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County Meath
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"Meath, a county of Ireland, province of Leinster, bounded N by Cavan, Monaghan, and Louth; E by the Irish Channel and the port of Dublin; S by Kildare; and W by W. Meath, 36 m. long, and 44 1/2 broad. It consists in general of flat pasture land; the soil a rich fertile loam. It is noted for grazing and tillage. Some marshes on the Moynalty river feed an immense number of horses in the summer season; and the Kilcrew hills in the W adjoining Cavan, are remarkable for fattening sheep. The crops commonly cultivated are wheat, oats, barley, clover, flax and potatoes. Principal rivers, the Boyne, the Black Water, the tributary streams of the Nanny, the Rye Water, the Moynalty. Pop. 174,716. Chief town, Trim." [From The New London Gazetteer (1826)]
"COUNTY MEATH, (or East Meath), a large maritime county in the province of Leinster, Ireland. Its boundaries are, counties Cavan, Monaghan, and Louth, on the N.; the Irish Sea and Dublin on the E.; Kildare and Queen's County on the S.; and Westmeath on the W. It extends between 53° 23' to 53° 55' N. lat., and from 6° 13' to 7° 19' W. long. It is 40 miles in length from N. to S., and 47 broad from E. to W., comprising an area of 906 square miles, or 579,899 statute acres, of which 16,033 are uncultivated, 12,767 are plantations, 547,391 arable, 3,244 under water, and 464 occupied by the sites of towns, &c. ...More" [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)] Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
"COUNTY MEATH, a county, of the province of LEINSTER, bounded on the east by Dublin and the Irish Sea; on the north by Louth, Monaghan, and Cavan; on the west by Westmeath; and on the south by the King's county, Kildare, and Dublin. It extends from 53° 23' to 53° 55' (N. Lat.), and from 6° 13' to 7° 19' (W. Lon.); and comprises an area, according to the Ordnance survey, of 567,127 statute acres, of which 561,527 are cultivated land, and 5600 unimproved mountain and bog. The population, in 1821, amounted to 159,183; and in 1831, to 176,826. ....More" [Transcription from A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland - Samuel Lewis - 1837 Mel Lockie ©2013]
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Meath County Council Local Studies
The local history department is currently at the Library Headquarters in Navan.
Railway Street, Navan
Phone: 046-9021134 Email navanlib[at]meathcoco[dot]ie
GPS 53.650382, -6.685581
The Department holds a large collection of items including:
Old Newspapers
Local History Journals
Local Census returns
Schools Folklore Collection from 1937
Local Photographs
A collection of Books and Poetry from Local Authors past and present.
Books and pamphlets produced by Local History Societies
Trade Directories for Meath
Local Workhouse Records
School Registers
Local Historical Maps
Genealogical Material
Lists of cemeteries (and churches with graveyards) within County Meath appear on the webpages covering individual towns or parishes. Those lists are linked to webpages holding details for the individual churches/cemeteries (which may list the available records, and where to find them). Each town/parish page also has a "Nearby Churches" tab, which will display a map showing the locations of churches/cemeteries in that area and adjacent parishes. To access individual town/parish webpages, click on either the "County Map" or the "List of Towns, Villages & Parishes" link below the map above.
Other sources:
- County Meath Cemetery Records - on interment.net
- Meath Cemetery Records - on IGP
- Meath Headstone Photos - on IGP
Lists of churches & cemeteries within County Meath appear on the webpages covering individual towns or parishes. Those lists are linked to webpages holding details for the individual churches/cemeteries. Each town/parish page also has a "Nearby Churches" tab, which will display a map showing the locations of churches/cemeteries in that area and adjacent parishes. To access individual town/parish webpages, click on either the "County Map" or the "List of Towns, Villages & Parishes" link below the map above.
The available records - and where to find them - will in some cases be detailed on the GENUKI webpage covering that particular church (See "Churches" above).
Other Sources:
- Meath Roman Catholic records - on Irish Ancestors
- County Meath; Roman Catholic Records, dates etc - on fianna
Meath Vital Records (BMD) - on IGP
"The chief communications of the county are the Royal canal, the Dublin and Drogheda, and the Dublin and Meath railways; and the coach roads from Navan to Tara, Dunshaughlin, Ratouth, Greenoge, Swords, Clonee, and Dublin; to Duleek, Drogheda, Julianstown, and Gormanstown; to Slane, Tulliallen, Drogheda, Collon, Dundalk, Drumcondra, Carrickmacross, and Monaghan; to Donaghpatrick, Kells, Moynalty, Bailieborough, and Virginia; and, lastly, to Trim, Clonard, Castle-Jordan, Kilcock, and Maynooth. " [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)] Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
County Meath - on wikipedia
Directories, list - on fianna
The transcription for this county from the National Gazetteer (1868), provided by Colin Hinson.
