Editions of The Irish Times from the last 12 months are free to access, but a subscription to the Archive grants you access to all editions of the paper dating back to 1859, the first year of publication. It contains digital versions of the newspaper from 1859 onwards, and a text version of articles from 1996 onwards. The digital version is uploaded to the Archive one week after publication. The Archive can be searched by keyword, section and/or date range.
Please note, the digital archive is designed for broadband usage and may not function properly if you are using a modem. We suggest a connection speed of at least 512 kbit/s.
Please note, the digital archive is designed for broadband usage and may not function properly if you are using a modem. We suggest a connection speed of at least 512 kbit/s.
To subscribe, go to www.irishtimes.com/premium/loginpage and click on the subscription plan that interests you. From here, simply follow the online instructions.
To access the Archive, go to www.irishtimes.com/premium/loginpage and enter the email and password you chose during the sign-up process (see previous question). You will be able to log in from any computer connected to the Internet. Please note, it is not possible to access the Archive with the same login details from different computers simultaneously.
You will be able to log in from any computer connected to the Internet. Please note, it is not possible to access the Archive with the same login details from different computers simultaneously.
An annual subscription is valid for one year (365 days), a monthly subscription is valid for 30 days and a weekly subscription is valid for seven days from and including the date of subscription. A 24-hour subscription is valid for 24 hours from the time you first enter the access code.
You will be reminded by email when your account is due for renewal. These reminders will include links to the renewal section in 'My Account'. You will not be reminded of expiry if you have purchased a 24-hour subscription.
How do I find the information I require in the Archive?
There are three ways to find information in the Archive:
- Search: Type one or more search terms (the words or phrase that best describe the article you want to find) into the search box of either the digital or text archive. Then select other search parameters (e.g. date range) and click 'Search'.
- Browse: You can browse the digital archive by date by clicking on 'Browse' in the top navigation bar.
- Timeline: In the digital archive, a historical timeline of significant events is accessible from the top navigation bar.
Type one or more search terms (the words or phrase that best describe the publication you want to find) into the search box, select other search parameters (e.g. date range) and click 'Search'.
Start with a basic search term. For example, if you are looking for general information on the moon, try the word 'moon' first. It is advisable to use specific search terms to refine your query. For example, if you require specific information on the moon landing, enter the search 'moon landing'. To restrict a search further, include more terms: 'Apollo 11 moon landing'.
The digital archive has been created from original copies of the newspaper, and you may find the age of the newspaper and quality of the originals may affect the search-ability and results. By default, the Archive returns pages that include all of your search terms. There is no need to include "and" between terms.
Below is an overview of features that may assist you in your search:
- Phrase Searching: The use of quotation marks ( " ) finds documents containing the exact phrase entered in quotation marks. To specify something as a phrase, enclose it in double quotes (for example, "George Bernard Shaw").
- Search Weighting: If you wish, you can give a higher weighting to more important words by placing a plus (+) sign in front of them. Similarly, less desired terms are preceded by a minus (-) sign; you can use the minus sign to remove all or most items containing a specific word. For example, to search for documents about Manchester United, but not about champions, you would specify the following search string: +manchester +united -champions.
- Sorting Options: You can choose how you would like the results of your query to be displayed: newest or oldest articles first.
- Refine Options: Your search results can be refined by newspaper/website section, date or by inserting additional words into the relevant field(s). You can also choose to exclude a section from the results. These options are available on the right-hand side of the page.
If you are having difficulty finding a person in the Archive, try adjusting your search terms. Historically, there was a tendency to describe people more formally or by their formal title, e.g. Mr Yeats instead of W.B. Yeats, and President Kennedy rather than John F. Kennedy. If the surname you are searching for is common, try searching for various spellings of the name, or try searching for the full name in quotes, which will find documents containing the exact phrase entered in quotation marks, e.g. "John Murphy". If the surname is unusual, try to search by the surname alone.
The names of some historical events have changed over time. For example, the First World War has been referred to as the Great War, and the 1916 Rising has been reported as the Rebellion. Try to search using words that describe the event or that may have been used in reports. It may be useful to check other historical sources.
Please note that some spellings have also changed over time. Some examples include the following:
- Barbadoes, now Barbados
- Buenos Ayres, now Buenos Aires
- Chili, now Chile
- Hooping cough, now whooping cough
Before the days of the telegraph and telephone, events were reported days or weeks after they took place because of the time taken for news to reach the newspaper. Try applying a wider date range to your seach to find past events.
If you are having difficulty finding a notice in the Archive, try adjusting your search terms. In the past, a woman was often called by her husband's name in marriage and death notices, e.g. Mrs John Murphy or Mrs Murphy, and children were not always named in birth notices, e.g. 'To Mrs Murphy a son'. Take these norms into account when selecting your search terms. It is also possible that the notice you are searching for was published in a newspaper other than The Irish Times.
The decision to charge for The Irish Times Archive is part of a growing trend amongst content-driven websites all over the world to introduce subscription models for archived premium services. Numerous other websites, including The New York Times, the Financial Times and the Los Angeles Times, now charge for access to online content.
An annual subscription costs €395, while weekly or monthly subscriptions cost €26 and €65 respectively. A 24-hour subscription costs €10.
The last 12 months of archives are free to access. You may conduct searches of the subscription areas of the archive for free and view abstracts of the articles listed. However, to read the full content of the article, subscription is required. For research purposes or one-off requirements, the most suitable options are a seven-day subscription or a 24-hour subscription.
Yes, educational and corporate subscriptions are available. For more information, please email corporate@irishtimes.com.
You may pay for your subscription online via all major credit cards.
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If you encounter any problems renewing your account, please contact our Customer Care Team at services@irishtimes.com
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