Update on Irish RASCAL local archives platform

The following update is available concerning the Research and Special Collections Available Locally (RASCAL) platform in Ireland, normally available at www.rascal.co.uk, which allows you to look for local holdings of collections, but which has been down for many months:

RASCAL is an electronic gateway to research resources relating to Ireland. It is administered by Special Collection & Archives, Queen's University Belfast. The site is currently undergoing redevelopment and will be back online in 2026. All information from participating institutions has been saved and will be reinstated. 

We apologise for any inconvenience. 

(Source: https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/InformationServices/TheLibrary/SpecialCollections/DigitalResources/RASCAL/)

Don't forget that the Irish Archives Resources site at https://iar.ie is another very useful finding aid for finding Irish resources across the island. 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

The Irish Archives Resource platform gets an overhaul

I've just noticed that the Irish Archives Resource platform at https://iar.ie - a sort of Irish equivalent of the Scottish Archive Network project, designed to help locate collections across the island - has been given an overhaul and a facelift. And it is looking fairly snazzy!

The platform's purpose is to:

• Encourage the development and publication of comprehensive, standardised archive descriptions
• Allow users to locate archives and records that are relevant to their research
• Increase the use of archives by directing researchers to the relevant Archives Services  

There is a dedicated catalogue search tool, with a Basic and Advanced capability, which allows you to look for various records collections across the island of Ireland, but also a useful Explore All Archives section at https://iar.ie/explore-all-archives-new/, which breaks down archival holdings into a variety of categories, as follows:

• Archaeology
• Art
• Business
• Central Government
• Folklore/Bealoideas
• Health & Hospital
• Landed Estate Papers
• Legal Records
• Literary Papers
• Local Government
• Military
• Music
• Other/Not Specified
• Personal & Family Papers
• Photographic
• Political
• Private Clubs and Societies
• Religious Institutions
• School Records
• Scientific
  

 

It is certainly a tool to bookmark on your browser, and it can be viewed in English or as Gaeilge. 

Don't forget the similar tool from the north, the Research and Special Collections Available Locally (RASCAL) at http://www.rascal.ac.uk.

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.