Instructions to enumerators
The enumerator, when supplied by his superintendent with the census forms, is to make himself fully acquainted with the nature of the various questions asked, and to carefully examine the pattern tables and the instructions on the forms especially, those on Form A-the Family Return. Upon receiving the lists of townlands or streets in his Enumeration District he, is to proceed to ascertain its extent and boundaries, and should he have any difficulty as to boundaries, he is to refer to the ordnance maps in his superintendent's office.
On Monday, the 18th March, or sooner if authorised by his superintendent, the enumerator is to commence visiting the houses in his district, and, before the night of Saturday, the 30th of March, leave a Form A for every distinct family in each house, and at the same time proceed to fill Form B1 and Form B2 as described at page 8 of these Instructions. Where a family (including visitors and servants) consists of more than fifteen persons, the enumerator is to leave two or more copies of Form A as the case may require. The enumerator will observe that the entries in the spaces for the No ---- in the endorsement of Form A and in the upper right hand corner of that Form are to correspond with the number of the house in the first column of Form B1.
The enumerator will carefully observe that according to the Census Act visits to the houses in his district on census business must be made between the hours of half past eight in the forenoon and six in the afternoon.
The enumerator shall only ask such questions as may be absolutely necessary to obtain the information required to answer the queries on the papers. Direct answers shall be accepted and if these be clear and explicit no cross examination shall take place.
Before leaving the A Forms, the enumerator is to write on the back of each the name of the County, Poor Law Union, District Electoral Division, Barony, Parish, Townland, Town, Street, etc. for which spaces have been left.

Form A - The family return
Each of the following classes is to be a distinct family

On Monday, the 1st of April, the enumerator is again to commence visiting the houses in his Enumeration District, and is to continue at this branch of his duty from day to day until he shall have collected all the A Forms from every family within his district. On this occasion he is to see that each column in the Form has been filled, and if it has not, he is then to have the required information inserted. In case the column for ?Religious profession? has not been filled, and the head of the family declines to fill it, the enumerator is to state this fact by writing in column ?Information refused?. Should the term ?Protestant? have been entered in any instance, in the column for ?Religious profession? the enumerator is to inquire courteously the precise name of the particular church denomination or body to which the person belongs ask that it may be inserted as suggested in the remarks at the head of the column; should there, however, be any disinclination to afford this information, he shall not press inquiry into the matter, but note on the Form that the giving of further information was declined. When all the proper entries have been made in the return, it should signed by the head of the gamily, or by some person authorised in his or her behalf. The enumerator is then to attach his signature to the return.
In case of a head of a family who cannot write, the enumerator is to assist such person to fill the Form, and is then to require him or her to attach a mark thus (x), which he is to witness having first read all the particulars entered on the form, for the approval of the head of the family.
The enumerator is to take care that no person or family within his district be omitted from the returns, and in order further to guard against such omission he is to have with him a supply of blank copies of Form A. Should any person have gone away from a house before full particulars were obtained, the sex and probable age of such should be learned, and stated as of a person unknown.
In the case of houseless persons who are not enumerated elsewhere, the enumerator will have a Form A filled for each family or person so circumstanced. Column 2 of Form N being filled Houseless.
Persons travelling, or out all night are to be enumerated at the house or hotel at which they arrive on Monday, the 1st of April; and as club, hotel, inns, lodging, and boarding houses etc., change their inmates frequently, the enumerator is to visit these establishments as soon as possible after 8.30 am on the 1st of April. The owner, master, or steward of any such establishment, with his family or servants, if any, is to be returned on a separate Form A as a distinct family. Each temporary resident, or traveler, who is accompanied by any member of his family, or by a servant, is, with such persons, to be regarded as a distinct family, and entered on a separate Form A.
Special forms (described further on) for enumerating persons in barracks, workhouses, hospitals, lunatic asylums, prisons, etc., are to be delivered to the barrack-master, masters, governors, or keepers of such institutions, respectively they being appointed by the Census Act, enumerators of the inmates of all such buildings or institutions; but the Officers of Public Institutions and their families, together with the porters and nurses (unless when paupers in Workhouses) are to be enumerated on Form A. The military, also Members of the Royal Irish Constabulary, Dublin Metropolitan Police Force, and Coast Guard, if residing in barracks, are to be enumerated on Form H, the Barrack Return but their respective families are to be enumerated on Form A.
The occupants of ships, vessels, or boats, in seaports, and persons engaged in river, lake, or canal navigation, are to be enumerated according to the same rule as those residing in houses. The enumerators for localities in which seamen or boatmen are to be found are to collect the returns of these classes early on the 1st of April, lest their vessels might sail before such returns are obtained. For further instructions see Form B3 Shipping Return at page 10.

