Accessing the digitised Northern Ireland Troubles records

Where to find the records

All digitised records released as part of the Northern Ireland Digitisation Project are available through Discovery, The National Archives’ online catalogue.

When we refer to digitised records, we mean records that can be viewed on a computer screen, including on a desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device. In most cases, users can download copies of these records to their own devices without needing to visit The National Archives in person.

Digital records are still free to access onsite at Kew and, for now, free to download at home for signed‑in users, subject to fair use. Digitised records display a ‘Download’ option on Discovery, allowing immediate access to the content.

The Troubles Research Guide on The National Archives website also provides context and advice on using the collection.

Searching and browsing in Discovery

Discovery contains millions of catalogue descriptions and is designed to help users search across collections held at The National Archives and other UK-based archives. Users can search using keywords such as ‘Northern Ireland Office’, ‘Troubles’, or the names of specific themes or agreements. Searches can also be refined using filters such as date ranges, department or availability.

For this project, catalogue entries for digitised records clearly indicate that digital copies are available, helping users to identify material that can be accessed online.

How the records are organised: the thematic taxonomy

To help users navigate a large and complex body of material drawn from multiple government departments, the digitised records have been organised using a consistent thematic taxonomy (grouping) within the catalogue.

This taxonomy groups records under shared headings that reflect the major historical themes they document, rather than relying solely on departmental provenance (meaning how they were initially created and filed).

For the first release, catalogue descriptions indicate three high-level themes that have been abbreviated in the following way within the note field of the catalogue:

• The Civil Rights Campaign
• The Outbreak of Conflict
• The Establishment of the Northern Ireland Office

The collection

Launching the Northern Ireland Troubles Digitisation Project

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Find out more on these themes in our earlier blog post, including examples of the material that they contain.

These themes are clearly signposted within catalogue descriptions in the notes field, allowing users to identify relevant files quickly and to browse related records across different series. Where appropriate, additional subject terms have been applied to support more detailed searching.

For example, a file digitised on the ‘Outbreak of Conflict’ theme will have the following in the note field of the catalogue description:

Each record retains its original departmental reference, ensuring clarity about provenance. Additionally, the new thematic structure provides an added layer of support for users approaching this material for the first time. The aim is to balance discoverability with the provision of sufficient context to support informed and responsible engagement.

As future batches of records are digitised and released, this taxonomy will continue to be used and refined. This will help users trace connections across different phases of the conflict and the UK Government’s response.

The Troubles subject tag

In addition to the thematic taxonomy, a new Troubles subject tag has been added to Discovery.  This tag is designed to help users easily identify and explore, in one place, material relating to the conflict and records digitised as part of the project. So far, nearly 30,000 records have been tagged with the Troubles subject tag.

By selecting the Troubles subject tag in Discovery, users can quickly retrieve all records that have been digitised through the project, regardless of departmental origin or series. This is particularly useful because records relating to the Troubles are spread across multiple departments, as explained in our first blog post. The Troubles tag brings these records together digitally, enabling users to explore the collection as a whole rather than searching department by department.

As further thematic batches are released over the next four years, newly digitised records will be added under the Troubles subject tag. Users can therefore return to the tag over time to see what has been published so far and to track the growth of the online collection.

The tag supports both targeted research and broader exploration. It can also be used alongside keyword searching, date filters and departmental filters in Discovery, helping users navigate a large and complex body of material.

Together, the tag and the taxonomy allow users to:

• Locate the full body of digitised Troubles material using the tag
• Browse within that material by theme
• Explore connections across departments and series

Looking ahead

The first batch of digitised records is now available online, and further releases will follow on a thematic basis twice a year. Each release will be accompanied by updated guidance and contextual material to support users in finding and understanding the records. Additionally, later this year, a new dedicated section of our website will be launched for the project, further increasing the accessibility of the records.

The next release of records is expected in Autumn 2026.