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Welcome to the PRONI Express

Welcome to the latest edition of the PRONI Express. PRONI will now be using the DfC Engaged Communities Group Eventbrite page to host our talks and events. So please follow and keep an eye on the page for all our upcoming events. 

Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year!

PRONI Ref- D4567/5/5 – Image courtesy of Lady Rose Lauritzen

As we welcome the new year, we’re looking forward to another year of preserving, caring for, and making Northern Ireland’s historical records accessible to all.

Please note that PRONI will be closed on the following days:

Wednesday 24 December
Thursday 25 December
Friday 26 December
Thursday 1 January 2026

Extended opening on Thursdays and Saturdays in 2026

February to March 2026, onsite at PRONI

We are extending our opening hours on selected dates for the beginning of 2026.

During extended opening on Thursdays, the Search Room and Reading Room will be open until 8pm so that everyone has an opportunity to access our facilities.

We will also be open on selected Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.

Upcoming Late Thursdays:

Thursday the 19 February
Thursday the 19 March

Upcoming Saturday Openings:

Saturday the 7 February
Saturday the 7 March

 PRONI Public WiFi - Disruption to Service 

From Monday 15 December

Due to essential maintenance and infrastructure upgrading, PRONI’s public Wi-Fi will be unavailable to all customers from Monday 15 December until further notice. 

Public internet machines on the ground floor (ie in the Heritage Café) will also be unavailable until further notice. Public internet will continue to be available on the internet machines in the Public Search Room.  

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Current Exhibition - The History Detectives: An Exploration of the History of Balloo and Killinchy

Tues 2 December to Fri 6 February, Onsite at PRONI

This exhibition was designed by The History Detectives; Moira Concannon, Leanna Russell and Lesley Simpson. This exhibition is based on the research carried out for their recently published book, “Balloo, Killinchy: a hidden history.”

The main sources used were original documents in PRONI and newspaper archives, along with birth, marriage and death certificates and genealogical sites such as Ancestry. These sources are explored in the exhibition, using examples of the stories uncovered.

This exhibition is available to view at PRONI until 6 February 2026.

No booking required.

The History Detectives - Emigrant Stories

Wednesday 14 January from 1pm to 2pm, onsite at PRONI

Lesley Simpson (former Director of Downpatrick Museum), Moira Concannon (Museum photographer) and Leanna Russell (historian) have created a dramatic study of the locality of Balloo and Killinchy, which has resulted in a handsome publication and also in a stimulating exhibition, on show in PRONI.

At 1pm (lunchtime) on Wednesday the 14th January, Lesley, Moira and Leanna will be speaking in PRONI about the Balloo/Killinchy project and how local historical studies can transform our understanding of place and society.

It is their hope that we all become ‘History Detectives’.

Booking required.

German POWs in Northern Ireland

Wednesday 21 January from 1pm to 2pm, onsite at PRONI

In late 1944, arrangements were initiated for the incarceration of German prisoners in Northern Ireland, with 2,000 men arrived at Belfast on 11th January 1945 and 12,300 prisoners had been allocated to seven camps by 8th February. 

In partnership with Ulster History Hub, this talk by Nigel Henderson will provide details of the locations of the PoW Camps in Northern Ireland and the number of prisoners held at each camp. It will also cover details of escape attempts and will provide details of the circumstances in which the ten prisoners died and their disinterment and re-interment in England.

Booking required.

PRONI on Tour - Lisburn Road Library

Friday 30 January from 10am to 4pm, Lisburn Road Library

Join us on Friday 30 January for a day of family history! Whether you're just starting out or looking to delve deeper into your family history, our team will be available to answer any research questions at Lisburn Road Library.

If you're making the visit, why not join our Getting Started at PRONI workshop at 12:00 pm. This workshop has been designed to help you get started using PRONI records, PRONI's online services and other useful online resources.

Additionally, our friends at Northern Ireland Screen will be joining us for  Lisburn Road on Screen! This special screening from the Digital Film Archive will show Lisburn Road and the surrounding area through the decades.

Booking required for workshops.

PRONI - Secrets from the files 2004 and 2005

Friday 30 January from 1pm to 2pm, onsite at PRONI

Sam McBride & Professor Marie Coleman reveal the secrets behind the news headlines from the most recently released government files of 2004 and 2005.

Sam McBride is the Northern Ireland editor of the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Independent.  Marie Coleman is Professor of Twentieth Century Irish History at the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queens’ University, Belfast.

Booking required.

Collection Day at PRONI

Saturday 7 February from 10am to 1:30pm, onsite at PRONI

Join us at PRONI for our first ever Collection Day.

Collection Day at PRONI gives the public an opportunity to speak to PRONI staff about their historical collections.

Have you ever thought about depositing any historical records you hold at home with PRONI? Or considered having them digitised for the public record? Ever wanted some advice on storing your records at home?

We want to hear from you!

Conference on Ulster Plantation

Thursday 12 February from 11am to 4pm, onsite at PRONI

Enniskillen Castle, County Fermanagh

The conference is hosted by the People of the Ulster Plantation Database project, a research project jointly managed by Queen’s University Belfast and Maynooth University.

Access to the project’s database is free at https://ulster-settlers.maynoothuniversity.ie/.

The conference will bring together experts on the Ulster plantation who will present the most up to date research on the colonial project. The programme also includes a presentation of the database and how it can be used to trace men and women who came to Ulster in the first half of the seventeenth century.

Admission to the conference is free. Lunch Provided.

PRONI on YouTube

View over 12 years of recorded PRONI talks on our YouTube channel.  From family and local history talks, to specialist research topics, there is sure to be something for everyone.

New recordings are added regularly. Subscribe today to make sure you don’t miss any!

Admission to all events is FREE, however booking is essential as spaces are limited.

Get more great PRONI content by following us today - just click or tap the icons to find our pages. PRONI regularly records its public events and talks - view these on our YouTube channel.