. Join historians from the research team to explore stories from the Castle found among the records in the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. The series is comprised of three talks on three separate dates:

Thursday 27 March: Dr Lynn Kilgallon – People, Power, and Parchment: The Life and Times of Medieval Dublin Castle
Book Here

Tuesday 29 April: Dr Tim Murtagh – Spies, Smugglers, and Rebels: The Chief Secretary’s Office and the Challenges of Governance, 1770–1820
Book Here

Tuesday 6 May: Dr Brian Gurrin – Counting from the Castle – Dublin Castle and early censuses of Ireland
Book Here

All talks will be recorded and made available online after the event.