PRONI: Secret records now available online through CAIN

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has welcomed the benefits of collaboration between PRONI and Conflict Archive on the INternet (CAIN).

PRONI: Secret records now available online through CAIN

Previously secret records, including some from 1993 and 1994, will be available online from 1 July. Over 440 documents have been added to the CAIN website: as part of ongoing work between Ulster University and the Public Record Office (PRONI).

The new additional material provides an insight into some of the key events and developments that marked the emergence of the Peace Process in the early 1990s.  For example, this includes references to the role of the US administration as well as the ongoing involvement of the British and Irish governments at this time.  A range of other topics are also covered, including legal and security matters, fair employment and cultural issues.

Minister Hargey said:

"It is essential that people have the opportunity to view records for themselves from our recent past.

“This additional material covers a selection of records relating to 1993 and 1994, which will let people uncover the details behind the headlines of those years.
 

“The fact that they have been digitised and are freely available online, highlights how technology is being used to promote the important archives held in PRONI. This is especially important this year as it is opens up the records even when some visitor restrictions remain in place.”

Dr Brendan Lynn, CAIN Deputy Director, added:

“Once again CAIN is very pleased to have been able to continue our co-operation with PRONI which has now been going on for over 10 years.  This latest update to the existing section not only deals with material from 1993 and 1994 but also covers a number of earlier years.  The latest batch of additions will bring to more than 3,000 the number of PRONI documents on CAIN. 

“The information itself is easily available and free of charge. We believe it will be of great use to students, researchers, teachers and lecturers or to anyone with an interest in the recent political and social history of Northern Ireland.”

Notes to editors: 

1. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is a division of the Department for Communities and is located at 2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter, Belfast.

2. The CAIN website: provides an extensive range of information and source material on the conflict and politics from 1968 to the present day. The site is used by a worldwide audience and has received more than 24 million visits since it was launched in March 1997.

3. Currently there are over 3,000 PRONI public records on CAIN and this amounts to some 14,000 pages.

4. CAIN is based at Ulster University, within INCORE and the School of Applied Social & Policy Sciences: 

5. CAIN is a component of ARK (Access Research Knowledge),  a resource providing access to social and political material that inform social and political debate in the region and raises the profile of social science research. ARK is based within Ulster University and at Queen’s University Belfast.

6. For media enquiries contact the Department for Communities Press Office on email: 

7. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hour’s service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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