Appendix to general report
In towns having municipal wards, the name of the ward, as well as that of the street in which each family resides, is to be entered on Form A; the ward name is to be entered in the space for ?barony?, the pen being drawn through the latter word, and the word ?ward? substituted. In all cases where a village contains twenty or more houses, the Enumeration Returns for it are to be made up into a separate file or files, as the case may require. (See paragraph 54 page 17) When a village does not contain twenty houses it is not to be noticed separately as a town. But the houses etc. are to be treated as others dispersed over a townland.
In the case of a townland or island, which is uninhabited, or which has no house or out-office thereon, at the date of the census, an enumerator's abstract Form N for it is to be marked ?nil? and forwarded with the returns for the district.

Form B1 and B2 - House and building returns
Before or on the 18th of March, the enumerator is to commence filling Form B1 and Form B2, which are to contain the required particulars relating to each house and out office in each townland, street, etc., in his Enumeration District. (See paragraphs 14 and 54) He will be most careful to give strict attention to the instructions the head of each column, especially those to inhabited houses. In towns where dwelling houses are numbered, the houses in each street are to be entered on Form B1, in the same order, but in small towns, villages, and townlands, where the houses are not numbered, they are to be entered according to the order in which they are visited by the enumerator.
Every dwelling which has a distinct outer door shall be considered as one house, although it may be occupied by several families living in separate apartments, or what are known as tenements, under the same roof. In counting the number rooms in a house, each apartment is to be reckoned as one room, the particulars being obtained by observation, or through the information by the occupants; thus a cabin, within which is no partition wall, is to be regarded as a house with one room; if one end of a cabin is partitioned off, and a means of communication maintained by an inner doorway, it is to be considered as a house having two rooms; and if a dwelling is divided by partitions into three portions, it is to be considered as a house having three rooms; and so on. If one room is occupied by more than one family, the names of the heads of families so occupying should be bracketed together in column 13 thus: John Jones, Peter Murray and the figure 1 entered in col. 14, opposite the middles of the bracket.
Wherever a school is held in any part of a house, the exact name of the school is to be given in column 3 of Form B1.
Uninhabited houses and houses in progress of building at the time of the enumeration are also to be returned on Form B1.
Out offices viz: Barns, stables, coach-houses, cow-houses, etc., are to be returned on Form B2; but if any individual or a family live in part of an out-office, that portion is to be considered as an inhabited house, and entered as such on Form B1, according to the number of rooms occupied by such individual or family and the remainder entered on Form B2 in the proper column.
On the occasion of his second visit, when collecting Form A, the enumerator will be able to verify the particulars in Form B1 and Form B2, and to correct any errors which, on examination he may find to exist. He shall also when requisite, fill or have filled, Form C for the sick. (See par 29)
To assist the enumerator in filling Form B1, the Pattern Table on page 9 has been prepared.

