Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland to bring Limerick history to life on February 11

Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland to bring Limerick history to life on February 11

A new Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland event is seto to Bring centuries of local history to life on Wednesday, February 11

The People’s Museum of Limerick welcomes the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland Roadshow to the city, offering the Limerick public a unique opportunity to explore centuries of local history through an innovative digital archive.

On Wednesday, 11 February, the Virtual Treasury team will showcase newly accessible digital records that illuminate the story of Limerick and its people, from the 19th century back to medieval times. The event begins at 6:30pm and is free to attend, with advance registration required due to limited capacity.

When the Public Record Office of Ireland was destroyed during the Battle of the Four Courts in June 1922, seven centuries of Irish history were lost. In recent years, historians, archivists and computer scientists in Ireland and abroad began the painstaking work of identifying replacement documents scattered across local and global archives.

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This work led to the creation of the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, launched in June 2022. The platform provides free public access to tens of thousands of replacement records – more than 50 million words of searchable text – sourced from 70 partner archives and libraries worldwide.

Now, the team behind the Treasury is coming to Limerick to share their findings and highlight rich local collections.

Ciarán Wallace, Deputy Director, Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, commented, “We are delighted to bring the Virtual Treasury Roadshow to Limerick. The city has an exceptionally rich documentary heritage, and many of the records now reunited within the Treasury shed new light on the everyday lives of Limerick people across seven centuries. This project is about restoring access to the stories that were thought to be lost forever, and we are excited to share these discoveries with the public.”

Sarah Hayes Hickey, Archivist, Limerick Archives, added, “Limerick Archives is thrilled to welcome the Virtual Treasury team. Their work not only helps recover Ireland’s archival past, but also enhances the resources available to local researchers, historians, and families tracing their heritage. This event is a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in Limerick’s unique place in Irish history.”