In this topic I will attempt to give researchers some pointers to further their interest in the Irish Constabularies. I will add to and edit this topic from
time to time.
Research material
1. Books
1.1 Jim Herlihy has written a number of books about the RIC. This one is excellent: "The Royal Irish Constabulary - A short history and genealogical guide" 1997. Worth getting or looking at a copy if you want to read more about the history of the RIC.
1.2 Jim has also compiled an index of names and service numbers "A complete alphabetical list of Officers and Men". It has no details other than the name and number of the men. I use it regularly as a guide, but please note that there may be inaccuracies in this carried over from mis-spellings in the original RIC Registers.
1.3 "Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922" by Richard Abbott, 2000. A powerful book recording names and details of the incidents in which men of the RIC lost their lives in the brutal 'Troubles' of those years.
1.4 "The Anglo-Irish War" by Peter Cottrell, Osprey 2006. A very useful and informative synopsis of 'The Troubles' of 1913-1922. Written in an unbiased fashion and with a good bibliography.
1.5 "The Battle of Tourmakeady" by Captain Donal Buckley, Nonsuch Publishing 2008. Donal was an Irish Army officer and is now an historian and businessman. This is an excellent investigation into the so-called 'battle' of Tourmakeady and its aftermath. Donal debunks the myths surrounding this affray and brings an impartial military perspective to the way in which the IRA Flying Columns operated, and the Crown Forces responses to them.
1.6 "The IRA & Its Enemies" by Peter Hart, Clarendon Press 1998. A superb account of the family and social backgrounds of the Cork IRA, and how they operated during the period 1916-1923. Very fairly balanced, with much detail on individual policemen and the conditions in which they operated.
2. Service Records
The original records were transferred to the National Archives in Kew, England and are found in the HO184 series. They can be viewed (usually in microfilm format) for free; however copies of the microfilms are held at several museums and by certain individuals, who usually make a charge for their service.
I would recommend contacting the PSNI Museum at the following link - Police Service of Northern Ireland Museum (they also take PayPal). You may choose to use another provider, it is purely a personal choice.
Research material
1. Books
1.1 Jim Herlihy has written a number of books about the RIC. This one is excellent: "The Royal Irish Constabulary - A short history and genealogical guide" 1997. Worth getting or looking at a copy if you want to read more about the history of the RIC.
1.2 Jim has also compiled an index of names and service numbers "A complete alphabetical list of Officers and Men". It has no details other than the name and number of the men. I use it regularly as a guide, but please note that there may be inaccuracies in this carried over from mis-spellings in the original RIC Registers.
1.3 "Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922" by Richard Abbott, 2000. A powerful book recording names and details of the incidents in which men of the RIC lost their lives in the brutal 'Troubles' of those years.
1.4 "The Anglo-Irish War" by Peter Cottrell, Osprey 2006. A very useful and informative synopsis of 'The Troubles' of 1913-1922. Written in an unbiased fashion and with a good bibliography.
1.5 "The Battle of Tourmakeady" by Captain Donal Buckley, Nonsuch Publishing 2008. Donal was an Irish Army officer and is now an historian and businessman. This is an excellent investigation into the so-called 'battle' of Tourmakeady and its aftermath. Donal debunks the myths surrounding this affray and brings an impartial military perspective to the way in which the IRA Flying Columns operated, and the Crown Forces responses to them.
1.6 "The IRA & Its Enemies" by Peter Hart, Clarendon Press 1998. A superb account of the family and social backgrounds of the Cork IRA, and how they operated during the period 1916-1923. Very fairly balanced, with much detail on individual policemen and the conditions in which they operated.
2. Service Records
The original records were transferred to the National Archives in Kew, England and are found in the HO184 series. They can be viewed (usually in microfilm format) for free; however copies of the microfilms are held at several museums and by certain individuals, who usually make a charge for their service.
I would recommend contacting the PSNI Museum at the following link - Police Service of Northern Ireland Museum (they also take PayPal). You may choose to use another provider, it is purely a personal choice.
