1926 Census: GDPR Hurdles, 1200 Centenarians, April 18 Release, Ambassadors Named

The 1926 census presented GDPR challenges due to the need to contact 1,200 centenarians for data release consent before its April 18th public opening. The Department of Social Protection, possessing the necessary data, handled the contact. Some individuals opted for redaction, while about 60 became centenarian ambassadors, receiving commemorative items. National Archives director Orlaith McBride noted the surprising number of nuns among the ambassadors, echoing observed longevity trends in religious orders. Sr Miriam Twohig (102) is among the ambassadors.

The National Archives team began work in August 2023, processing 2,496 books compiled by 2,000 gardaí. Conservation involved cleaning and repairing 70,000 pages, requiring 1,526 days of labor for scanning 750,000 pages. Fifty staff members checked handwritten entries for accuracy. McBride acknowledged a potential margin of error, aiming for maximum correctness by April 18th. While the census allowed Irish or English responses, only about 1 percent were in Irish. The census also revealed employer information, rural demographics (52 percent farmers), boarding house prevalence, and professions like lamplighters.

The census included data from Ardnacrusha, showing 700 workers and a German presence, as well as information on industrial schools, Magdalene laundries, and prisons. The State's population decreased by 5 percent from 1911 to 1926, with a 32 percent drop in the Protestant population. Senior conservator Jessica Baldwin emphasized the team's dedication to public access, aided by additional conservators and funding.

The 1926 census is expected to draw international interest, given the large-scale Irish emigration in the 1950s and the millions of people with Irish ancestry in countries like Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The 1926 Census records are available at nationalarchives.ie.