The origin of Ireland’s Ordnance Survey

Finnian O'Cionnaith

"This year marks two centuries of the Ordnance Survey in Ireland. Finnian O Cionnaith [has provided] a succinct summary of the origins of what was described by the Freeman's Journal in 1824 as a ''great national undertaking". (Patrick J. Duffy, History Ireland, 2024)

“The publishers are to be congratulated on the high standards of production evident in this book … [O’Cionnaith’s] book is a valuable addition to the library of modern research available on the history of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland and appropriately marks the bicentenary of this institution which continues to have a positive effect on this country.” Mary Clark, Irish Archives, 2024


“The year 2024 marked the bicentenary of the first Ordnance Survey of Ireland, whose remark ably precise field survey laid the foundation for Ireland’s modern landscape in cartography. In this book, Ó Cionnaith provides a fascinating backdrop to the months leading up to the survey’s inception, situating its story within a broader societal, political and scientific context … Ó Cionnaith delves into the period preceding the Board of Ordnance’s directive to survey and produce detailed reference maps of Ireland. Within this context he unravels the complexities of 129 pivotal days in 1824 … One of the most fascinating elements of the committee records, and consequently the book, is their value to historians of cartography, the histories of surveying, and Irish history more broadly. Enlightened by Ó Cionnaith’s analysis, the minutes serve as a remarkable confluence of perspectives from various parties involved. They offer a partial survey or bibliography and a critical appraisal of Ireland’s surveying history, distinct from the voices of earlier map-makers, many of whom were more focused on personal fame and professional rivalry ... The appendices are a valuable addition, offering detailed insights ... These elements provide a fitting conclusion to the book. By weaving together the histories and origins of the survey, the book successfully avoids the dryness that often characterises authoritative works on early surveying … it offers more than just a glimpse into the foundations of what became the most detailed national survey of its time, one that was replicated across the British empire during the Victorian era.” Catherine Porter, Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies