One of the easiest and most dreaded research mistakes is to miss a record you didn’t know about. This isn’t helped by some sites discouraging inmates from peeking over their garden wall (I’m looking at you, Ancestry). But there are now multiple online transcripts of many record-sets, done at different times and (sometimes) using different copies. Each has its own flaws and holes and if you don’t keep an eye out, you can easily fall down the gap. I know. I’ve done it.
The three major collections of online Catholic register transcripts are the local heritage centres’ pricey transcripts at Rootsireland, Ancestry and FindMyPast’s transcripts of the National Library of Ireland microfilms, free to view after registration, and an entirely separate collection on Ancestry only, of which more below.
Driven as ever by Fear of Missing a Relevant Record (henceforth “FOMARR”), years ago I started listing discrepancies between Rootsireland and the NLI. The table at the bottom of this post tries to give an overview of all the differences. Doubtless there are errors and omissions. Please let me know.
The third collection is not possible to include, because it’s just a pile of (wonderfully clear) images of (bits of) 76 Catholic parish registers, some coming right up into the 20th century. A full list is here. The images really are exceptional – compare the first page of Bantry register on NLI and this Ancestry collection:
But Ancestry just piles ’em high and lets researchers sort ’em out. It’s hard not to conclude that they don’t know their arse from their elbow. The problem is that Ancestry has so many arses and so many elbows.
More in the YouTube video
Catholic Registers with discrepant transcripts
| County | Parish | Comment |
| ANTRIM | Ahoghill | Rootsireland lists baptisms from 1844 but they actually start in 1864. Elsewhere baptisms are recorded from 1833. |
| Ballymoney | Rootsireland has eight years of marriages not found elsewhere. | |
| ARMAGH | Ballymacnab | Rootsireland has 25 years of early baptisms missed by NLI |
| Derrynoose | Rootsireland has 17 years of early baptisms missed by NLI | |
| CAVAN | Moybologue | The earliest NLI baptismal register is 40 years before the Rootsireland transcript |
| CORK | Aghada | Rootsireland has an 18th-century baptismal register missed by NLI |
| Glounthane | The local parish has records almost 50 years earlier than NLI | |
| Newmarket | NLI has 13 years of early baptisms missing from Rootsireland | |
| Shandrum | Rootsireland has two 18th-century registers missed by NLI | |
| Cork city: St. Mary’s | The only transcripts are by Ancestry and FindMyPast from NLI microfilm | |
| DONEGAL | Kilbarron | NLI has 5 years of early baptisms missed by the LDS and Rootsireland |
| DUBLIN | Artane, Coolock, Clontarf, Santry | No NLI microfilm. Rootsireland from 1777 |
| Ballybrack | No NLI microfilm. Rootsireland baptisms from 1841 | |
| Bohernabreena | No NLI microfilm. IrishGenealogy baptisms from 1868 | |
| Dublin city: St. Michael and John’s | Earlier baptism register on IrishGenealogy | |
| Naul | No NLI microfilm. Rootsireland records from 1832 | |
| Sandyford | Earlier baptismal register on IrishGenealogy | |
| GALWAY | Cappataggle | Rootsireland has an 18th-century baptismal register missed by NLI |
| St. Nicholas (Galway city) | NLI has 17th and 18th-century fragments missed by Roostireland | |
| Killascobe | Rootsireland (and the LDS) have a very early fragmentary register missed by NLI | |
| Loughrea | Rootsireland has an early baptismal register missed by NLI | |
| Moycullen | NLI has 4 early baptismal and marriage registers missed by Rootsireland | |
| Rahoon | Rootsireland has an early baptismal register missed by NLI | |
| KERRY | Killorglin | No NLI microfilm. Transcribed from 1798 on IrishGenealogy. |
| Dingle | Baptisms 1828-1837 missing from IrishGenealogy, covered by NLI | |
| Moyvane | 25 years of early baptism and marriage records on IrishGenealogy, missing from NLI | |
| Sneem | Early baptism and marriage records on IrishGenealogy, missing from NLI | |
| KILDARE | Athy | Rootsireland has an 18th-century baptismal register missed by NLI |
| Ballymore Eustace | NLI has an earlier baptismal register | |
| Clane (Rathcoffey) | NLI has several earlier registers than Rootsireland | |
| Kill | Several early registers on Rootsireland (and Ancestry) not covered by NLI | |
| KILKENNY | Ballycallan | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland |
| Graignamanagh | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Kilkenny city: St. John’s | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland | |
| Kilmacow | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Mullinavat | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Galmoy | Earlier baptismal register on NLI | |
| LAOIS (QUEEN’S) | Mayo and Doonane | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland |
| LEITRIM | Bornacoola | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland |
| Kiltoghart | Rootsireland include records of Kiltoghart-Murhan missing from NLI | |
| Oughteragh | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| LIMERICK | Bruff, Grange and Gilnogra | Rootsireland has an 18th-century baptismal register missed by NLI |
| Feenagh | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Limerick city: St. Patrick’s | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland | |
| Monagea | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| LONDONDERRY | Ballinascreen (Draperstown) | NLI has 2 early baptism and marriage registers missed by PRONI and Rootsireland |
| Tamlaghtard | Rootsireland has an early baptismal register missed by NLI | |
| LOUTH | Dunleer | Much earlier baptismal registers on Rootsireland |
| Togher | Rootsireland includes baptisms and marriages 1829-1868 missing from NLI | |
| MAYO | Backs | Several early registers on Rootsireland (and Ancestry) not covered by NLI |
| Ballycastle | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Burrishoole | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Crossboyne and Taugheen | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland | |
| Kilbeagh | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Kilcommon Erris | No NLI microfilm. Transcribed from 1860 on Rootsireland | |
| Kilvine | No NLI microfilm. Transcribed from 1870 on Rootsireland | |
