New Exhibition: The Story of Us: Independent Ireland and the 1926 Census
Cork City and County Archives Service in partnership with the National Archives of Ireland are delighted to launch The Story of Us: Independent Ireland and the 1926 Census exhibition at St Peter’s, North Main Street, Cork which will run 7 – 26 July 2026.
To accompany the release of Census 1926, the Cork City and County Archives Service and the National Archives of Ireland will present an exhibition that focuses on different facets of life in Ireland in 1926, offering new perspectives on the major social, cultural and political events of the day. Through a range of thematic lens, including patterns of employment, education and language, dwellings and domestic life, the exhibition will draw upon the census data, statistical reports and news of the day to create a vivid portrait of Ireland in 1926 as both an ancient nation and fledgling state. The exhibition is due to run at St Peter’s for three weeks and will include material from the 1926 Census relating specifically to Cork.
The Story of Us is a landmark exhibition marking this historic release of census records. It explores the world reflected in the census and reveals what life was like in 1926: in towns and cities, across rural communities and islands, from crowded urban tenements to the mansions of the aristocracy.
Using contemporary documents and photographs, audio visual displays, and — at its heart — the census returns themselves, the exhibition presents a vivid portrait of Ireland a century ago. Visitors will encounter stories of work and daily life, language and culture, sport and entertainment, religion, gender, and the social realities of a newly independent state.
The exhibition forms part of a major public programme presented by the National Archives of Ireland, with events in Ireland, the UK and the United States.
This free public exhibition will run at St Peter’s, North Main Street, Cork from 7 to 26 July 2026. For more information, see: https://stpeterscork.ie/events?e=11195904