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Map Collections at UCD and on the Web: Historic Maps of Dublin

Find, access and purchase maps at UCD Library. Lists of map resources and suppliers on the web. Examples of map symbols and scales. Copyright and booking forms.

Selection of Images

This guide gives step-by-step details on how to find maps on a variety of websites including the David Rumsey collections, UCD Digital Library, the National Library of Ireland and Harvard's Geospatial Library. Updated July 2020.

St Jude's Parish Map 1864

5 ft to 1 Mile 1847

GOAD Fire Insurance Map 1893

 

For details on how to find 6inch and 25inch OSi maps scroll down to the bottom of this page to the box named How to find the date of an OSi six inch or 25 inch historic map.

Historic Maps of Dublin

YEAR MAP TITLE MAP MAKER NOTES RICHVIEW LIBRARY OTHER LOCATION / INFO
1610 Dubline John Speed Held in Trinity College Dublin Cabinet 2 : Number 8 Perry Castaneda Library, University of Texas and David Rumsey Map Collection [Dublin shown as inset]
1673 City and Suburbs of Dublin from Kilmainham to Ringsend Bernard de Gomme Held in National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London Cabinet 2 : Number 10 Reproduced in Dublin Part II, 1610 to 1756 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 19) 2008, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy. Map number 6
 
1673 Plan of Dublin Castle   Held in the Dartmouth Collection of the Staffordshire Record Office, MS D(W) 1778/III/85   Reproduced in Dublin Part II, 1610 to 1756 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 19) 2008, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy - Map number 7.  Also reproduced in article Seventeenth Century Plans of Dublin Castle by J B Maguire in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 104 (1974), pp. 5-14 
1681 - 1851 Wide Street Commission Map Collection Wide Street Commission Type a street name into the search box at top right of the page to find a drawing or map. Use street names of the era, e.g., Sackville Street not O'Connell Street ; Great Britain Street not Parnell Street.   The archives of the Wide Street Commission are held by Dublin City Library and Archive.
1684 A Plan of the City of Dublin and Part of the Harbour   Digitised from the British Library's King George III Topographical Collection.    
1685 A Draught of the Castle of Dublin at Present Thomas Phillips Plan of Dublin Castle, showing Corke Tower, Powder Tower, Gunners Tower and Birmingham's Tower, gardens and moats.    
1686  A Map of the Bay and Harbour of Dublin Greville Collins Part of the British Library Collection of the Topographical Collection of George III    
1714 Dublin Herman Moll This link is to the map held by The National Gallery of Ireland.   Dublin is inset on Herman Moll's map of Ireland held in the David Rumsey Map Collection
1728 A Map of the City and Suburbs of Dublin Charles Brooking This Dublin Port Archive map includes vignettes of Dublin buildings. Cabinet 2 : Number 12

See also Digitised copy from the British Library's King George III Topographical Collection.
1752 A Survey of the Present Streets Leading from the River Liffey to Dublin Castle   Shows the area prior to the existence of Parliament Street.   Reproduced in Dublin Part II, 1610 to 1756 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 19) 2008, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy. Map number 15
1756 An Exact Survey of the City and Suburbs of Dublin John Rocque

Link is to 4 maps stitched together by Harvard University Library.

 

 Cabinet 2: Numbers 18 to 21

Harvard University georeferenced version of this John Rocque map.

