100 Key Records Unveiled To Mark PRONI Centenary

One hundred key records spanning more than 800 years have been unveiled to mark the centenary of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). The records have been carefully collated to showcase Northern Ireland's "historical, social and cultural" history, said Department for Communities Permanent Secretary Colum Boyle at a celebration event to mark 100 years of the establishment of PRONI. Selected records include: • The oldest document currently held by PRONI - a Papal Bull by Pope Honorious III dating back to 1219 • A lonely-hearts letter written to the Mayor of Belfast in 1935 from a Seattle man seeking a "colleen" for "matrimony…..knowing full well that the very best of people in the world come from the North of Ireland" • Notebooks and letters related to accounts of the Battle of the Boyne and the Easter Rising • Glens of Antrim song written in Irish from 1810 and a copy of Danny Boy Manuscript (1870 – 1914) • Correspondence from Wolfe Tone (1798) • Copy of Amy Carmichael's Bible (1906) • Court cases including that of Sarah McAllister from Cushendall who was accused in 1892 of murdering a four-year-old child and making other children sick with sweets and sugar coated with arsenic. The unveiling of PRONI's 100 treasures will continue as a rolling programme across social media channels during the year. Speaking at the 'Celebrating a Century' event, Colum Boyle, said: "It is all too easy to think of archives as dusty inaccessible records languishing on shelves in darkened storerooms, but the work of PRONI clearly demonstrates the relevance and impact of archives in our society." Among guest speakers were two well-known local personalities who have used the archives at PRONI as a source for radio, TV shows and books - comedian and writer Tim McGarry and former BBC NI political correspondent Stephen Walker. Hole in the Wall Gang member Tim, told guests that PRONI "is an oasis of knowledge, a treasure trove of documents and a paradise for history nerds like me. History comes alive in PRONI because you can see, touch, feel and smell the original documents". Stephen, a former investigative reporter with BBC Spotlight and author, described PRONI as "an important place in the fabric of Northern Ireland and helps us understand how our lives have changed over the decades". 'Celebrating a Century' was the flagship event of PRONI's centenary and a key part of PRONI's efforts to promote an enhanced awareness of its role and the treasures it holds to a wider audience, including underrepresented groups. Other recent events held as part of PRONI's centenary, which runs until March 2024, included a reflective event on the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and an American Declaration of Independence exhibition which runs until 24 July.

News Archive | Submit News | Get News For Your Website

Latest Northern Ireland Features

12 November 2024
Belfast Entrepreneurs To Be Celebrated With New Conference
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray, has called on entrepreneurs from across the city to get together for a unique conference aimed at supporting their business journey. Entrepreneurs Unleashed will take place this month at the Cathy Short Theatre in Jennymount Business Park, lower North Belfast.

19 September 2024
Carlingford's Adventure Lights to Illuminate Winter
Skypark, Carlingford, is set to transform the winter season with the launch of Adventure Lights, a unique 14-week event designed to enchant visitors and boost the local economy. Running from October 26 to February 2, this immersive light experience brings Irish mythology to life, offering an unforgettable journey through the 'Land of Legends'.

13 August 2024
The Reporter Named Belfast's 'Friendliest Pub'
The Reporter is the friendliest pub in Belfast, a new study has found. The experts at Belfast Bus Tour analysed TripAdvisor data on 69 pubs or bars across Belfast. Each pub was rated out of 100 based on its TripAdvisor rating and mentions of positive terms like "friendly", "helpful", "lovely", and "kind" per review.

07 August 2024
Online Gambling Trends & Regulations
A Comparison Of Northern Ireland And New Zealand The gambling sector is booming worldwide, so more and more countries are accepting appropriate legislation to control it. Some completely ban this risky entertainment, but this is not the case with Northern Ireland and New Zealand, where the industry is fully regulated.

31 July 2024
SPARK Brings Free Neurodivergent Family Fun Day
A new organisation set up to support neurodivergent families and individuals has announced their first Creative Fun Day will take place in Belfast this weekend. Saturday, 3 August will see SPARK, in partnership with Arts Care, open the doors of 2 Royal Avenue for an afternoon of fun, socialising with like-minded families and other activities.

09 July 2024
Have You Thought About A UK Staycation?
A staycation, a blend of 'stay' and 'vacation', is a holiday spent in your home country rather than traveling abroad. In recent years, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international travel, staycations have surged in popularity across the UK.

05 July 2024
Orangefest Celebrations Set For July 12 At Belfast City Hall
A whole host of family fun activities is planned to take place at Belfast's City Hall in conjunction with the annual parades to commemorate The Twelfth. Created to complement the July 12 parades, Orangefest 2024 will take place from 10am-4pm at both Belfast City Hall and surrounding areas in Royal Avenue.

28 June 2024
NI Candidates Standing In UK General Election
With the UK General Election set to take place on Thursday, 04 July, we look at the parties vying to represent Northern Ireland at Westminster. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have held their position as the party with the most MP's, 8 between 2019-2024, with their main rival, Sinn Féin, a close second with 7.

17 June 2024
How To Move Stress-Free In Northern Ireland
Moving to Northern Ireland, the land of myth and mystery, should be an adventure, not a trial.

11 June 2024
Northern Ireland's Biggest Stars in Sports
If there is one thing that Northern Ireland is famed for, it's their cultural values, and in this region, awesome athletes have been brought forth in the world. These sports-related celebrities have impacted their fields as well as the world at large, hence becoming important athletic symbols for the coming generations.

Northern Ireland Weather
This Evening and Tonight:
Rain clearing away east by early evening with some clear spells but a few showers likely to affect the North coast and other areas towards dawn, remaining breezy and mild overnight. Minimum temperature 9 °C.