By Georgina Brennan

A UNIQUE mapping collection that was drawn up before the Famine in Ireland (1846–1850) and mass emigration of Irish people to North America will be officially launched in Boston later this year, giving millions of Irish Americans greater access to their ancestors.

Ordnance Survey Ireland — the national mapping authority of Ireland — has created a computer database of over 40,000 maps that were used for establishing a taxation system for land valuation for Ireland.

The first complete series was surveyed and mapped by 1842 and the last map published by 1847. Over 2,100 men were employed for the duration of this mammoth task of creating the 1700 maps of the series.

This was the first fully scientific mapping of Ireland and is still noted for its accuracy, the wealth of detail it contains which includes all the field patterns, every road and byway, administrative and legal boundaries and the definitive place names of the country. Ireland was the first country in the world to be mapped in such a manner and at such an unprecedented large scale.

The maps will be an invaluable tool in assisting historians, genealogists and the general public in tracing their origins and can also give them a pictorial representation of where their ancestors lived.

Ordnance Survey Ireland has now created a computer database of this entire digital archive. Modern technology has been used to stitch the maps of each series together to make a virtual single map of the entire country. This will give the viewer and researcher the ability to travel the length and breath of the country viewing the topography in great detail with just a computer mouse.

The series will be officially launched at the national Genealogy Conference in Boston from August 30 to September 3. A pre-release of the six-inch series is now taking place and is available on the web at irishhistoricmaps.ie.