Revision/Cancellation books for Offaly?

VirginiaB · 25-03-2026 06:16PM #1

Does anyone know if the Revision/Cancellation books for Co Offaly are available online anywhere? For the mid-1800s. I am specifically looking for my great-great grandfather Michael Herrick who is in Griffith's Primary Valuation about 1854. Knockbarron townland, Drumcullen civil parish, Kings County. A year or two later, he and many others were evicted. I have seen an image of the record with his name crossed out by a heavy black line but I have misplaced the copy I had. It may have been from a FamilySearch microfilm.

The landlord was John Head Drought who ran into financial problems. The townland was in the Encumbered Estates Court and advertised for sale in Dublin in 1855 but a neighbor, Col. Thomas Bernard of Kinnitty Castle, stepped in to help Drought. It was Bernard who did the evicting. I would appreciate any help or advice.

ath262 · 25-03-2026 07:22PM

I think Revision Books are only online for Northern Ireland on PRONI, Valuation Office has digitized quite a few counties but you have visit the offices to view. Rumours that they hope to make available online at some stage but nothing confirmed as far as I know

If I remember correctly LDS/FamilySearch has filmed some (?) of these but only in monchrome, so limited use and I dont believe online

added : I think John Grenham mentioned something about these in a recent blog post

… found it - not so recent : The Valuation Office: post-Griffith’s records / https://www.johngrenham.com/blog/2018/03/05/the-valuation-office-post-griffiths-records/
(they have since moved to Henrietta St.)

VirginiaB · 25-03-2026 08:19PM

Thanks for your reply. I’m almost positive that the LDS did microfilm the Offaly records I’m interested in. That’s where I saw them. I can’t seem to find them now on FamilySearch unless I’m doing something wrong, always a possibility. They are mono chrome but they were still very helpful. So if anyone knows how to access them, I would be grateful.

ath262 · 25-03-2026 08:40PM

It look to me they are microfilm only - e.g. Borrisokane & Parsonstown (1857 - 1941) :
https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/catalog/koha:149901

VirginiaB · 26-03-2026 01:15PM

Thank you. Yes it may have been microfilm that I borrowed from the LDS when they used to have that service. But they said everything is digitized now and I don’t know how to find this record again.

ath262 · 27-03-2026 10:05AM

When they were the Irish Life Centre they had an option to order copies of documents, not sure if they still do that. Since you know the exact location (townland, parish, electoral district, county etc) it should be straightforward for them to locate - might be worth checking on the new Tailte website : https://tailte.ie/archive-research/visit-valarchive/

VirginiaB · 30-03-2026 02:15PM

Thanks very much for that. I will keep searching.

Revision/Cancellation books for Offaly?

Comments