Clare to digitise archival collection

A local authority has confirmed plans to digitise its entire archival collection, which dates back to the early 18th century.

Clare County Council’s collections includes the Roger Casement papers (1913-1916), The Sampson Collection (1790-1961), and the Registers of Electors from 1858.

The finished project, which will be made available for public viewing, will feature a searchable database of previously unseen historical collections.

The archive profiles Ireland’s turbulent history from the pre-famine settlements and granting of lands in Co Clare, the Famine and its evictions, the economic depression in the late 19th century, and the ‘land war’ agitation.

The Clare Heritage Forum, in collaboration with Clare County Archives, has secured a grant from the LEADER fund through Clare Local Development Company to undertake the two-year digitisation project. Additional project funding has been made available by family history website findmypast.ie.

Clare County Archivist Rene Franklin said the securing of grant aid had allowed for the procurement of specialised scanning equipment valued at just under €60,000, allowing for the digitisation of the Archival Collection held in Clare County Archives.

Collections set to be digitised include the Grand Jury Records and Presentment Books (1732-1882).