Ireland’s Census 1926 Exhibition Tour to Arrive in London Following Release of Historic Records
- Published on: 20 April 2026
- Last updated on: 20 April 2026
- Exhibition at the British Academy follows the release of records of the first Census of Ireland as a free state
- Special webinar on 28 April to help UK-based users explore the Irish 1926 Census
The story of Ireland’s first years as a free state will take centre stage in London this month from the 24 April, as a landmark exhibition charting the newly released 1926 Census records arrives in the city for a special international showcase.
Following the historic release of the 1926 Census of Ireland, the first conducted after the country’s independence, the travelling exhibition offers a rare and vivid insight into the lives, homes and communities that shaped a nation in transition. London will be among the first locations outside Ireland to explore these newly accessible records, bringing to life a pivotal moment in Irish history through personal stories and archival detail.
A new book commemorating the Census release, The Story Of Us - Independent Ireland and the 1926 Census (Irish Academic Press), will also be launched in London on 22 April.
On 28 April, Ireland’s National Archives, in partnership with the UK National Archives, will host a free online webinar (details available here), guiding users through key search tools, browsing options, and the custom map and dashboard features, to help family historians, social historians and those tracing Irish connections from across the UK better explore the newly-released historic census.
The Census 1926 Exhibition Tour
The exhibition explores the world reflected in the census to reveal what life was like in the newly independent Ireland of 1926: in towns, cities, the countryside and the islands, from urban tenements to the mansions of the aristocracy. The Story of Us uses contemporary documents and images, audio-visual displays and the census returns themselves to present a picture of life in 1926: from sport and entertainment to language, culture, religion, gender and the working lives of the inhabitants of the Irish Free State a century ago.
The Story Of Us exhibition opens to the public at the British Academy in London on 24 April and runs until 15 May.
The tour, webinar and book are part of a wide-ranging public engagement programme being undertaken to celebrate the public release of Ireland’s 1926 Census.
Centenarian Ambassador Programme
Ireland’s National Archives recently announced 48 ‘Centenarian Ambassadors’, chosen from almost 100 people who were alive at the time the census was taken in April 1926 and who contacted the National Archives. The programme has captured the first-hand personal testimony of each of the Ambassadors, which offers a unique, living perspective on the past century of Irish life. The selected Ambassadors were born between 1920 and 1926, and includes members of the diaspora living today in Britain as well as the US, Canada and Australia.
Patrick O’Donovan TD, Ireland’s Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport commented,
The census is the story of us, and it’s really important to us that as many people as possible can engage with our shared history. This extensive public programme will ensure the stories, data, and human connections revealed by the census reach every community in Ireland and our diaspora worldwide. We know how many people in London and across Britain have Irish heritage and we’re particularly pleased to be bringing this fantastic exhibition to the British Academy.
National Archives, Ireland, Director Orlaith McBride added,
We are very pleased to be bringing this exhibition to London following the release of the 1926 Census. The relationship between Ireland and Britain is deep and enduring. It is shaped not only by our shared history, but by generations of Irish people who have lived and worked in Britain, contributing across every aspect of society: in public service, in industry, in culture, in healthcare, in sport, and in communities across the United Kingdom.
We are also pleased to be working with our partners at the UK National Archives, with whom we will host a joint webinar later this month, where we can help guide the millions of people in the UK with Irish heritage through the treasure trove of records that is the Irish Census of 1926.
The Release of the 1926 Census
These announcements come in the wake of the landmark release of the 1926 Census on 18 April on www.nationalarchives.ie. Ireland’s National Archives have made the entire census, comprising
over 700,000 individual household returns, freely available and fully searchable online, marking a momentous occasion in Irish history.
The online platform provides an unprecedented resource, allowing users to efficiently navigate detailed household returns and offering a unique snapshot of life one hundred years ago.
The preparation of the 1926 Census for public release has been a monumental project for the Archives. This initiative involves the careful preservation, high-resolution scanning, and transcription of every sheet, making the first census taken after the establishment of the State accessible to genealogists, historians, and members of the public, both in Ireland and around the world.
ENDS
Note for editors
UK based 1926 Census Centenarian ambassadors:
- Mary Bannon, London
- Patrick Kenny, London
- Breda Bridget Robertson, London
Case studies and interviews with selected Centenarian Ambassadors are available upon request For media queries, please contact: press.office@ccs.gov.ie
Media Preview
There is a preview for members of the media to visit the exhibition before it officially opens. This takes place on Thursday 23rd April from 12:30-14:00. To register, please email census1926@finnpartners.com before Tuesday 21st April.
Details of National Archives joint Webinar https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/whats-on/events/1926/
About the National Archives of Ireland
The National Archives of Ireland preserves the memory of the State in the form of its written records. It acquires and protects Ireland’s public records, thereby ensuring their availability as a resource for all. These records relate to the social, cultural, economic and political history of the island of Ireland from the Middle Ages through to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 and into the modern era.