Following its most recent update, the Irish Genealogical Research Society’s Early Irish Marriage Index ends 2014 with an impressive 62,065 records in its database.
These records, which include some 139,000 names, pre-date civil registration (1864). The latest update of more than 4,000 records has drawn new material from the Registry of Deeds and from the surviving manuscript and published indexes to Church of Ireland Marriage Licence Bonds (MLB) from the diocese of Cloyne, Kildare and Elphin, among others. Bear in mind that Roman Catholic couples may also have applied for MLBs to ensure their marriage was accepted as a legal union.
The Early Irish Marriage Finder was launched last year and is free to view on the Society's IrishAncestors.ie website.