Ireland’s 1926 census arrives online, shedding light on a global Irish diaspora

Nearly 3 million records from Ireland's 1926 census—the first full census of the independent state—are being released online for free, offering new insight into post-1922 life and a global diaspora of about 80 million people with Irish ancestry. The data, which include each person’s name, age, birthplace, language (including Irish), religion and occupation, show regional patterns (about 53% of those over 12 employed in agriculture, from 0.9% in Dublin to 75% in counties like Galway) and a low overall unemployment rate (~6%). The release helps recover records lost in the 1922 Public Record Office fire and enables genealogical and migration research, while noting privacy protections (initials for hospital, prison, and other sensitive records).