The purpose of the project was to provide machine-readable economic and social history statistics relating to the whole of Ireland for the period 1821-1971. Further information about the project is available on the QUB Centre for Data Digitisation and Analysis website. The main tables are: Total number of persons who could read and write, read only, or neither read nor write, grouped by baronies and gender (1841-1861). Total number of persons who could read and write, read only, or neither read nor write, grouped by counties, gender and age groups (1841, 1901-1911). Total number of persons who could read and write, read only, or neither read nor write, grouped by counties and gender (1851-1861). Total number of persons who could read and write, read only, or neither read nor write, grouped by counties, gender, age groups and religion (1871-1891). Please note: this study does not include information on named individuals and would therefore not be useful for personal family history research.