Introduction

Irish Independent, 01 January 1973

The newspaper collection is one of the most heavily used collections in the National Library. Newspapers are a major research source for political, economic and social history, and local studies and genealogy. They provide a contemporary commentary of the major occasions in the political, religious, sporting and cultural life of the nation. But they are also a major source of information on everyday life. Advertisements, reports of social events, accidents, court proceedings and inquests, all the mundane and exciting details that made up the daily lives of our ancestors are recorded in newspapers.