Six well-known figures delve into the 1926 Census archive

Joseph O’Connor, Eileen Walsh, Louise Duffy, Mick Lynch, Gormfhlaith Ní Thuairisg and Dermot Bannon take a personal look at life 100yrs ago in new TV documentary series  

First episode airs Sunday May 3 on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player at 6:30pm

To mark the landmark release of the 1926 Census, Come to your Census, a new RTÉ documentary series, follows six well-known figures as they step back in time to explore Ireland’s past in deeply personal ways.

In April 1926, Ireland carried out its first census as a Free State. Now, one hundred years later, the National Archives of Ireland has made these historic records available online, in full and free to the public. Taking part in this two-part documentary series are novelist and University of Limerick lecturer Joseph O’Connor, RTÉ Radio 1’s Louise Duffy, retired trade unionist Mick Lynch, Room to Improve’s Dermot Bannon, Raidió na Gaeltachta presenter Gormfhlaith Ní Thuairisg and actor Eileen Walsh, who also narrates the series.

With exclusive access to the 1926 Census, the six participants were guided by archivists from the National Archives and expert historians as they uncovered remarkable stories about the people and communities that came before them.

In the first episode airing this weekend on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, retired trade unionist Mick Lynch traces his father’s family back to the now-derelict lanes of Cork city’s former slums, uncovering the story of his widowed grandmother who was raising a young family alone. In Conamara, Raidió na Gaeltachta presenter Gormfhlaith Ní Thuairisg explores the role the Irish language played in shaping her family’s identity and values. And in Waterford, architect Dermot Bannon reveals the stark reality for a small town living in the shadow of an Industrial school for children.

In the second episode on Sunday 10 May, author Joseph O’Connor traces his family’s roots in Dublin’s Liberties, uncovering a community that influenced several generations of his family. In Cork, actor Eileen Walsh sets out to discover the story of her grandfather, a young revolutionary. And in Mayo, RTÉ Radio 1 radio presenter Louise Duffy explores the powerful roles played by women in the rural community where she grew up.

Come to your Census starts Sunday 3 May at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and continues on Sunday 10 May.

The TV documentary series is accompanied by a podcast series also titled Come to your Census hosted by historian Liz Gillis. Joined by archivists and fellow historians – all of whom were granted early access to the records before they were issued to the public – Liz unpacks some of the key themes that emerge from the pages of the 1926 census. Over six episodes, the series reveals the stories, communities and social changes that shaped Ireland during the early years of the Free State. Listen now at: rte.ie/podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

ENDS 

Sarah Neville, RTÉ Communications