The Landed Estates project is hosted by the Moore Institute for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences at the National University of Ireland, Galway. The first phase of the project, funded by the Irish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences, under its Thematic Projects (Research Infrastructure) Grants, undertook the research for, and the publication of, a comprehensive and integrated resource guide to landed estates and country houses in Connacht, c. 1700-1914. The aim of the guide is to assist and support researchers working on the social, economic, political and cultural history of Connacht from c.1700 to 1914. The project involved the distillation and collation of data from a broad range of historical sources, and the concise codification of these data on an estate/name basis. The optimum use of the data determined that the database be published in electronic form. Full details of the sources used can be viewed under Reference Sources in the database.

The database allows searching by Estate, Family or House name. In addition there is a simple search facility allowing the user to input words which might appear in the house or estate descriptions. The material on which the data were based includes archival, contemporary and modern printed sources. Where possible we have indicated the location of the archival sources. The Local Studies departments of the relevant Public Library services will have copies of many of the printed sources. Some, at least, of these sources are also available electronically through providers such as www.origins.net and www.eneclann.ie. Excellent locally held information on landed estates has also been included in the AskaboutIreland site (www.askaboutireland.ie) maintained by the Library Council/An Chomhairle Leabharlanna.

Phase I of the database covering the Province of Connacht, was formally launched by Dr. Martin Mansergh, Minister of State, on 23 July 2008, at the Moore Institute, NUI, Galway. On average, it has been receiving in excess of 4000 hits a month since then. It can be explored at www.landedestates.ie and researchers with queries relating to individual entries can email those to info@landedestates.ie. Phase II of the project is funded by PRTLI4 and covers the Province of Munster. It will be launched in the summer of 2011.