The transcription for this county from the 1837 Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland [Mel Lockie ©2013]
The Ireland Genealogy Project's County Meath page, and its listing of the Project's available Meath Records.
The Irish Ancestors website (subscription) has the following types of records: State Registration of Births, Marriages & Deaths, Census returns, Land records, Church records, Genealogical Office records, Gravestone inscriptions, Directories, Newspapers, Wills, Deeds, and Occupations.
Irish Ancestors' extensive County Meath website.
The LDS FamilySearch Wiki's Ireland Online Genealogy Records for County Meath.
The Fianna website's pages for County Meath provide important addresses and extensive information about online and other genealogy resources.
Roots Ireland (subscription) "offers access to a unique database of more than 20 million Irish records". Its Meath coverage includes Baptismal/Birth Records, Marriage Records, Burial/Death Records, Census Records and Griffith's Valuation (Free Access).
Meath Bulletin Board - Ancestry
Family History at Meath County Council
"This county is divided into 18 baronies, viz: Lower and Upper Deece, Lower and Upper Duleek, Lower and Upper Dunboyne, Fore, Lower and Upper. Kells, Lower and Upper Slane, containing together 140 parishes, and parts of 7 others. Trim is the county and assize town. The next principal and market towns are Navan, Kells, Duleek, Athboy, Slane, and Oldcastle. The first four, with Dunshaughlin, are quarter sessions towns, and the first three, with it and Oldcastle, are Poor-law Unions." [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)] Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
Civil Parishes (with links to the GENUKI webpage relating to each one) are shown on the "County Map" tab above, and listed by clicking the "List of Towns, Villages & Parishes" link above centre. Please note that:
- Some civil parishes straddle county boundaries.
- Some civil parish boundaries have sometimes changed over time, so different sources may differ, depending on the moment-in-time chosen.
- Townlands are listed on each GENUKI civil parish webpage, though some townlands have sometimes moved parishes.
- Some townlands straddle two (or more) parishes, and some straddle county boundaries.
Other sources for civil parishes include:
- Meath civil parishes - on Irish Ancestors
- The county Meath page on logainm.ie .
- The Townlands.ie website.
"The Placenames Database of Ireland was created by Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge in collaboration with The Placenames Branch (Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht). This is a comprehensive management system for data, archival records and placenames research conducted by the State. It is a public resource for Irish people at home and abroad, and for all those who appreciate the rich heritage of Irish placenames."
MEATH, Oaths of Allegiance 1775 - on IGP
Griffiths Valuation 1847/64 on the Ask about Ireland site. Use the search box to bring up entries showing Barony/Parish/Townlands and lists of Occupants
Meath Landowners 1870's - on IGP
Meath Land Records - on IGP
Tithe Applotment Books for county Meath and its parishes are available online on the National Archives of Ireland website (free).
- The Tithe Applotment Books were compiled between 1823 and 1838 as a survey of land in each civil parish to determine the payment of tithes (a religious tax). Unlike Griffith's Valuation they do not cover cities or towns.
Meath Military & Constabulary Records (Irish Constabulary with native county of Meath Nov. 1833 +) - on IGP
Meath Headstone Photos - on IGP
Surnames found County Meath in 1100 thru 1600. - on IGP
Meath Chronicle - at Irish Newspaper Archives
- “The Meath Chronicle was founded in 1887, and has a very proud nationalist tradition. It was one of the first newspapers to call for full Irish Independence in 1916 and was suppressed by the British in 1918, when the authorised removed parts of its printing press.However the Chronicle refused to remain silent and soon circulated once again and continues to be amongst the most widely circulated papers of the midlands......”
Newspaper extracts - on IGP
- Fugitives for debt - Meath Session - 1739
- May 14th 1859 Irish Times. (Co. Meath) Carberry V. Healy
- Freeman's Journal, 24 November 1830 - Repeal of the Union
- Freeman's Journal, 26-Sep-1840 Repeal Association. Rossmaree and Denore, Co. Meath
- Freeman's Journal, 24-October-1840 Repealers
- Freeman's Journal, 27-Oct-1840 Repeal Fund, Rossmaree and Denore, Co. Meath
"The inhabitants are almost entirely agriculturists. 10d. to 1s. a day is paid for farm labourers, without rations. Grazing occupies considerable attention. Some coarse linens are manufactured. " [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)] Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
From Fianna:
Riocht na Midhe (annual)
The Publication Secretary, Meath Archaeological and Historical Society,
Skryne Castle, Tara, Co. Meath
"The county returned 14 members to parliament before the Union; it now sends two representatives to the imperial parliament. Constituency in 1859, 4,383" [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)] Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
"The population in 1851 was 140,750, which had decreased in 1861 to 110,373. "[Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)] Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
Meath Wills - on IGP
"There are about 137 National schools, besides parochial and sectarian schools" [Description from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)] Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2018]
Some information about the schools (in 1868) are sometimes given in "the National Gazetteer" extract on individual GENUKI civil parish webpages.