A vivid portrait of Ireland through the 1926 census
A richly illustrated, expert-led exploration of life in Ireland in 1926, using the landmark census to reveal communities, change, and everyday stories from across the new state. It brings the people behind the records to life with context, insight, and striking visual material.
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The Story of Us: Independent Ireland and the 1926 Census
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A vivid portrait of Ireland through the 1926 census
A richly illustrated, expert-led exploration of life in Ireland in 1926, using the landmark census to reveal communities, change, and everyday stories from across the new state. It brings the people behind the records to life with context, insight, and striking visual material.
- Book Synopsis
-
On 18 April 1926 the first census of an independent Irish state was undertaken. Across the 26 counties over 700,000 census forms were completed by, or on behalf of, the 2,971,992 people living in the Irish Free State. But what can we know of the lives that they led?
A century later, with the release of the 1926 census by the National Archives on 18 April 2026, those forms come alive again - revealing a nation in transition and a people forging their identity in the early decades of independence.
The Story of Us brings together an wide range of scholars to illuminate the individuals and communities hidden within the census returns. From island settlements to expanding cities, from rural farms and urban tenements to the mansions of the aristocracy, the book traces a vibrant cross-section of society.
Lavishly illustrated, it explores themes ranging from entertainment and the arts to housing, infrastructure, family life, and social change.
The Story of Us offers not only a compelling portrait of 1926 Ireland but a deeper understanding of the world in which these lives unfolded.
Ideal for readers who…
- love Irish social history and want to explore everyday life in the early decades of independence
- are excited by the 1926 census release and want rich context for the people and places in the returns
- enjoy beautifully produced, lavishly illustrated non-fiction that brings the past vividly into view
- are interested in themes like housing, infrastructure, family life, culture, work, and social change
- want a cross-country portrait of Ireland, from island communities and rural farms to city tenements and aristocratic estates
- About The Author
- Orlaith McBride has been Director of the National Archives/An Chartlann Náisiúnta since April 2020. She previously served as Director of the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaìon, where she led major national initiatives including the 2016 commemorations programme. Earlier in her career, she worked widely across the arts sector. She has served on Dublin City University's Governing Authority and is a member of the Brian Friel Trust. John Gibney is Assistant Editor with the Royal Irish Academy's Documents on Irish Foreign Policy programme. He has written widely on Irish history and historiography. His books include A Short History of Ireland (Yale University Press), and he was one of the co-curators of the major international exhibitions presented by the National Archives in partnership with the RIA to mark the centenaries of both the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 and the Irish membership of the League of Nations in 1923.
- Product Details
-
- ISBN
- 9781788551816
- Format
- Hardback
- Publisher
- Irish Academic Press, (20 April 2026)
- Number of Pages
- 216
- Language
- English
- Dimensions
- 240 x 190 mm
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