Form B3 - Shipping return
The instructions with respect to Form A and Form C are applicable to the enumeration the crews and passengers of ships and boats every kind. Form B3 Shipping Return is analogous to Form B1 for Houses and Buildings.
Previous to the night of Sunday, the 31st of March, the enumerator is to leave one or more copies of Form A with the person in charge of each vessel. Upon these forms are to be entered collectively the names etc., of the captain, crew, and passengers; but when the captain, master, or any person on board is accompanied by his wife and family, he and his wife or family are to be enumerated on a separate Form A. When leaving these Forms, the enumerator is to make the necessary entries respecting the vessel and its occupants in Form B3, Shipping Return, which entries he can verify and complete when subsequently collecting the A Forms.
When leaving Form A, the enumerator is to enter the registered number of the vessel upon the back of the form; but where vessels or boats have no such number, he is to enumerate them consecutively, making the endorsement on Form A correspond with the number for the vessel in the first column of Form B3 Shipping Return.
On Monday, the 25th of March, the enumerator is to commence to fill Form B3, Shipping Return; he is to cause Form A to be filled for all those vessels going to sea on the 30th or 31st of March which would not in the ordinary course reach their destination before the morning of the 1st of April; but where a vessel remains in port up to the morning of the 1st of April, only those persons who slept on board on the previous night, and those not enumerated elsewhere who arrive on the morning of the 1st are to be entered upon Form A for it, as other persons belonging to the ship will have to be enumerated on shore. Vessels seeking temporary shelter from stress of weather in any harbor or roadstead are to be enumerated if they happen to be there on the night of the 31st of March. The captains and stewards of mail and packet boats plying daily or weekly between any Irish port and other ports in the United Kingdom or foreign countries are to be supplied with a sufficient number of copies of Form A on which to enumerate the passengers not enumerated elsewhere who may arrive during the night of the 31st of March or on the morning of the 1st of April. The crews are to be enumerated immediately after their arrival in port.
The enumerator is to be careful not to enter British colonist as foreigners on Form B3.
All ships, coasting vessels, and fishing or other boats, which arrive in port on the 1st of April or during any part of the following week, are to be enumerated in the same manner as vessels in port on the night of the 31st of March; provided such ships or boats shall not have been previously enumerated at any other port of Great Britain or Ireland; to ascertain which special inquiry is to be made.

Form C - Return of the sick at their own home
When collecting Form A, the enumerator is to inquire as to all persons laboring under sickness; and in each house or family where any individual was ill on the 31st March he is to present Form C, with a respectful request to have it filled by the head of the family, if possible at the moment. should he not succeed in getting this form filled at the time of his visit, he is to leave it, and having made a mark thus (x) in the 17th column of Form B1, in order to guide him in collecting Form C afterwards, is to call for it again as soon as convenient. When the inmates cannot fill up Form C, he is to do so for them. It is to be distinctly understood that sick persons are also to be enumerated on Form A, etc.

Form D - Return of lunatics and idiots not in institutions
It is expected that the local knowledge of the enumerators with regard to lunatics and idiots, not in institutions, will enable them to fill this form with accuracy, especially as regards mendicants and vagrants who are thus afflicted. Where idiots or lunatics are in the custody of their friends, the inquiries necessary to fill this form are to be made with the greatest delicacy. All these persons will, of course, have been enumerated upon Form A, etc., at their respective places of abode on the night of Sunday, the 31st of March.

Form E - Workhouse return
The enumerator is to leave the requisite number of these forms at each workhouse and auxiliary workhouse within his district, before the 31st of March, and at the same time to call the attention of the Masters of these Institutions to the sections of the Act of Parliament printed at foot of the Form. See also paragraph 12 on page 7, and Instructions as to Form I, page 12 paragraph 36.

Form F - Hospital return
The required supply of these forms is to left at all such public and charitable as general and fever hospitals, infirmaries, lying in, and other special hospitals, and wherever persons are admitted for in-door treatment, except the case of workhouse hospitals, the inmates of which are to be enumerated on Form E only. The resident officers of all such Institutions, together with resident pupils, nurses, and servants, are to be returned on Form A, by the head of the establishment. Each officer whose or family resides with him, shall with his wife or family, be returned on a separate Form A. See also instructions as to Form I.
The enumerator when leaving these Forms F is to inform the chief resident officer that the column ?how long affected? refers only to the disease for which the patient is under treatment and not to the time the deaf and dumb the dumb only or the blind have been afflicted with these infirmities

Form G - College and boarding-school return
Universities, colleges, seminaries, boarding schools, institutions for the deaf and dumb, the blind; model industrial, and reformatory schools, and all educational establishments in which pupils reside are to be supplied with Form G, and also when necessary with Form C. The principals or proprietors of such establishments are, with their families, to be returned on Form A.