| Tourmakeady | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland | |
| MEATH | Donymore (Curraha) | Earlier baptismal register on NLI |
| Kildalkey | No NLI microfilm. Transcribed from 1782 on Rootsireland | |
| MONAGHAN | Donaghmoyne | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland |
| Killanny | Earlier baptismal register on NLI | |
| OFFALY | Aghancon | Much earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland |
| Lusmagh | Earlier baptismal fragment on NLI | |
| Tullamore | Earlier baptismal fragment on NLI | |
| ROSCOMMON | Oran | No NLI microfilm. Rootsireland from 1865 |
| Roscommon and Kilteevan | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| SLIGO | Castleconnor | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland |
| Geevagh | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Sligo: St. John’s | Earlier baptismal, marriage and burial registers on Rootsireland | |
| TYRONE | Dungannon | Rootsireland has an early baptismal register missed by NLI |
| WATERFORD | Aglish | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland |
| Ardmore | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Clonmel: Ss Peter and Paul | NLI has earlier marriage registers | |
| Killea | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Modeligo | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland | |
| Stradbally | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland | |
| Waterford city: Ballybricken | Earlier marriage register on Rootsireland | |
| Waterford city: St. John’s | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on NLI | |
| Waterford city: St. Patrick’s and St. Olaf’s | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers on Rootsireland | |
| WESTMEATH | Nougheval | No NLI microfilm. Rootsireland from 1857 |
| WICKLOW | Arklow | Earlier baptismal fragment on NLI |
| Blessington | Earlier baptismal and marriage registers at Rootsireland | |
| Roundwood | Earlier baptismal register on Rootsireland. Earlier marriage register on NLI | |
Hi John,
Thanks for the exhaustive detail. Can you tell us where the records at irishgenealogy.ie fall in all of this – are they they same as one of the other 3 sources that you mention or are the different scans yet again?
Given how poor many scans are, I’m also curious as to where the originals of these registers exist now and whether any of them are accessible, either to individuals or to any new scanning project.
IrishGenealogy Church records cover only about 20% of the island and consist of three types of transcript:
1. From NLI manuscripts for the Catholic diocese of Cork and Ross (west Cork) and Dublin (part), so duplicating the microfilm transcripts on Ancestry/FindMyPast. (and mostly only up to 1880)
2. From transcripts of Catholic records done by local heritage centres in Kerry and Dublin (up to 1900)
3. From fresh scans of Church of Ireland records from Carlow, Kerry and Dublin city
Thanks! I didn’t realise how lucky I was to be from west Cork! (well, I did, but not from the genealogy point of view).
Thanks for this. It answers a question I had about records for Bornacoola. I’ve seen some baptisms from the 1840s on RootsIreland, with no linked image. Apparently the Family History Library has the microfilm. Hope to make a trip there someday.
I live just a few block from the Family History Library. If you have a film number and your family’s names, dates I could take a look for you. The library’s hours are mostly still restricted to the same hours and days that I work but I’ll try to get there when they’re open on a Saturday. Mary
Nice elbow.
John, you have made me laugh. The Catholic registers with discrepant transcripts is extremely helpful. It is another reminder to search in multiple places. Thank you for posting the information.
That’s a lot of work, John.
Thanks very much for sharing it.
John,
These records can be frustrating. I happened to stumble across some records which may be my forebears. Ancestry has them listed as Galway records. I was almost positive the family came from Laois, so almost ignored them. Glad I didn’t because the records give Rathdowney and Ballinakill as places of residence, so seems they should be from a Laois parish? So why does Ancestry have them as Galway?? Perhaps the trouble is that I am not well versed in which churches belonged to which dioceses, but frustrating in any event!
Thank you for this very informative information.
Hi John,
What became of County Down?
Carolyn L.
Darn, someone noticed. The Down Catholic listings on Rootsireland look chaotic and I don’t trust them.
Catholic baptisms for Dingle from spring of 1828 through 1837 are missing from IrishGenealogy.ie. They are available at the National Library.
Thank you! Now added to the list
Where can I find church records from County Clare?
I’ve just started researching a family from County Clare and have found parish records at a couple of the websites John listed in this blog post. In my experience thus far, Ancestry.com’s indexing doesn’t seem to be as accurate as the local indexes (only certain parishes) available as spreadsheet files on the Clare Library’s site:
https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/library/local-studies/catholic_parish_records.htm
BTW, that same library has some other nice resources for genealogists: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/index.htm. Look for the “County Clare” box at the bottom right for useful links.
This list looks like it will be invaluable. Thank you for all the work pulling it together!
I am looking for Catholic Baptismal Records for Suttons Parish and Wexford from 1800 – 1820. Where would I begin to search for these records.
There are no records before 1824 – see https://www.johngrenham.com/records/rc_church.php?county=Wexford&parish=Suttons&churchid=575
Thank you John
Hello
I am looking for Baptismal and birth records for Suttons Parish Co. Wexford for the years 1800 – 1820. Apart from the NLI microfilm where would I access parish records for the time period? Is the website Rootsireland a reputable and useful source?
Thank you
Kevin Flynn
Crossabeg, Wexford, on your site it is said to have baptism records from 1794 held by Co. Wexford Heritage and Genealogy Society (and marriage and burial records too) but not available on Rootsireland yet. NLI have only got baptism records from 1854 on.