Monivea Heritage Association will launch a limited edition of a copy of the ‘1891 Census of the Monivea Locality ‘ on August 15 at 7 pm in the Fr Sammon Centre Monivea, H65h393.
Details of the ‘1891 Monivea Census’ were transcribed into a copybook by John F. Kennedy. John was a Constable with the R.I.C in Monivea and an enumerator for the 1891 census.
John and his family lived at the Gate Lodge on the Ffrench Estate in Monivea. Many years later when the Gate Lodge was being cleared, John’s great grandson Paddy Moyles found the copy book. Paddy has kindly loaned it to the Monivea Heritage Association for publication.
Most census records prior to 1901 have been lost, with a few exceptions. The census returns for 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 were destroyed in 1922 in the fire at the Public Record Office at the beginning of the Civil War.
The original census returns for 1861 and 1871 were deliberately destroyed shortly after the census were taken. The census for 1881 and 1891 were pulped during the First World War, probably because of the paper shortage.
Thus, the record of the Monivea 1891 census is valuable from a cultural, heritage and genealogical point of view.
At the launch, Dr Brian Gurrin, Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, research specialist and census specialist will make a short academic presentation on the significance of the publication and how it enhances knowledge of the lives of people in the locality in 1891.
The book contains rare details also such as hours worked by the enumerator and payments due to him, as well as retrospective personal notes on immigration.A limited number of copies have been reproduced and printed and will be available on the night for €10.
The association hope to publish further work on this census at a later stage.
Local families, heritage groups and those with an interest in genealogy and family history are warmly invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served after the launch.
