National Library ignores bishop's copyright claim over parish registers

THE NATIONAL Library and the Catholic Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dr Dermot Clifford, are at odds over access to historic parish registers from the diocese.

This follows a decision by the library last week to reopen public access to its microfilm copies of the registers, which had been closed for 15 years.

Access to the registers, which are fundamental research tools for genealogists trying to trace family histories, was closed in 1992 after Dr Clifford claimed copyright over them for the diocese. Since then, data from the records could only be obtained by paying for a search to be carried out at the diocese's heritage centre, Tipperary Family History Research. The decision affected records in an area covering half of Co Tipperary and a large part of east Limerick.

The U-turn by the library follows pressure from professional genealogists, who claimed the restrictions on access to Cashel and Emly records, and partial restrictions affecting records from the dioceses of Cloyne and Kerry, were harming Ireland's reputation internationally within the profession.

Last December, the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland passed a resolution at its annual general meeting calling for an immediate lifting of the restrictions. Yesterday, Paul Gorry of the association said it was delighted at the change of policy by the library.

"This is great news for family researchers," Mr Gorry added. "It is a courageous decision by the library which will be welcomed by genealogists across the world."

The National Library declined to comment except to confirm that its rules on access had been changed.

Dr Clifford confirmed he had been in communication with the director of the library, Aongus Ó hAonghusa, but declined to make a public statement on the issue "at the present time".

The library's collection of microfilms covers the surviving pre-1881 baptismal and marriage records of almost all Catholic parishes throughout Ireland. The registers were microfilmed in the 1950s and 1960s but as they then included records of living people, they were made available only with the written permission of the relevant parish priest.

In the 1980s, this requirement was lifted by most bishops, including Cashel and Emly. However, in 1991 Dr Clifford claimed copyright and told the library and other holders of copies to withdraw them from public access. Since then, the library obtained a number of legal opinions rejecting the claim of copyright but the records remained unaccessible until last week.