Province
Ireland is divided into four provinces; Leinster (East), Munster (South), Connaught (West) and Ulster (North).
County
There are 32 counties in Ireland. In 1922, six counties (in Ulster) became Northern Ireland and the remaining 26 became the Republic of Ireland.
Poor Law Union
In 1838, counties were divided into unions based on Irish electoral divisions. The taxable inhabitants of a union were responsible for the 'poor' in that union. Each union's poor relief was administered by a board of Poor Law Guardians, some elected, some appointed. The Poor Law Act also provided a workhouse in each union and assistance for emigration. In 1898 the Poor Law Union was taken on as the basic administration division in place of the civil parish and barony.
Barony
Baronies are now obsolete. There were subdivisions of counties, larger that parishes, used in surveys from the 16th to the end of the 19th century.
District Electoral Division (DED)
Poor Law Unions were subdivided into District Electoral Divisions to elect a member to a Poor Law Board of Guardians. The boundaries were drawn up by a Poor Law Boundary Commission. In 1898, county, urban and rural district councils were established and District Electoral Districts were used to elect members to district councils. District Electoral Districts then combined to elect members to County Council. Census records are arranged by DEDs.
Parish
There are two types of parishes in Ireland; civil and ecclesiastical. There are two types of ecclesiastical parishes; Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic. Since the 16th century, the Church of Ireland parishes have generally corresponded with Civil Parishes. The structure of the Roman Catholic Parishes differ to the structure of the Civil Parish. New Catholic Parishes were created in the 19th century to adapt to new towns and villages. This meant that the new parishes were mostly larger than the old parishes.
Townland
The townland is the smallest land division in Ireland. It is still used and, in rural areas, would (more or less) be the address.
Ireland is divided into four provinces; Leinster (East), Munster (South), Connaught (West) and Ulster (North).
County
There are 32 counties in Ireland. In 1922, six counties (in Ulster) became Northern Ireland and the remaining 26 became the Republic of Ireland.
Poor Law Union
In 1838, counties were divided into unions based on Irish electoral divisions. The taxable inhabitants of a union were responsible for the 'poor' in that union. Each union's poor relief was administered by a board of Poor Law Guardians, some elected, some appointed. The Poor Law Act also provided a workhouse in each union and assistance for emigration. In 1898 the Poor Law Union was taken on as the basic administration division in place of the civil parish and barony.
Barony
Baronies are now obsolete. There were subdivisions of counties, larger that parishes, used in surveys from the 16th to the end of the 19th century.
District Electoral Division (DED)
Poor Law Unions were subdivided into District Electoral Divisions to elect a member to a Poor Law Board of Guardians. The boundaries were drawn up by a Poor Law Boundary Commission. In 1898, county, urban and rural district councils were established and District Electoral Districts were used to elect members to district councils. District Electoral Districts then combined to elect members to County Council. Census records are arranged by DEDs.
Parish
There are two types of parishes in Ireland; civil and ecclesiastical. There are two types of ecclesiastical parishes; Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic. Since the 16th century, the Church of Ireland parishes have generally corresponded with Civil Parishes. The structure of the Roman Catholic Parishes differ to the structure of the Civil Parish. New Catholic Parishes were created in the 19th century to adapt to new towns and villages. This meant that the new parishes were mostly larger than the old parishes.
Townland
The townland is the smallest land division in Ireland. It is still used and, in rural areas, would (more or less) be the address.