Dear Cathy, The census (1901 or 1911) can be so simple to work with - that's true - when the enumerator has done his or her job properly, and when the pages have been filmed completely and correctly. Unlike the family historian who is usually interested in an area in one county, or a few counties, I work through the records for many different counties. As a person who uses the National Archives on a weekly basis, I meet with people who work their way through the 1901 census books from DED to DED trying to find the one that has their townland listed. They just don't know how to find out which DED their townland belongs to. How do those who use FAmily History Centres and the LDS films find out which District Electoral Division their townland will be listed under - do the LDS have a copy of the 1901 Townlands index? Please and thanks? It's all very easy for those of us who want to deal with country areas - the country enumerators did not make the mistakes that the city enumerators did - or, generally speaking, they did not. It doesn't matter which Irish city we talk about - or, whether it be the 1901 or 1911 census we speak of - the same kind of mistakes will be found from one to the other - enumerator sheets missing.........notes on the films saying this or that file in this or that DED is missing - even though it is actually on the film, but the numbers not filled in - or it is found out of sequence. So, yes, in some ways, I am going into extreme detail as to how to 'read' your way through a census film and find exactly what you are looking for - *but*, I am doing this because I have known many - including myself - to have made mistakes and think that the information is not there - when it really is there. I'm thinking about those, who may come to Ireland and spend one day in the National Archives as part of their trip. I'd like to make sure that they know all the pitfalls............ Me, I have all the time in the world to check something out - to go back again and make sure I've got it right - but the people wh ocome over here - they're not like me, they don't live in Dublin - they haven't had the years I have had to become accustomed to how this works. Over here, we can do all the first parts of your post re finding out about parishes etc, just as easily as you can - or, seemingly as easy................. How do you find out the name of the DED that your ancestors came from when you know the address using the LDS? - that's the part that can be difficult(time consuming) here. Is it as simple as searching for the townland name on the LDS catalogues site - from the FILM NOTES page? and that brings up the DED name? Thanks Jane ----- Original Message ----- From: CathOneill@aol.com To: sniliaghin@iol.ie ; IRL-GALWAY-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 12:26 PM Subject: Re: [GALWAY] 1901 census - finding pages Dear Jane That was a very comprehensive article! The LDS is a little simpler!. Using the LDS catalogue,under Place search you enter the CIVIL PARISH . This brings up a short list,usually includes CHURCH RECORDS, 1901 CENSUS,1911 CENSUS. Click on either census,takes you to the same page! Click FILM NOTES. The 1911 census is broken down by DED + number e.g. Kilkelly 107/30-37,Kilmovee 108/1-21 ,Urlaur 109/1-11 followed by a list of the townlands contained therein,in numerical order. The 1901 ONLY gives Kilkelly 107/ 30-37 etc. but doesn't name the townlands. But you can work out the one you need by referring to the 1911. So far,have never had any difficulty finding the right film. Cathy