Form H - Barrack return
This form is intended for barracks, or other buildings where military, police, or constabulary may be stationed at the time. Where hospitals exist within the precincts of these establishments, the barrack-master is to be supplied with the necessary number of copies of Form F; but soldiers in such hospitals are also to be accounted for on Form H. The families of all officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, and policemen who reside in barrack are to be enumerated on Form A, and a note added that the head of the family is returned on Form H. When necessary these families are to be supplied with Form C. Permanent officials residing in barracks, such as barrack-masters, barrack-sergeants, canteen-keepers, etc., with their servants, are to be supplied with Form A and Form C. Such persons are not to be entered on Form H.

Form I - Return of lunatics and idiots in institutions
All lunatic asylums of both a public private nature are to be supplied with these forms; and as lunatics are frequently inmates of other institutions, one or more copies of this form are to be left, where necessary, with the Governor other person appointed under the Act 63 Vic, cap 6, to act as enumerator for such institution, Such forms when filled are to be attached to the Returns for these Institutions.

Form K - Prison return
These forms are intended for all prisons, bridewells, penitentiaries, and police stations; such establishments are likewise to be supplied with Form F for their hospitals if any; but the persons enumerated on these latter are also to be entered on Form K. The officers and servants of these establishments, with their families are to be enumerated on Form A.

The deaf and dumb and the blind in public institutions and schools
When the Returns for Public Institutions and Schools (Forms E to K) have been collected, the enumerator shall immediately examine them, and in each case in which it appears that a deaf and dumb or blind person is an inmate of any institution or school, he is to enter the name, or initials of the name, as the case may be, of afflicted person, on one of the forms questions relative to the deaf and dumb or blind, and leave it with the chief resident of the establishment in which the person was enumerated, with a request that answers to the questions thereon may be inserted. The enumerator is subsequently to collect these forms and them, with his other returns, to his superintendent.

Forms L1, L2, L3, and L4 - College and school returns
Form L1 is to contain the number of students or pupils on the books of each college or boarding school on any day or days of the fortnight ending the 11th May 1901. Form L2 is for the purpose of ascertaining the number of scholars (except those returned on Form L1) of all ages and classes attending school, or receiving instruction, as day or evening scholars, at public and private educational establishments, and at literary institutions of every description throughout Ireland, during the period above referred to. The heads of such institutions are to be respect fully requested to fill this form, and their attention is to be directed to the circumstance, that it is not all the names on the roll of the school which are required but only the names of those pupils in attendance during any part of the period specified. Form L3 is intended for a return of the scholars on the roll of each college, boarding and day school, and their actual daily attendance during each month of the year ending the 31st March, 1901. Form L4 is for the number of students on the books of the Universities and University and Professional Colleges in Ireland. Further instructions on this subject will be forwarded with the L Forms.

Forms M1, M2, and M3 - Land census
These forms are for the purpose of ascertaining the number of agricultural holdings, the area and valuation of each, the number of houses and out-offices, and the resident population on the night of 31st March, 1901.
In filling Form M1 the names of all the landholders in the townland, whether resident or non-resident, are first to be inserted according to the size of their holdings, and the area and valuation of each holding are then to be entered. The enumerator is to refer to Form B1, for the same townland, from column 18 of which he will ascertain the names of all landholders on whose holdings houses are situated. He is then to enter in column 5 of Form M1 the number or numbers of the house or houses on the holding, as given in column 1 of Form B1, and proceed carefully to fill in all the information regarding such house or houses, and the inmates thereof, required in the remaining columns of Form M1, according to the instructions at the head of each column.
In those cases where there is no house on the holding. The enumerator after entering the name of the landholder and the area and valuation of the holding, is to make a stroke in each of the remaining columns. The area of land not occupied, or under towns, waste, etc., is to be entered after the last holding enumerated in the townland as unallotted. (See Pattern Table on page 15)
Form M2 is for a summary of the particulars given on Form M1 for the townlands in each electoral division, or portion of an electoral division, in the enumerator's district.
Form M3 is intended to provide for those cases where an occupier of land resident within the enumerator's district, holds two or more farms, or has a farm which extends into two or more adjoining townlands: the enumerator is to show on this form the townland where each farm, or portion of a farm, is situated giving the required particulars. He is to be careful to add the word adjoin in those cases where it applies, as directed in the instructions on the form. (See also Pattern Table on Form M3)

