A digital archive containing every page of The Irish Timespublished since the newspaper's foundation almost 150 years ago was launched last night.
The fully searchable archive is available free in all public libraries, primary and post-primary schools. It is also available on a commercial basis on The Irish Timeswebsite ( www.ireland.com).
The digitisation project, which has been under way for almost two years, was co-funded by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and The Irish Times.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley, who launched the archive last night, said the unique primary source content will be invaluable for everyone interested in Ireland.
"The fact that the archive will be available free in all schools, in addition to public libraries, will be seen to be one of the most far-sighted decisions taken in developing this project," said Mr Gormley.
"I think that it will provide one of the most exciting resources for primary research available to pupils at primary and secondary levels," he said.
Managing director of The Irish Times Maeve Donovan said the service was an example of the potential of computer technology to serve the needs of education and research.
"In not suffering from revisions of history, newspaper archives have the unique ability to provide us with an insight into history as it was written, in the language of the day, reflecting the views of the day. The archive literally allows us to delve into history as it was lived by those who lived it," she said.
Deputy editor of The Irish Times Paul O'Neill said the archive offered a "ringside seat" on the evolution of Ireland since the newspaper's foundation in 1859. "There has been no modern day selection process involved in the archive. And no second editing that would reinterpret it within a current framework," he said.
"What is presented is every page of The Irish Timesfor almost 150 years. And what's in those pages is the first contemporaneous record of events - through the words of those who witnessed the events themselves or who recorded the words of those who had."
Ms Donovan also paid tribute to the digitisation project team, in particular the project manager Niall O'Connor and general manager of ireland.comUna O'Hare. The archive is commercially available on The Irish Timeswebsite ( www.ireland.com). Schools may access the archive via the Ask About Ireland website ( www.askaboutireland.ie).
