The Archbishops of Armagh acted in a number of overlapping capacities: as Primates of All Ireland, with a direct relationship with Rome and Churches overseas, and with primatial authority and Prerogative Court jurisdiction over all-Ireland; as Metropolitans of the province of Armagh (and after 1839 of the province of Tuam as well); as Diocesans of the archdiocese of Armagh; and as great officers of state, chairmen of various boards and commissions, and governors, trustees or officials of various charitable foundations. Moreover, the Church over which they presided was, especially in the 19th century, in a state of reorganisation, rationalisation and, quite simply, flux, manifest most clearly in the frequent unions and disunions of archbishoprics, bishoprics and parishes.
-Extracted from a full account of the Armagh Diocesan Registry Papers in the PRONI catalogue: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni
Archival History ↴
Unknown
Immediate Source Acquisition ↴
Unknown
Content & Structure
Scope & Content: Diocese of Armagh ↴
The Armagh Diocesan Registry archive relates to the primacy, the province and the archdiocese of Armagh, 1240, 1291 and 1360-1977. It includes: archbishops’ registers, 1360-1543, 1678-1719, and 1878-1943; historical compilations, 1360-1774, which include rent rolls relating to church lands, inquisitions, etc; correspondence, etc, 1615-1957, relating to schools and education, mainly in the archdiocese of Armagh, including Armagh Royal School and the Erasmus Smith endowment; correspondence, legal papers, accounts, etc, 1713-1934, relating to various charities such as Hugh Boyd’s Charity, the Vaughan Charity and Jackson’s Charity; visitation returns and papers, 1617-1973; and title deeds, leases, rentals, maps, and surveys relating to church lands, 1606-1910.
-Extracted from a full account of the Armagh Diocesan Registry Papers in the PRONI catalogue: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni
Appraisal Destruction ↴
Permanent Retention
Arrangement ↴
The arrangement which has been established is based on two principles:
1. The papers have been arranged in an order which progressively narrows in geographical scope. Sections DIO/4/2-DIO/4/3 cover all-Ireland and the rest of the world; DIO/4/4-DIO/4/14 cover all-Ireland; DIO/4/15-DIO/4/21 cover the metropolitan provinces of Cashel, Dublin and Tuam; DIO/4/22-DIO/4/28 cover the metropolitan province of Armagh; and DIO/4/29-DIO/4/40 cover the archdiocese of Armagh. This does not mean that all the papers about, say, the archdiocese of Armagh will be found in sections DIO/4/29-DIO/4/40 – many will be found, for example, in DIO/4/2. But it does mean that, beyond DIO/4/2-3, virtually no papers will be found which relate to places outside Ireland. The greater does not exclude the lesser, but the lesser does exclude the greater.
2. Where physically possible, and where appropriate, papers have been arranged under the smallest administrative unit to which they relate; outside the archdiocese of Armagh, this is the diocese (or other archdiocese), and within the archdiocese of Armagh, this is the parish. The caveat about physical possibility refers to the papers in volume form.
Thus the collection is arranged as follows:
DIO/4/1 Lists and calendars of the archive
DIO/4/2 Primates’ registers
DIO/4/3 Metropolitan communications
DIO/4/4 Visitation, rental and account books
DIO/4/5 Historical compilations
DIO/4/6 Ecclesiastical law
DIO/4/7 Papers about the Prerogative Court of Armagh
DIO/4/8 Papers about education, on an all-Ireland basis, and excluding papers on individual parish schools
DIO/4/9 Charities
DIO/4/10 Papers about Convocation and the General Synod
DIO/4/11 Primate’s general role
DIO/4/12 Church journals, magazines and other printed matter
DIO/4/13 Papers which reflect the private capacities of various Armagh functionaries
DIO/4/14 Genuinely miscellaneous papers, mostly of uncertain provenance
DIO/4/15 Papers about the dioceses of Cashel, Emly, Lismore and Waterford, a couple of them relating to other diocese within the provinces of Cashel
DIO/4/16 Small envelope of papers about the dioceses of Aghadoe, Ardfert and Limerick
DIO/4/17 Cork, Cloyne and Ross
DIO/4/18 Killaloe, Kilfenora and Kilmacduagh
DIO/4/19 Dublin, Kildare and Glendalough
DIO/4/20 Ferns, Leighlin and Ossory
DIO/4/21 Tuam, Achonry and Killala
DIO/4/22 Surveys, maps and plans of lands and buildings within the province of Armagh
DIO/4/23 Triennal visitations, etc
DIO/4/24 Papers about the dioceses of Ardagh, Elphin and Kilmore
DIO/4/25 Papers about the diocese of Clogher
DIO/4/26 Papers about the dioceses of Down, Connor and Dromore
DIO/4/27 Papers about the dioceses of Derry and Raphoe
DIO/4/28 Papers about the diocese of Meath
DIO/4/29 Visitation and other returns and papers about the clergy of the archdiocese of Armagh
DIO/4/30 Marriage notice books, etc
DIO/4/31 Papers about confirmations in the archdiocese of Armagh
DIO/4/32 Individual parishes
DIO/4/33 Title deeds and inquisitions
DIO/4/34 Leases
DIO/4/35 Rentals
DIO/4/36 Archbishops of Armagh
DIO/4/37 Cathedral functionaries
DIO/4/38 Registrars
DIO/4/39 Consistorial Court
DIO/4/40 Armagh City and neighbourhood
Conditions of Access & Use
Access Conditions
The collection can be consulted in the reading room in PRONI in accordance with PRONI's rules and regulations.
http://www.proni.gov.uk/proni_rules_and_regulations_2011
Conditions Governing Reproduction
Items may be copied for personal research use only. If a researcher wishes to publish any documents from this collection, a request must be submitted in writing to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Creation Dates
1356-1977
Extent Medium
409 volumes + c 17,655 documents
Material Language Script
English
Finding Aids
A descriptive list is available to search online at: http://www.proni.gov.uk/
Archive Web Link →
Allied Materials
Copies Information
Microfilm copies: MIC563 Selected Items from DIO/4 (Armagh Diocesan Registry)
Publication Note
'A Handbook of British Chronology' edited by Powicke and Fryde (2nd ed., London, 1961)
Descriptive Control Area
Archivist Note
Natalie Milne
Rules/Conventions
ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description. 2nd ed. Ottawa: International Council on Archives, 2000.
National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names. Chippenham: National Council on Archives, 1997.
UK Archival Thesaurus (UKAT)
