What is Released in October 2014?
An outline of the material selected for the 2nd release of the Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Collection is set out below. 3,400 new files are now released, bringing the total for 2014 to just over 13,000 files relating to applications for pensions or allowances.
If you prefer to see your options and start your search, go directly to Search the Collection.
Material released can be grouped under three headings:
- Individual Applications
- Organisations and Membership
- Administration
INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS - Pensions and Awards
View Individual Applications
Access: ONLINE
The second release from the Military Service Pension Collection includes the personal application files of 1,158 veterans of the period Easter Week to 30 September 1923. These include 10 veterans of Easter Week 1916, 176 members of Cumann na mBan, successful pension application files for senior officers, middle and lower ranking officers and the volunteers of the IRA. The release commences the process of releasing the files found in the collection relating to casualties of the War of Independence and the Civil War.
View the second release list here (Download PDF)
Individual applications relate to applications for service pensions, claims for gratuities or awards made by dependants, claims by veterans for wounds suffered/disablement or deterioration in health due to service in the period 1916-1923 and such related matters. All applications are made and processed under relevant legislation enacted by the Oireachtas from 1923.
The researcher must be aware that one individual has more than one file. Some have up to seven files, generated under different aspects of the legislation as enacted from 1923 to 1973. To improve access individual files thus created are consolidated under the relevant name. Therefore, in fact, around 12,500 individual files have now entered the public domain under the label ‘Individual applications’.
ORGANISATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP
View Organisations and Membership
ACCESS: ONLINE
a) Membership Rolls of the Irish Republican Army
Reference Code: RO
Extent: c.600 files
To view previously released files in this series go to first release. Two recently identified files RO/602 'Irish Volunteer Executive' and RO/602A 'Correspondence with Director, Military Archives Feb/Mar 1940 re Irish Volunteer Executive' form part of the second release.
b) Membership Rolls of Cumann na mBan
Reference Code: CMB
Extent: 167 files
To view previously released files in this series go to first release. An additional file - CMB29 Swinford District Council - forms part of the second release.
ADMINISTRATION FILES
View Administration Files
ACCESS: ONLINE
The second release sees the inclusion of a 6th administration files series described as Military Service Pensions, 1934. Additional files have also been released in the Department Files series. To view previously released files in this series go to first release.
- Departmental Files (12 new files)
- Military Service Pensions and related Administration Files (65 files)
Applications for the award of the 1916 Medal and The Service (1917-1921) Medal form part of the collection. However, it must be noted that this series - the MD series - does not form part of the first two releases. A database of the files in the MD series will be released separately in the period leading to 2016.
Due to the poor condition of many files, some were microfilmed and the microfilms, digitised to minimise the handling of the material. A conservation programme is under way and as files are scheduled for release, a notification will be issued on the Military Archives website.