Also held by Bibliothèque nationale de France 
1756 A Plan of the City of Dublin and the Environs on the Same Scale of London, Paris and Rome John Rocque Link is to map held by Harvard University Library.    
1757 Pocket plan of the city and suburbs of Dublin : reduc'd from his large plan  John Rocque Link to a image of the map Reprinted on the Occasion of the Tenth International Conference on the History of Cartography, Dublin, 1983 Cabinet 2: Number 22  
1757 A Survey of the City, Harbour, Bay and Environs of Dublin on the same Scale as those of London, Paris & Rome  John Rocque Link is to map held by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France    
1757 Survey of the city and suburbs of Dublin , with the division of the parishes reduc'd from the large plan in four sheets John Rocque Link is to map held by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France    
1760 An actual survey of the county of Dublin, on the same scale as those of Middlesex, Oxford, Barks & Buckinghamshires John Rocque Link is to map hosted by the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland website. Cabinet 2 : Numbers 22 to 26 Georeferenced version available on South Dublin Historical Mapping website. Select layers icon and click in the checkbox next to the Rocque map.
1764 Plan de la Ville de Dublin Jacques-Nicholas Bellin Link is to map held by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France   Also available in David Rumsey Map Collection
1767 Dublin Street Directory Map - a New Plan of Dublin Compiled for Peter Wilson Held by Dublin City Library and Archive.    
1770-1840 Longfield Map Collection Maps surveyed by John Longfield ; John Brownrigg and Thomas Murray The Longfield Map Collection is held in the National Library of Ireland. Dublin City and County represent more than 40% of maps.   The Longfield Maps in the National Library of Ireland : an Agenda for Research by J.H. Andrews published in Irish Geography, Vol 24, Issue 1, 1991.
1773 A Survey of the City Harbour Bay and Environs of Dublin on the same Scale as those of London Paris & Rome / by John Rocque with Improvements & Additions by Mr. Bernard Scalé John Rocque and Bernard Scalé Held in the UCD Digital Library collection. Cabinet 2 : Number 30  
1773 An Accurate Survey of the City and Suburbs of Dublin  / by John Rocque with Improvements & Additions by Mr. Bernard Scalé John Rocque and Bernard Scalé Link is to map held by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France    
1774 Sketch of the Banks of the Liffey from Dublin to Lucan John Cleeve Pleydell Link is to map held by The Royal Collection Trust    
1780 A Plan of Dublin Robert Pool and John Cash Link is to the map published in the Pool and Cash book on the Internet Archive    Views of the Most Remarkable Public Buildings, Monuments and Other Edifices in the City of Dublin by Robert Pool and John Cash
1782 Plan of the city of Dublin : taken from an actual survey from the Universal Scots Almanack John Robertson This link is to map held in Harvard University Library    
1793 A New Plan of Dublin Samuel Byron This link is to map in Trinity College Library. Map printed for William Wilson's Dublin Directory.
 		    
1797 A Plan of the City of Dublin 
 		 William Faden This link is to copy held in The Library of Congress    
1798

Modern plan of the City and Environs of Dublin

 Engraved by Benjamin Barker for William Wilson Publishers Includes vignette of The Custom House. Link is to British Library digitised image from page 145 of "Observations on Mr. Archer's statistical survey of the County of Dublin.    
1800 New Plan of the City of Dublin Engraved for Wilson's Dublin DIrectory This link is to copy in the collections of the American Geographical Society Library, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee    
1805-1809 A Sketch of the Environs of Dublin Alexander Taylor This link is to map hosted by South Dublin Libraries. The British Library is credited as the copyright owner.    
1805-1809 Sketch of that part of the New Military Road which extends from Mount Venus to Sally Gap and to Killmalin Alexander Taylor This link is to map hosted by South Dublin Libraries. The British Library is credited as the copyright owner.    
1810 An Accurate Plan of Dublin  Nathaniel Jefferys Link is to digital copy of the book held by National Library of Scotland. Map is printed in Englishman's descriptive account of Dublin, and the road from Bangor ferry, to Holy Head   Hosted online by  Falvey Memorial Library, Villanova University, PA, USA.
1811 City of Dublin Thomas Campbell   Cabinet 2 : Number 37 Reproduced in Dublin Part III, 1756 to 1847 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 26) 2014, 
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy. Map number 17
1812 New and Improved Plan of the City of Dublin William Corbet for the Society of the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge This link is to map hosted by Dublin City Library and Archive on Flickr.    
1816 Taylor's Map of the Environs of Dublin, Extending 10 to 14 Miles from the Castle John Taylor

Taylor's map also available to view via on South County Dublin's map viewer. Select Layers and click in the checkbox next to Taylor's map.

 Cabinet 2 : Number 40 Extract enlarged and centred on the City area is reproduced in Dublin Part III, 1756 to 1847 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 26) 2014 Dublin, Royal Irish Academy. Map number 18
1818 Plan of Dublin    Link is to map on Internet Archive in History of the City of Dublin, from the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time, by Walsh, Warburton and Whitelaw     Held in UCD Library Special Collections
1821 Map of the County of Dublin  William Duncan Link is to South County Dublin's map viewer. Select Layers and click in the checkbox next to Duncan's map. Cabinet 2 : Numbers 42-27 Colour extract enlarged and centred on the city is reproduced in Dublin Part III, 1756 to 1847 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 26) 2014, 
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy. Map number 19
1822 Cooke's Royal Map of Dublin John Cooke This link is to map hosted by National Gallery of Ireland. Colour map which includes vignettes of Dublin buildings.   Reproduced in Dublin Part III, 1756 to 1847 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 26) 2014, 
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy. Map number 20
1836 Dublin Drawn by WB Clarke for the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge This link is to map hosted by the David Rumsey Map Collection. Includes drawings showing elevations of 14 Dublin buildings. Cabinet 2 : Number 49  
1843

First edition six-inch to 1 mile series

 Ordnance Survey This link is to the National Library of Scotland website. The maps are available as individual sheets.  

Further information about the 1st edition 6inch mapping is given in this Trinity College Library leaflet.

