RESEARCHING INFORMATION IN IRELAND

Ireland and it's counties are sub-divided in a unique way. Counties are divided into parishes and parishes further divided into townlands, the smallest and most significant division these small areas of land can vary in size from a few acres upwards .  This is an ancient method of land measurement and is important to the researcher of  Irish ancestors.  The townlands were the basis of the most important Irish Genealogical Records , known as the Sir Richard Griffith's Valuation of 1848-1865.   There are approximately 62,000 townlands in Ireland.  These townlands can be grouped in bunches of perhaps 5 or more together to form a parish.

However, Griffith's Valuation was taken based upon Poor Law Union.  Poor Law Unions were Superintendant Registrars' Districts by the end of the 19th century.  These districts were areas for poor relief administration established under the Poor Relief  Act of 1838 in Ireland.  These areas frequently centered around large market towns encompassing areas of approximately a 10 mile radius and tended even to cross county boundaries depending upon the Workhouse location.

Paraphrased reposting of information given on Scotch-Irish-L, 19 Oct. 2005 by Robert:

Waringstown (town); County of Down; Parish of  Donaghcloney; Poor Law Union of Lurgan.

See: Welcome to Irish Ancestry at http://www.ulsterancestry.com .