For any Family Tree researcher and historian, one of the difficulties is that Irish based research is hampered by certain factors.

Full government censuses were taken of the whole island in 1821, 1831, 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 1901, and 1911.

The first four, for 1821, 1831, 1841, and 1851, were largely destroyed in 1922 when there was a major fire at the Public Record Office. Only a few surviving fragments survive, some of which are accessible through county sources.

Those for 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891 were completely destroyed earlier, by order of the government.

Only the 1901 now remains available.

However, some fragments remain through such areas as newspaper extracts, local record offices and Family History groups.