The Irish Townland and Historical Map Viewer created by the Ordnance Survey includes the 1st edition 6 inch mapping in a seamless format. This PDF explains how to use the viewer.
1837 The Environs of Dublin Drawn by BR Davies for the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge This link is to map hosted by the David Rumsey Map Collection Cabinet 2 : Number 51  
circa 1840

A Map of Belfield and Belview in the County of Dublin

 

 Created for owner Thomas Wallace

Link is to a tiff file of the map available to download. An early map of part of the UCD campus. Map is featured in the Sept 2008 issue of UCD Today (page 23).

    
1846 City of Dublin Smith A bird's eye-view of Dublin. Open the map and zoom in to see buildings and streets in a 3D view. This panoramic view was published with the Illustrated London News   Reproduced in Dublin Part III, 1756 to 1847 (Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 26) 2014, 
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy. Plate number 10
1847 Dublin City Ordnance Survey 

Link is to Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) 19th Century Historical Maps hosted by UCD Digital Library. 

33 maps cover the area between the two canals. This PPT shows you how to find and download a map.

 Cabinet 2 : Numbers 70 to 102  
1850 The Environs of Dublin Drawn by BR Davies for the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Published by Edward Stanford. Link is to map hosted by UCD Digital Library    
1851 Dublin Drawn and engraved by John Rapkin and published by John Tallis. Link is to map hosted by the David Rumsey Map Collection. Includes vignettes of Dublin buildings.    
1853 The Environs of Dublin  Drawn by BR Davies for the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Published by George Cox. Link is to map hosted by Harvard University Library.    
1855 Fraser's Map of Dublin and its Suburbs Reduced from Ordnance Survey map. Printed by Alexander Thom & Sons Link is to map hosted by UCD Digital Library.   This includes the listing of street addresses.
1857 Plan of Dublin  J. Bartholomew, Edinburgh Link is to map hosted by National Library of Scotland   The map is included in Black's guide to Dublin and the Wicklow mountains
1857 Plan of the Ordnance Survey Office; Phoenix Park Ordnance Survey Link is to map hosted by the David Rumsey Map Collection.    
1859 Fraser's Map of Dublin and Suburbs : with Street References Reduced from Ordnance Survey Map. Published by McGlashan & Gill Link is to map hosted by UCD Digital Library.   Street addresses section is missing.
1864 Dublin City Ordnance Survey

Link is to Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) 19th Century Historical Maps hosted by UCD Digital Library. 

33 maps cover the area between the two canals. 

 Cabinet 2 : Numbers 70 to 102  
1864 Maps of the Terenure & Crumlin Estates, Co Dublin Ordnance Survey Link is to collection hosted by Dublin City Library & Archive. Eight maps showing properties of Sir Robert Shaw in 1879.  The areas covered include Roebuck, Terenure, Crumlin, Templeogue, Rathfarnham, Greenhills, Whitehall, Walkinstown and  Kimmage.   Further information is available here: https://www.dublincity.ie/library/blog/maps-terenure-and-crumlin-estates-1879
1868 Dublin and Suburbs Published by Edward Heffernan Link is to map hosted on Dublin City Council historic map collection website With 22  vignettes of Dublin buildings and street addresses.  
1860s/1870s Dublin Parish Maps Ordnance Survey Originally published at 25 inches to 1 mile. Colour maps. Held in Richview Library workroom. Search for parish  name via UCD Library Catalogue Approx 80 individual parishes available. Parishes are shown on this map of County Dublin published in the Memorial Atlas of Ireland published by L.J. Richards & Company of Philadelphia, 1901
1860s to 1890s Dublin Suburbs Ordnance Survey

Link is to Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) 19th Century Historical Maps hosted by UCD Digital Library.

Maps published at scale of 5 feet to 1 mile.

    
1874 to 1898 Maps of Dublin accompanying Thom's Official Directory Ordnance Survey

Link is to 9 maps held in UCD Digital Library

Published in Thom's Almanac. The 1890 map shows the boundaries for the Dublin townships.

    
1875 Dublin  Adam and Charles Black, Edinburgh Link is to map within Black's Guide to Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains available online via the National Library of Scotland.    
1883 Plan of the City of Dublin  Letts, Son & Co Link is to map hosted by the David Rumsey Map Collection    
1893 Fire Insurance Maps and Plans Dublin Charles E Goad Link is to maps on Old Maps Online website. 20 maps for Dublin are  published at various scales.  

For more information about the collection please see this introduction.

