THE PEERAGE OF IRELAND, OR A GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE PRESENT NOBILITY OF THAT KINGDOM. By Mr. Lodge, Deputy Keeper of the Records in Bermingham Tower. Four Volumes -- 398 + 416 + 381 + 348 + indices + appendix. Originally published at London in 1754. Reproduced on 16 microfiche.

This massive compilation of genealogical data is an essential reference work for Irish researchers, but it has long been out of print and inaccessible. Now it has been reproduced in convenient microfiche format, at a price that makes it affordable for even the smallest private research library. This work has over 1500 pages packed with genealogical data compiled over 200 years ago. It was written by the man best qualified to produce such a work, John Lodge, Deputy Keeper of Records, and is based on contemporary records. Beginning researchers often overlook this source because the title refers to "Nobility" and they assume they have no noble ancestry. In fact, many of these wealthy families lost their advantages over time, and merged with the common folk. Also, it was common for the wealthiest families to intermarry with those "well to do" but non--noble families of successful merchants and landed gentry. It is true that one is unlikely to find poor farmers and laborers among these pages, but some of these pedigrees go back to the 11th or 12th century progenitors of those labouring families. Each of the four volumes is individually indexed, and includes thousands of names, including both Anglo--Saxon and native Irish surnames. There is also a great deal of historical detail included, incidental to the pedigrees. No collection of Irish reference material can be complete without this important work.

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