Form N - Enumerator's abstract
One or more of these abstracts shall be prepared for each townland or street, or portion of a townland or street, as the case may require, the necessary information being extracted by the enumerator from the B1 Return and the various enumeration returns, care being taken that in those cases where according to the instructions any persons are entered in more than one return, they are not entered twice in these abstracts. These forms are also to be used for the purpose of making abstracts of the shipping returns.

Form O1 - Enumerator's summary of houses and persons
When all the abstracts have been filled, as above directed, the enumerator is to make a summary of them upon Form O1, the Enumerator's summary of houses and persons, entering the names of the several townlands or streets, or parts thereof, in his district, in the order in which they are arranged on Form P2. In case one Form O1 is insufficient, two or more are to be used, carrying the total of the first forward to the second, and so on and the fact that the summary consists of more than one Form should be clearly noted.
In compiling the abstracts and summary, the enumerator is to be careful to see that the tot of the number of males and of females entered under the head of religious profession agrees with the total number of each sex as entered under the head of persons.
Having completed this summary, the enumerator is to immediately transmit it to the superintendent of his district.

Form O2 - Enumerator's summary of houses by classes
The number of inhabited houses of each class returned in Form B1 should be entered in this Form in the columns provided for the purpose, in accordance with the number of families residing in them. The total number of houses in the four classes given in the Form must agree with the total number of inhabited houses. The information required for filling the columns headed ?No of Dwelling Houses? should be taken from Form N, and the total number of out-offices should be entered from Form B2. Where an enumerator's district extends into more than one district electoral division, or where it is partly civic and partly rural, a separate summary should be made for each portion. These summaries should be forwarded with the general returns.

Form P2 - Return of the townlands etc. in each enumerator's district
Form P2 is to be filled in duplicate according to the instructions on the form, and one copy returned to this office. The duplicate is to be preserved by the enumerator.

Form P3 - Statement showing differences between number of houses and population in 1891 and 1901
The enumerator is to enter on this form all material differences between the figures for houses and population in 1891 and 1901, and to forward a ?Nil Return? if there are no such differences. Further instructions are given in a Special Circular (No 4), and a specimen report is given on the back of the Form.

Form R - Statutory declaration by the enumerators
Each form, except those for the Public Institutions referred to below should be signed by the enumerator; but it having been represented that it might be difficult to find magistrates willing to give so much time as would be necessary to receive a Statutory Declaration for each Return separately, the Statutory Declaration Return, Form R, has been prepared which is to include in one Declaration all the Returns from each enumerator except those on Forms L1 L2 L3 and L4. One of the Declaration Returns, when accurately filled up by the enumerator, is to be declared by him before a Justice of the Peace, and transmitted to his Superintendent. Returns from Public Institutions, the inmates of which are to be enumerated by the officers of the Institutions specified in the Census Act, are not to be included in the Declaration Return, Form R, and the enumerator, when collecting them, is to see that they have been duly declared as directed by the Act. The enumerator will observe that the Returns for Colleges and Boarding Schools and the other Institutions to be enumerated on Form G (see par 34) do not come under this head; they are to be included in his Declaration Return. The Statutory Declarations should be made before a Justice of the Peace; but not at Petty Sessions. They are exempt from Stamp Duty, under the 54 and 55 Vic cap 39.

