Chronicle deposits its bound volumes with county archive

With the welcome news of the return of the Meath Chronicle back to their original home on Market Square, Meath County Library Service was delighted to accept the donation of the newspaper’s own collection of bound volumes of the newspaper. We now hold a volume for each year of the paper’s existence since 1897. A significant acquisition for the library and one which will be of benefit to researchers of family and social history.

The Library Service also offers the Meath Chronicle on microfilm which is available to consult in the Local Studies Room. This medium has been used extensively by researchers and it is ensures that the original chronicle archive remains in good condition and can be enjoyed by future generations.

Meath County Library Service also makes available via subscription the archives of the main national dailies and most of the regional newspapers via the Irish Newspaper Archive. Each medium has its own merit within the collection. The new acquisition will ensure that we have a complete set of original documents which can be used where gaps are in the microfilm or when images are needed for reproduction.

The Library is itself in a new transition with the appointment of its first permanent archivist. Patricia Fallon joined the staff in April 2021 and has been getting to know the rich collection in the custody of the archive. She had previously worked in archives at county level in the UK and most recently spent time working at the National Archives in Dublin. Meath Archive sits in the County Library on Railway street. The role of the county archives is to preserve the inheritance of the people for present and future generations by preserving, acquiring and making accessible their documented heritage. Collections in Meath include County Council records, records of the Rural District and Urban District Councils, Board of Health and Public Assistance records and Board of Guardian records. There is also a wealth of material from many other diverse collections including the Naper Estate Collection and the Kirkpatrick collection.

Most recently work has been carried out on the historical records of the Clayton Woollen Mills. A hugely important collection for the town, Clayton Mills employed people from when it opened in the 1860s until it closed its door in the 1960s. This vital listing and conservation work will ensure the collection will be safely stored for generations to come.

The Archive welcomes all visitors who are interested in our collections and every assistance will be made to identify the records that will be of interest to you for your research. Members of the public may view the archives and may carry out research in accordance with the rules laid down by the archivist to ensure the safety of the archives.

The archives open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and is by appointment only.