Louth County Archives

15/07/2026

We are delighted to share that Louth County Archives are receiving funding from the The Heritage Council, as part of the Heritage Stewardship Fund 2026, for the conservation of some of our poor law union archives (Workhouse Board of Guardians) that are in very poor condition.

Under the 1838 Poor Law Act, in response to the widespread destitution, the country was divided into poor law unions, each with its own workhouse and each governed by a Board of Guardians. In Louth there were three such unions: Ardee, Drogheda and Dundalk.

The most voluminous series of archives surviving from the poor law unions are the minute books, which record the proceedings of weekly meetings. These document the running of the workhouses, the collection of rates, correspondence with their central body, the Poor Law Commissioners and others, as well as reports on issues arising in the workhouse, or on the provision of public health, or in relation to local and national events. Attitudes to poverty, the destitute, infirm, or children can be traced and from the late nineteenth century, references to the rise of nationalism can be found. The archives are an invaluable research source for all those who may be interested in the subject including local or social historians.

The archives currently being conserved contain various damage problems such as dirt, mould, tears, or broken spines. Some have suffered very bad damp damage from previous poor storage conditions. Once conserved they will be accessible to everyone for research.

As part of the grant, the County Archives is organising a free Heritage Week event on Tuesday 18th August, between 11.30am – 1.30pm, in the Old Gaol, Ardee Road, Dundalk, A91PY17 entitled ‘Exploring Louth’s Workhouse Archive Collection’: https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/exploring-louths-workhouse-archive-collection

Louth County Council Louth Heritage County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society

26/06/2026

On , we are delighted to highlight a beautiful photograph album relating to Ardee House that was recently donated by John Rafferty, Vice President of the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society. The album, which dates from approximately 1916 to 1920, was presented to John by Mrs Caroline Ballantyne, great-granddaughter of Captain John St Clair Macmillan and Gwendolen Maud Macmillan, who wished that the album be entrusted to Louth County Archives for preservation and research use.

Ardee House was originally built by William Parkinson Ruxton ca 1810 and became the residence of the Macmillan family ca 1916 – 1920. It is now St Joseph’s Nursing Home. The album contains a valuable visual record of Ardee House and its surroundings. It depicts its meadows, gardens, and groves and a tower house, known locally as Flemings Castle.

We have been fortunate to receive many fantastic donations of archive collections over the years, and this wonderful donation is another important addition to the Archive as it documents our changing landscape.

Louth County Council County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society Ardee Town
The Heritage Council Archives and Records Association (Ireland) Explore Your Archive Campaign

26/06/2026

On cataloguing and cleaning work by archives staff on approximately seven hundred Drogheda Corporation leases is taking place. They date from 1652 to the 1780s and are made from parchment (animal skin). The leases are rich in history of names and places in Drogheda. They are an important source for urban history as residential and industrial development can be explored, changes in local topography can be studied, or the social character of parts of the town and names in communities can be traced.

Louth County Council County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society
The Heritage Council Archives and Records Association (Ireland) Explore Your Archive Campaign Old Drogheda Society historyhub.ie

26/06/2026

Today is and Louth County Archives is delighted to highlight a wonderful collection on its Online Digital Archive: the Louth Grand Jury Abstracts of Presentments and Queries of spring & summer assizes (1786 – 1813, 1815 - 1816, 1823 – 1899) can be viewed online by clicking on the link: https://www.louthcoco.ie/en/services/archives/online-digital-archives/louth-grand-jury-query-books/

To assist the searchability within this collection, the digitised volumes have had Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software applied to facilitate full text retrieval; to search for a word / name, use Control F (to Find) and insert the required word in the pop-up search box.

Louth Grand Jury is a predecessor body to Louth County Council. The Abstracts of Presentments and Queries contain 'an abstract of the discharged and undischarged queries and of the new presentments granted by the Grand Jury'. This is a list of proposed and approved works financed by the cess payer on roads and public buildings due to be undertaken by local contractors (names listed). The books are arranged barony by barony and contain many local names, for example, '£9 to be paid to James Hoey, contractor, for making a paved water channel on the road from Kells to Ardee, between Stoney-lane bridge and the chapel of Ardee; securities Patrick Norris and Thomas Hoey' (GJ/005/014, p40). The books also include Grand Jury orders provided at the assizes, the county surveyors' report and expenditure on roads, applotments (valuation of baronies), abstract of accounts of the County Infirmary and County Prison, an account of the receipts and expenditure of Carlingford Harbour, the county treasurer's statement of account, names and details of salaries paid to the Grand Jury and other county officers such as the county surveyor, surveyors assistants, county treasurer, clerk of the peace, various gaol staff, court staff and infirmary staff, in addition to expenditure on the running of the gaol, court, and infirmary. Included at the start of the assizes is a list of Grand Jurors.

Louth County Council County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society
The Heritage Council Explore Your Archive Campaign Archives and Records Association (Ireland)

06/02/2026

“Intervals of Peace: The Civil War Prison Art of Alfred McGloughlin” exhibition remains open until 26th February 2026 during office hours at Louth County Archives and is free to attend. Alfred McGloughlin, who was an artist and a nephew of the leader of the 1916 Rising, Patrick Pearse, was imprisoned from 1922 to 1923, where he kept up his artistic endeavours by drawing fellow prisoners. The portraits include veterans of the Easter Rising and War of Independence.

19/01/2026

📢Have your say!
📊Louth County Council Library Service is developing a new plan for the next 5 years– and we want your ideas.
✅Take the survey at the link in our bio.
🗣Your voice matters!
Louth County Council Libraries Ireland
Louth Library Service

📢Have your say!

📊Louth County Council Library Service is developing a new plan for the next 5 years– and we want your ideas.

✅Take the survey at the link in our bio.

🗣Your voice matters!

Louth County Council Libraries Ireland

07/01/2026

Step back in time and experience “Intervals of Peace: The Civil War Prison Art of Alfred McGloughlin” – a FREE exhibition at Louth County Archives featuring sketches created during the Irish Civil War by artist and revolutionary Alfred McGloughlin.

Don’t miss this chance to explore Ireland’s revolutionary history through art. Plan your visit today!

📅 Exhibition runs until 26 February 2026
📍 Louth County Archives, Old Gaol, Ardee Road, Dundalk

Admission is FREE