Academic research
Academics and historians
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)'s archives have provided and continue to provide a wealth of material for the professional historian. Many prominent academics and researchers have used PRONI and referenced PRONI documents in their publications.For example:
- Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, ‘A Tragedy of Errors: The Government and Misgovernment of Northern Ireland’ (2007)
- Chris Ryder, ‘Fighting Fitt: The Gerry Fitt Story’ (2006)
- Sir Ian Kershaw, ‘Making Friends with Hitler: Lord Londonderry and the Roots of Appeasment’ (2004)
If you are planning a research visit to PRONI and require more detailed information about specific topics or archives, please feel free to contact us. Wherever possible, your query will be referred to a member of staff with specialist knowledge of your area of interest and/or related archives. You can then arrange a meeting to discuss your requirements.
Undergraduate and postgraduate students
Undergraduate and postgraduate students who are required to undertake historical research projects as part of their degree course will inevitably need to consult the primary sources at PRONI. PRONI offers the following for students:Talks and lectures
PRONI offers a variety of talks/lectures and tours of the building (see organising a group visit for further details).Major research strengths of PRONI (100KB) 
can give you some ideas as to what's available in PRONI. It is also one of our most popular talks for students, providing information on sources available and potential research topics. You can also get practical guidance through the intricacies of the catalogues and various guides and indexes.
Students from the Departments of Modern History, Economic and Social History, Politics, Sociology, Geography, English, Agriculture and the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University, Belfast, and history students from the University of Ulster already benefit from seminars at PRONI.
can give you some ideas as to what's available in PRONI. It is also one of our most popular talks for students, providing information on sources available and potential research topics. You can also get practical guidance through the intricacies of the catalogues and various guides and indexes.Students from the Departments of Modern History, Economic and Social History, Politics, Sociology, Geography, English, Agriculture and the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University, Belfast, and history students from the University of Ulster already benefit from seminars at PRONI.
Education Facsimile Packs
The education facsimile series (fully listed in the PRONI Books List) are a useful starting point to explore a range of subjects, including- 1798 Rebellion
- Irish Elections
- Catholic Emancipation
- United Irishmen
- Penal Laws
- Steps to Partition
Student calendaring placements
PRONI provides an opportunity for postgraduate students to work with archives as an accredited part of their course through the production of a calendar of selected documents.Staff can advise on available archives and will try, as far as possible, to match up the interests of students to a relevant archive.
If you are interested in calendar production, please contact PRONI, asking for/marking any correspondence for the attention of Valerie Adams (Head of Strategic Development Project).
If you are planning a research visit to PRONI and require more detailed information about specific topics or archives, please feel free to contact PRONI. Wherever possible, your query will be referred to a member of staff with specialist knowledge of your area of interest and/or related archives.
Annual Releases and Latest releases
These pages will highlight material recently opened to the public for the first time. Annual releases list public records which have been brought forward for sensitivity review having reached thirty years of age. Latest releases show material which has been newly opened as a result of Freedom of Information requests.
