Ancestry adds Irish railway employment records

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added a new Irish collection:

Ireland, Railway Employment Records, 1870-1940
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62687/
Source: Irish Railway Staff Records. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Railway Record Society. www.irrs.ie

About the Ireland, Railway Records, 1870-1940

General collection information

This collection captures the lives of men and women employed by the railways of Ireland, including bus lines and tramways. The country's rail system was owned by private companies, serving different parts of the country, who kept detailed records on their employees. Whether for a driver, clerk, or engineer, these records can show an employee's work history, wages, merits, and even punishments.

Life-altering events like accidental injuries and retirement are also included. In addition, this collection shows how the railway companies handled historical events, such as work-absences during the 1916 Rising and noting employees who returned home from service in World War I.

In 1925, all the companies which lay wholly in the Irish Free State meged to become the Great Southern Railway. This company established bus and truck services during the thirties. In 1945 the Great Southern Railways amalgamated with the Dublin United Transport Company railway companies to form Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE), Ireland's national transport service. In 1958, CIE absorbed those parts of the Great Northern which lay south of the border. The Irish Railway Record Society have worked closely with CIE to protect the personnel records of the past, saving them for future generations to enjoy.

Using this collection

If your ancestor was employed by the railways, this collection can provide the following information about them:

• Birth date and place
• Death date and place
• Occupation
• The station or depot where they worked
• Salary
• Date of employment and termination

You may find even more details about your ancestor's work life, such as pay raises, days taken for sick leave, and membership of associations or trade unions. Depending on your ancestor's job, railway records may also provide personnel files. Knowing the dates and locations of your ancestor's employment can help you track their movements. Bear in mind this collection covers 7 decades worth of documents, so employee records can vary in scope and detail.

For further details visit the collection link above.

Chris

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