To find the Dublin GOAD maps on the OldMapsOnline website i) click on Explore Maps

ii) on the year timeline at the bottom of the screen drag the button to the year 1893

iii)  the GOAD maps will display on right side of page. Click on each map to view it.
1895 Map of Dublin Showing Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway Companies 'Loop Line' Connecting all Railway having Termini in Dublin AT Hennessy Link is to British Library digitised image from page 24 of "Official Tourist Guide of the Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford Railway. Illustrated."    
1900 Plan of the City of Dublin GW Bacon & Co Ltd Link is to map hosted by Princeton University Library.    
1907 Large Scale Map of the City of Dublin and its Environs MH Gill & Sons

Link is to map hosted by UCD Digital Library.

Tram routes are shown in red on the map.

    
1906 - 1909 Dublin  Ordnance Survey Link is to OSi GeoHive viewer with Dublin 25inch maps.  

Further information about the 25inch mapping is given in this Trinity College Library leaflet.

See another format of these maps below:
1907 - 1908 Dublin Sheet 18 Geological Map Ordnance Survey and Geological Survey of Ireland Scale 6 inches to 1 mile (1:10,560). Link is to British Geological Survey website  

Some parts of the map are shaded to represent geological types. These annotations made by on the map by the Geological Survey Office in 1901. This is the published accompanying Memoir describing the geology.

 
1906 - 1909 Dublin 6inch maps (1:10,560) Ordnance Survey This link is to the National Library of Scotland website. The maps are available as individual sheets.   This edition of the Dublin 6inch maps include contours.
1906 - 1909 Dublin 25inch maps Ordnance Survey This link is to the individual sheet maps hosted by the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland.  Click on the image to open the map - and click on the arrow to move to the next map in the set. Cabinet 1 16 sheets at a scale of 1:2500 comprising the sheets contained within the boundary of Dublin Sheet 18 from the 1:10,560 edition.
1908 Eason's New Plan of Dublin and Suburbs Eason & Son This link is to copy in the collections of the American Geographical Society Library, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee    
1909 Dublin  John Bartholomew & Son Map is hosted by the Internet Archive. Use the + button to zoom in on and enlarge this coloured street map of the central area of Dublin. Scale half inch to one mile.   The map is contained in the guidebook Ireland (Part 1) Northern Counties including Dublin and Neighbourhood by MJB Baddeley. (Click on the magnifying glass to see better image)
1914 New Plan of Dublin and Suburbs GW Bacon & Co Ltd This link is to copy in the collections of the American Geographical Society Library, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee    
1931 Dublin and District Ordnance Survey This link is hosted by Gallica - 
the digital library
of the Bibliothéque Nationale de France. Map scale 1:20,000. County borough indicated by red line.		    
c 1935 Plan of Dublin  Geographica Ltd, London

Each grid square on the map represents half a mile. 

Internal details on the map have been used for dating, e.g, at the bottom of the map it reads "...Saorstat Erieann" (sp.) Saorstat Eireann was dissolved in December 1937 and replaced by Éire.

   Original print map held in UCD Library Special Collections
1936-37 Dublin  Ordnance Survey This link is to map hosted by Map Warper. Sheet 22 Scale 1:10,560. Covers area which includes Rathfarnham, Dundrum, Greenhills, Terenure, Templeogue, Windy Arbour, Churchtown, Sandyford, Goatstown, Edmondstown, Taylor's Grange, Ballyboden Cabinet 1  
1948 Plan of Dublin Geographica Ltd., London Each grid square on the map represents half a mile. The map shows the Dublin city boundary and also the ward boundaries.    
1952 Dublin Popular Edition Ordnance Survey Office Published at scale 1:25,000. Link is to American Geographical Society Digital Map Collection at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee    
1972 9th Popular Edition : Dublin City North and South Ordnance Survey Link is to map hosted by Princeton University Library. Published at scale 1:18,000.    
           
Dublin Historic Maps OpenStreetMap (OSM)    This links out to another website portal which provides images of Dublin maps, ranging from the 1700s to the mid-20th century. 
Includes maps showing administrative boundaries, e.g. townships, baronies, wards, parishes, etc, 		    

How to find the date of the six inch or 25 inch maps

The Irish Townland and Historical Map Viewer allows you view the historic 25 inch and 6 inch mapping series. Instructions are provided in the PDF below and the contents are:

 

FIND THE RANGE OF MAP SERIES AVAILABLE         Page 1

DISPLAY THE TOWNLAND BOUNDARIES                   Page 3

FIND A TOWNLAND NAME                                            Page 4

VIEW THE DATE OF A MAP                                           Page 6

ADD A MARKER TO YOUR MAP                                   Page 7

VIEW THE ATTRIBUTE TABLE                                      Page 9

FIND THE DATE OF THE FIRST EDITION 6 INCH        Page 10

FIND THE DATE OF THE 25 INCH MAPS                      Page 11