Heritage and Events

Introduction

The Registry of Deeds comprises a significant and globally unique repository of property records which are of immense importance to the Irish State.

The Registration of Deeds Act (Ireland) 1707 cited that the Registry’s primary function was to formalise the transfer of land and to provide security of tenure by recording the existence of deeds and conveyances affecting a property. The system of registration, born in the context of the Penal Laws in Ireland, was intended to prevent perceived fraud and forgeries at the hands of Catholics in Ireland. Registration was not mandatory but there was significant uptake in Ireland, providing a comprehensive record of Ireland’s land and property transactions from the early 18th century to the present day.

These records are a unique resource for Ireland’s social and economic history and cultural heritage. The completeness of the collection is particularly valuable in the context of the destruction of the Public Record Office at the Four Courts in 1922.

Registry of Deeds Digitisation Strategy

In February 2023, we published Preserve, Protect and Promote Access: Registry of Deeds Digitisation Strategy 2023-2025. 

The vision outlined in the strategy is:

"To preserve, protect and promote access to the unique Registry of Deeds public records, ensuring our records are accessible and discoverable for all."

The mission is:

"To develop a sustainable, scalable digitisation programme for the Registry of Deeds public records in a manner which safeguards the original records, digital surrogates, and property rights, and visibly contributes to the preservation and promotion of Ireland’s cultural heritage."

This new, rolling strategy identifies four main goals and related actions which will allow us to develop our digitisation capabilities and outputs over the next three years.

Registry of Deeds Digitisation Strategy PDF

Heritage Events

The Registry of Deeds Archive Services runs an annual program of events (including lectures, tours, seminars) to support people to access our collections and to increase public engagement and enjoyment of the historical records we hold. 

Join our Mailing List 

If you would like to be notified about upcoming events and heritage developments, please download and complete our Mailing List Form and return by email to heritage@tailte.ie.

Our Heritage Blog

Our Heritage Blogs are used to share information about our history, our activities and our collections.