PRONI is the official depository for public records in Northern Ireland. Due to the relatively small geographical area covered, PRONI holds a unique combination of ‘national’ and local material. Included are archives of political parties, significant local politicians, local associations and local solicitors who acted as registration or election agents. The archives contain a wide range of material, including constituency papers of MPs, election literature and other published material, correspondence and personal papers. Notable private collections include: Carson papers, Craigavon political papers, Cahir Healy papers, Harry Midgley Papers, Ulster Unionist Council Archive (permission needed), Alliance Party of Northern Ireland archive, Labour Party of Northern Ireland papers, Social Democratic and Labour Party papers (permission needed), Papers of Paddy Devlin, Nationalist Party 1968-1970, papers of the civil rights movement, Brian Faulkner Papers (partially closed) and papers of the Prime Ministers of Northern Ireland. A selection of digitised documents made available under PRONI’s annual release scheme are accessible at the University of Ulster’s CAIN website. The records selected by CAIN are ones which relate to the politics and conflict in the region between 1968 and 1979. There are over 500 PRONI public records on the CAIN website.
The eCatalogue is a fully searchable database containing over one million catalogue entries relating to PRONI’s archives.
To register as a visitor to the archives, you need to provide your name, a permanent address and photographic evidence. Many papers are open to the public, including records of Government Departments (formerly Ministeries) and other non-Departmental public organisations such as courts, schools and hospitals. Some private collections are closed until permission to view them is granted. A form requesting permission is available at PRONI.Opening hours: 9.00-16.45, Mon-Wed and Fri, 10.00-20.45, Thursday.
Email:proni@dcalni.gov.ukTel: (+44) 028 90 534800