Ordnance Survey Memoirs

The North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS) has a complete set of Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ulster parishes published by the Institute of Irish Studies at the Queen’s University of Belfast.  These 40 volumes plus the comprehensive index of the names of people and places provide a wealth of supporting information for genealogists writing about their family history and are shelved with the Journals in the Irish Journal Room under shelfmark IR 070.

OS Memoirs Index VolumeWhen Ireland was first mapped by the Ordnance Survey a Memoir was written between 1821 and 1840 on each parish, starting at the north coast but, by the time the Survey reached the southern part of Ulster, the Memoirs were discontinued. The best of the Memoirs paint an extraordinarily detailed picture of life in those parishes before the Great Famine.  Not only do they cover the topography of the parish and descriptions of the principal features and buildings but they also describe many aspects of the lives of the inhabitants, such as health, education, housing, food, dress, amusements and customs, thereby providing genealogists with much background information for writing an informative and interesting family history.  As will be seen by the number of parishes and towns treated in each volume, the coverage varies considerably from parish to parish, with those in Cos Londonderry and Antrim being particularly well described.  Many individuals are named and perhaps the most complete description is that of Coagh in Co Tyrone, in Volume 20 – it names most of the households there with details of their farming stock.

Ordnance Survey Memoirs

The following table shows which volume contains which parishes and towns; places followed by a cross, +, are mentioned in two volumes as they cross county boundaries.

