The Military Service Pensions Archive provides unmatched insight into the personal, social, and political dimensions of the Irish Revolution and its aftermath. More than a bureaucratic collection, it captures the lived experiences of those involved in the struggle and their interactions with the emerging state.

Provenance refers to the history of where a collection of records comes from and who created or kept them. It’s important because it preserves the context of the documents. By respecting provenance, archivists ensure that records remain authentic and meaningful, allowing future researchers and the public to understand not just the information in the documents, but also the story of how and why they were created.

Archival history is the story of what happens to records after they are created: where they were stored, how they were organised, and who was able to access them over time. It helps us understand whether files stayed intact, if anything was lost or changed, and how different people or institutions valued the records. Knowing this history adds an extra layer of context.

In MSPC the definition of "active service" evolved alongside the pension legislation. Our research opens up not only the stories of those who sought recognition for their revolutionary activity, but also the administrative and political processes behind assessing those claims.

The MSPC Project is grounded in two core archival principles: preservation and access. The team ensures the long-term survival, accessibility, and discoverability of this vital historical resource. Through meticulous physical care and detailed descriptive work, we aim to safeguard the integrity of each file while enabling meaningful engagement with the lives of those who shaped Ireland’s revolutionary past.