Wicklow County Archives will host the Virtual Treasury Roadshow – a chance to see the history of Wicklow and its people through the lens of this exciting new online resource.
The event will take place on Thursday, 15th June in the Library, The Mall, Main Street, Wicklow.
A range of speakers will include:
- Ciarán Wallace, Deputy Director, Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland: Ireland’s public records: destruction and recovery
- Brian Gurrin, Virtual Record Treasury Research Fellow and Wicklow records in the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland
- Catherine Wright, Archivist, Wicklow County Council: Local history resources at Wicklow County Archives
In June 1922 the Public Record Office of Ireland was destroyed in the battle of the Four Courts, the opening engagement of the Civil War. In a single afternoon seven centuries of Irish history went up in flames.
The Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland is an all-island and international research programme working to digitally reconstruct, as far as possible, these lost archives. By tracking down copies and transcripts in libraries and archives around Ireland and overseas, tens of thousands of documents relating to every corner of Ireland have been recovered, making them available online free of charge.
Cllr Tommy Annesley, Cathaoirleach, Wicklow County Council, said: “I look forward to welcoming The Virtual Record Treasury Roadshow to Wicklow, which is the first stop on its national tour. We are very proud that Wicklow County Archives is a participating partner in this important project which has virtually reassembled the Irish archives lost in the fire of the Public Records Office in 1922. Our County Archives has contributed digital versions of the Wicklow Grand Jury records to the Virtual Record Treasury and I look forward to learning about the other Wicklow treasures restored and made available by the Virtual Record Treasury in Wicklow Library on the 15th of June.”
Attendance is free and all are welcome. Booking is required by contacting: Wicklow County Archives – email archives@wicklowcoco.ie; Tel 0404-67025
