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Irish Police History - A Valuable Genealogical Source

© Sean O'Sullivan BA, M.Phil.

When people think of Irish police history they invariably think of the Royal Irish Constabulary and certainly the men of the RIC comprise the vast majority of Irish policemen prior to 1922. Over its 100-year over 85,000 men served in the RIC and though it resembled a semi-military force with many men living in barracks, a high proportion did marry and therefore the descendents of these men would be counted in millions today. There were however several much smaller forces quite distinct from the RIC.

The Irish Revenue Police were responsible for suppressing illegal distillation of poteen the force served from between 1832 and 1857 and numbered approximately 500. The force was not quite as regimented as the RIC and without strict recruitment criteria many 'undesirables' managed to join up but in spite of this the force was remarkable successful. Indeed disbandment in 1857 was largely attributable to the reduction in illegal distillation effected by the revenue police. The records of the revenue police are held at the PRO, Kew, London.

As well as the revenue police three Irish towns had their own police forces. Many towns would have had police-type forces during the 1700s, men who were basically watchmen with little if any authority, but Belfast, Londonderry and Dublin each had their own fully independent police forces. The Belfast police (known as the 'Bulkies') operated between 1816 and 1865 when the RIC assumed responsibilities for the city. Records of this force are very scarce but a history - "The Bulkies: Police and Crime in Belfast, 1800-1865" by Brian Griffin was published 3 years ago. Records of the Londonderry police appear equally rare and it was also replaced by the RIC in 1870. The Dublin Metropolitan Police were quite unique however in that this force actually outlived the Royal Irish Constabulary. Established in 1836 the DMP was not disbanded until 1925, some 3 years after the RIC, whereupon the Garda Siochana assumed responsibility for policing the capital. The original personnel register of the DMP is held at the Garda Museum in Dublin Castle and a microfilm copy is available at the Irish National Archives.

The basic information that can be learned about an ancestor who served in the various police forces of the 1800 and early 1900s would be his native county, approx. date of birth, height, former occupation, counties stationed, wife's native county, date married, promotions, rewards, fines, injuries, date of retirement/dismissal, pension. If your ancestor happened to be an officer in the police/constabulary then additional information will be available, often relating to success in cases. This information can

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