Trinity College Library is of world-wide renown, being one of the five British libraries to which a copy of every published book must be sent. It possesses certain valuable illuminated MS. treasures relating to early Irish history and ancient Irish families. Some noticeable Irish wills are also here deposited. The library, as such, is not open to the public; special permission may, however, be given to read there, if approved by the authorities.
At Christ Church Cathedral a certain number of ancient deeds and other documents have been preserved; particulars as to these can be found in the Reports of the Deputy-Keeper.
These are the principal places in the Irish metropolis where genealogical information can be obtained, and some of them may be found by the searcher to be genuine treasure-houses. This is especially the case with the Irish Record Office, which, as we have seen, preserves most valuable documents of all descriptions.
But if any desirable Parochial Registers are not procurable there, application should be made to the rectors of the parishes in question.
The publications of the Parish Register Society of Dublin might be consulted. The Irish Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead has issued certain volumes which are most valuable, as they record and reproduce the inscriptions on many old Irish tombstones. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, and the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, should also prove valuable to the searcher in Ireland.
CHAPTER VIII
THE PEDIGREE-HUNTER IN SCOTLAND AND THE PROVINCES
The genealogist in Scotland will naturally direct his steps to Edinburgh, where his happy hunting-ground will be the Old Register House.
This, however, is not thrown open to all comers in the hospitable manner experienced at the London Record Office, and application must be made by the genealogist for a special permit allowing him to make investigations in the Historical Search Department.
The General Register House consists of three buildings, and is divided into the Old Register House and the New Register House.
Amongst the important records kept there, the following may be especially mentioned:—