For the period before 1864 parish registers provide the only record of most births, marriages and deaths. Catholic parish registers are normally still held by the parish priest, but there are microfilms of most of them for the period up to 1880 in the National Library, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. In some cases the written permission of the parish priest must be obtained before the microfilms can be seen. The National Archives has a copy of the National Library's list of the registers. Church of Ireland parish registers for the period up to 1870 are public records.
Registers are available for about one- third of the parishes.
Most are still held by the local clergy, although some are in the National Archives and others are in the Representative Church Body Library, Braemor Park, Dublin 14, and P.R.O.N.I., Belfast. There are microfilms or other copies in the National Archives of some of the registers held by the clergy. A list of all surviving registers is available in the National Archives. The names and addresses of the clergy are given in the Church of Ireland Directory. A list and a card index of registers in the National Archives can also be consulted.