Not surveyed
Armagh Belfast Cookstown Downpatrick Killybegs Strabane
Published elsewhere
Templemore
IR 070-001
Vol 1
Co Armagh
Ballymore Ballymyre Clonfeacle Creggan Drumcree Eglish Forkhill Jonesborough Keady Kilclooney Killevy Kilmore (Co Armagh) Loughgall Loughgilly Lurgan Markethill Montiaghs Mullaghbrack Newtownhamilton Portadown Seagoe Tandragee Tartaraghan Tynan Shankill+ Killyman+
IR 070-002
Vol 2
Co Antrim
Ballymartin Ballyrobert Ballywater Carnmoney Glengormley Mallusk Newtownabbey
IR 070-003
Vol 3
Co Down
Castlewellan Clonallan Clonduff Donaghmore (Co Down) Drumballyrony Drumgath Drumgooland Kilbroney Kilcoo Kilkeel Kilmegan Newcastle Newry Rathfriland Rostrevor Warrenpoint
IR 070-004
Vol 4
Co Fermanagh
Aghalurcher+ Aghavea Brookeborough Clones (Co Fermanagh) Derrybrusk Drummully Enniskillen Galloon Kinawley Lisnaskea Maguiresbridge Newtownbutler Tempo Tomregan
IR 070-005
Vol 5
Co Tyrone
Aghalurcher+ Ardstaw Augher Cappagh Castlederg Clogher Donacavey Donaghedy Dromore (Co Tyrone) Drumragh Fintona Fivemiletown Kilskeery Leckpatrick Longfield (East) Longfield (Lower) Longfield (West) Newtownstewart Omagh Termonamongan
IR 070-006
Vol 6
Co Londonderry
Arboe Artrea+ Ballyronan Bellaghy Castledawson Magherafelt Termoneeny Ballyscullion+ Ballinderry+ Moneymore+
IR 070-007
Vol 7
Co Down
Ardkeen Ardquin Ballyhalbert Ballyphilip Ballytrustan Ballywalter Bangor Castleboy Comber Donaghadee Donaghdee Drumbo Dundonald Grey Abbey Holywood Inishargy Killinchy Kilmood Knockbreda Newtownards Portaferry Saintfield Slanes Tullynakill Witter Drumbeg+
IR 070-008
Vol 8
Co Antrim
Drumbeg+ Derryaghy Dunmurry Lambeg Blaris (Lisburn)+ Lisburn+
IR 070-009
Vol 9
Co Londonderry
Balteagh Drumachose (Newtownlimavady) Limavady
IR 070-010
Vol 10
Co Antrim
Ballygalley Carncastle & Killyglen Island Magee Killyglen Kilwaughter Larne+
IR 070-011
Vol 11
Co Londonderry
Aghanloo Dunboe Magilligan
IR 070-012
Vol 12
Co Down
Shankill+ Aghaderg Annaclone Annahilt Banbridge Donaghcloney Dromara Dromore (Co Down) Garvaghy Gilford Hillsborough Loughbrickland Magheralin Magherally Moira Seapatrick Tullylish Blaris (Lisburn)+ Lisburn+
IR 070-013
Vol 13
Co Antrim
Ardclinis Broughshane Carnlough Cushendall Dunaghy Dundermot Glenarm Inispollan Layd Loughguile Newtown Crommelin Racavan Skerry Tickmacrevan
IR 070-014
Vol 14
Co Fermanagh
Ballinamallard Belleek Boho Cleenish Derrygonnelly Derryvullan Devenish Drumkeeran Ederny Garrison Inishmacsaint Irvinestown Kesh Killesher Lisbellaw Magheracross Magheraculmoney Rossorry Trory Templecarn+
IR 070-015
Vol 15
Co Londonderry
Dungiven
IR 070-016
Vol 16
Co Antrim
Ballymoney Billy Bushmills Derrykeighan Drumtullagh Dunluce Giant’s Causeway Kilraghts Ballyrashane+ Ballywillin+
IR 070-017
Vol 17
Co Down
Ardglass Ballee Ballyculter Ballykinler Ballynahinch Bright Crossgar Down Dunsfort Inch (Co Down) Kilclief Killough Killyleagh Kilmore (Co Down) Loughinisland Magheradrool Rathmullan (Co Down) Saul Strangford
IR 070-018
Vol 18
Co Londonderry
Curran Maghera Swatragh Tamlaght O’Crilly
IR 070-019
Vol 19
Co Antrim
Connor Cranfield Drummaul Duneane Kells Randalstown Shilvodan Toome Ballyscullion+
IR 070-020
Vol 20
Co Tyrone
Killyman+ Aghaloo Artrea+ Aughnacloy Ballyclog Ballygawley Bodony Carnteel Clogherny Clonroe Coalisland Desertcreat Donaghenry Drumglass Dungannon Errigal Keerogue Kildress Killeeshil Moy Pomeroy Stewartstown Tamlaght Lissan+ Ballinderry+
IR 070-021
Vol 21
Co Antrim
Aghagallon Aghalee Ballinderry (Co Antrim) Camlin Glenavy Lough Neagh Lower Ballinderry Magheragall Magheramesk Tullyrusk Crumlin+
IR 070-022
Vol 22
Co Londonderry
Ballyrashane+ Aghadowey Agivey Kildollagh Macosquin
IR 070-023
Vol 23
Co Antrim
Ahoghill Ballyclug Ballymena Cloughmills Cullybackey Finvoy Galgorm Gracehill Killagan Kirkinriola Portglenone Rasharkin
IR 070-024
Vol 24
Co Antrim
Armoy Ballintoy Ballycastle Church Bay Culfeightrin Cushendun Ramoan Rathlin Island
IR 070-025
Vol 25
Co Londonderry
Ballykelly Bovevagh Tamlaght Finlagan
IR 070-026
Vol 26
Co Antrim
Larne+ Ballycarry Glynn Inver Kilroot Templecorran Whitehead
IR 070-027
Vol 27
Co Londonderry
Desertoghill Errigal Garvagh Killeagh Kilrea
IR 070-028
Vol 28
Co Londonderry
Claudy Cumber (Lower) Cumber (Upper) Mullaboy Park
IR 070-029
Vol 29
Co Antrim
Antrim Ballyclare Doagh Doagh Donegore Kilbride Parkgate
IR 070-030
Vol 30
Co Londonderry
Banagher Feeny
IR 070-031
Vol 31
Co Londonderry
Lissan+ Ballynascreen Desertlyn Desertmartin Draperstown Kilcronaghan Tobermore Moneymore+
IR 070-032
Vol 32
Co Antrim
Ballycor Ballyeaston Ballylinny Ballynure Glenoe Glenwhirry Raloo Rashee Straid
IR 070-033
Vol 33
Co Londonderry
Ballywillin+ Ballyaghran Coleraine Killowen Portrush Portstewart
IR 070-034
Vol 34
Co Londonderry
Derry (Waterside) Drumahoe New Buildings Waterside (Derry)
IR 070-035
Vol 35
Co Antrim
Crumlin+ Carmavy Dunadry Killead Masserene Moyadam Muckamore Nilteen Six Mile Water Templepatrick Umgall
IR 070-036
Vol 36
Co Londonderry
Eglinton Faughanvale Muff (Co L’Derry)
IR 070-037
Vol 37
Co Antrim
Carrickfergus
IR 070-038
Vol 38
Co Donegal
Buncrana Burt Carndonagh Carrigart Clondavaddog Clonmany Culdaff Desertegney Donagh (Co Donegal) Inch (Co Donegal) Killygarvan Kilmacrenan Lough Swilly Mevagh Milford Mintiaghs (Bar of Inch) Moville Muff (Co Donegal) Ramelton Rathmullan (Co Donegal) Rosnakill Tamney Tullyaughnish
IR 070-039
Vol 39
Co Donegal
Templecarn+ Ballybofey Ballyshannon Castlefinn Clonleigh Convoy Conwal Donaghmore (Co Donegal) Donegal Drumhome Falcarragh Fintown Glencolumkille Gortahork Inishkeel Kilbarron Killea & Taughboyne Killymard Kilteevoge Leck Letterkenny Lifford Manorcunningham Mountcharles Newtowncunningham Raphoe Raymoghy St Johnstown Stranorlar Taughboyne Tullaghobegley Urney
IR 070-040
Vol 40
Cos Cavan, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan & Sligo
Aclare Achonry Ahabog Aughnamullen Ballybay Ballymascanlon Ballymote Ballysadare Carlingford Carrickmacross Castleblayney Castletown Cavan Clontibret Cootehill Currin Donagh (Co Monaghan) Donaghmoyne Drum Drumgoon Drumloman Drung Ematris Emlaghfad Enniskeen Errigal Truagh Inniskeen Killanny Killdrumsherdan Killoran & Kilvarnet Kilmacteighe Kilmore (Co Monaghan) Kingscourt Laragh Machaire Ross (Magheross) Magheracloone Manorhamilton Manorhamilton Barony Monaghan Muckno Newbliss Rockcorry Scothouse Sligo Tydavnet (Tedavet) Tyholland (Tehallan)
IR 070-041
Index