LibGuides: History: Newspapers and other primary sources

Primary Sources from British History Online

British History Online
British History Online is a digital library containing some of the core printed primary sources for the medieval and modern history of the British Isles, from the 11th century up to the 20th century. Subjects covered include administration and law, economy, parliament, colonalism and urban issues.

Research tools

Times Digital Archive (1785 - 2014) Learning Center
The learning centre for the Times Digital Archive contains sample topics and searches, general search tips, information on generating and refining a research question and guidance on how to use newspapers as sources.
Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers Learning Center
The learning centre for the Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers contains sample topics and searches, general search tips, information on generating and refining a research question and guidance on how to use newspapers as sources.

Historical Newspaper Archives

Irish Newspapers

Irish Times 1995-present
Irish Times Digital Archive - 1859-2022 A fully searchable digital archive containing every page of The Irish Times published since the newspaper's foundation.
Irish Newspaper Archives Database of national and regional newspapers. Over 100 newspapers are included in the archive with some dating back as far as the eighteenth century.
Radical Newspaper Archive The Radical Newspaper Archive is a collection of over 115 Irish radical and political newspapers, journals, pamphlets and bulletins. Access via The Irish Newspaper Archive; click on the link on the top right of the page

British Newspapers

Times Digital Archive - 1785-2014
The Guardian (1821-2003) & The Observer (1791-2003)
British Newspaper Archive The Free To View Collection, of the British Newspaper Archive, includes 3.5 million pages of newspapers, spanning 1798 - 1900, from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Antigua. Please note that users need to register for an account in order to access "free to view" resources. Ensure the "free to view" filter remains ticked as you search

American Newspapers

Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers The database provides digital images of both full pages and clipped articles of hundreds of 19th century U.S. newspapers. For each issue, the newspaper is captured cover-to-cover, providing access to every article, advertisement and illustration.
New York Times 1851-2020 This historical newspaper provides online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
Washington Post 1877-2008 This historical newspaper provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
Chicago Defender - 1909-2010 Full-text coverage. This historical African American newspaper provides online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
Chicago Tribune 1849-1999 Full-text coverage. This historical newspaper provides online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.

Archival microfilm collections

Irish Folklore Collection MIC Library holds Manuscript numbers from 1 to Ms.1840 of the Main Manuscript Collection of the National Folklore Collection (the original is held in UCD)
Madden Ballads Series of reproductions of the collection in Cambridge University library of 18th and 19th century songs and ballads. These were collected by Sir Frederic Madden.
Tithe Applotment Books [for counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary] The Tithe Applotment Books are accompanied by a printed guide. They are microfilmed from the collection in the Public Record Office of Ireland. The Tithe Applotment Books 1823 -1837 are available online through the National Archives website.
Modern Ireland cabinet papers of the Stormont administration, 1921-72, "CAB/4" : from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast
The British in Ireland : Series 1: Colonial Office Class CO 904 (Dublin Castle Records) Great Britain Table of Contents: Part 1:Anti-government organisations, 1882-1921 Part 2: Police reports, Jan.1892-Dec.1897 - Part 3: Police reports, Feb.1898-Dec.1913 - Part 4: Police reports, 1914-1921 Part 5: Public control and administration, 1884-1921 Part 6: Judicial proceedings, enquiries and miscellaneous records,1872-1926 Part 7: Sinn Fein and Republican suspects 1899-1921.
Lamhscribhinni Gaeilge = Gaelic manuscripts This collection, ranging from the fourteenth to the twenty-first century, covers subjects such as literature, genealogy, hagioraphy (lives of the Saints), spirituality, law, medicine and dinnseanchas (place-lore)
Lamhscribhinni Gaeilge Cholaiste Phadraigh, Ma Nuad Irish manuscripts in Maynooth College Library

The Library holds a large number of newspaper titles on microfilm which include national and regional newspapers.

Please email your request to use the Microfilm Readers, along with the reels you would like to view to library@mic.ul.ie

Northern Ireland pamphlets

MIC Library has an extensive selection of donated pamphlets on the modern history of Northern Ireland with special reference to the history of Loyalism and the Orange Order. They are a primary source for contemporary issues such as conflict resolution, restorative justice and personal stories of the Troubles in Northern Ireland from both sides of the religious divide.

The pamphlets can be requested at the Issue Desk on the first floor of the library. As they are a valuable resource, the pamphlets are classified as reference material and can only be consulted on library premises.

There are 219 pamphlets in total.