Making up the returns
The Forms A, E, F, G, H, I, and K, being for the direct enumeration of the people, are to be stitched together at the left hand upper corner in files by townlands or streets, or portions thereof, as the case may be, with Form N, Form B1, and Form B2 in front in the order here given, so that the abstract Form N will be the first form of the file.
When a townland or street is situated in two parliamentary divisions, or in more than one district electoral division or parish, or is partly within and partly without a parliamentary borough city, urban district, town or village, a separate return should be made for each portion.
The A Returns for persons on board ships should be stitched together in a separate file with Form B3 and Form N in front as directed above for Townlands etc..
Forms C, D, and O2 are to be made up in files by enumerator?s districts; also the Returns if any containing answers to questions relative to the deaf and dumb and the blind in public institutions and schools.
The Returns on Form M1 are to be arranged according to district electoral divisions, those for each district electoral division, or portion of a district electoral division in the enumerator's district, being kept in a separate file, and the Summary Form M2 placed in front of the file. The Returns on Form M3 for the enumerator's district are to be made up in one file.
When the above mentioned forms have been made up in the manner directed, they are to be delivered to the superintendent of the district, who is alone authorized to inspect them, previous to their transmission to the Census Office.

General observations
If the enumerator finds at any time that he requires an additional supply of printed forms, and that he cannot conveniently procure them from his superintendent, or from any other Enumerator in his neighborhood, he is in order to save time, to apply for them direct by post to The Secretary Census Office, Charlemont House, Dublin, stating the Name and Letter, and the number of each Form required; also the Post Town to which they are to be forwarded. The postage is to be left unpaid.
All unused forms remaining in the hands of the enumerator, on the completion of the enumeration, are to be returned to the superintendent for transmission to the Census Office.
The Census Commissioners are confident that in carrying the foregoing instructions into effect the enumerators will observe the greatest civility, and ask the necessary information in a respectful manner, carefully observing the instructions in paragraph No 4. Many people, at first view, regard Census inquiries with suspicion, in proportion to their want of knowledge of the results sought to be arrived at, and there are comparatively few so fully acquainted with the objects of a Census as to enable them to understand what advantage it can be to the State to possess minute information as to the social condition of any member of the community; yet it is information of this character, when properly classified, which forms the best guide to the Legislator and the philanthropist in their efforts to elevate the condition of mankind.
If the enumerator finds his progress obstructed by difficulties of any kind, he is to state them to the more enlightened and influential persons in his District, and respectfully solicit their aid in removing them.
Should any instance occur in which, to the enumerator's knowledge, the forms have been incorrectly filled in any particular whatever he is, without delay, to make a detailed report of the circumstances to the superintendent of his district, who will forward it to the Census Office, stating whether he considers, under the circumstances, a prosecution would be advisable; but in no case is a prosecution to be undertaken under the provisions of the Census Act, 63 Vic, cap 6, without express authority from the Census Commissioners.
The enumerator will note the following extracts from the Census Ireland Act 1900

Supplemental instructions to enumerators
Form L1 - College and Boarding School Return
Form L2 - Return of Scholars attending (Day) Schools
Form L3 - Return of Children on School Roll
In accordance with paragraph 39 of the Instructions to enumerators, the above forms are now forwarded, and as soon as possible after receipt, Form L1 is to be left at every educational establishment in which any portion of the students or pupils reside, whether a college, seminary, boarding school, model school, orphanage, reformatory, industrial, workhouse, or other school, and Form L3 at any of these establishments where a daily roll of attendance is kept.
Form L2 and Form L3 are to be left at every other school within each enumerator's district.
A copy of the accompanying Circular to the Principals etc., is to be left at each educational establishment when the enumerator is leaving the forms.
The enumerator will apprise the principals or teachers in the several establishments that the returns upon Forms L1and L2 will be called for in a fortnight after the 11th of May; and at the expiration of that period, the enumerator will apply for the returns, and forward them to his district inspector for immediate transmission to this office.
When collecting the returns, the enumerator will see that the headings, etc., are properly filled, and that the name of the district electoral division in which a school is situated corresponds with that in his P 2 Return.
The enumerator will further apprise principals and teachers that the Form L3 is to be called for not later than the 1st of July. These returns when collected are also to be forwarded through the district inspector to the Census Office.
The enumerator will include in one Statutory Declaration Return (Form R) all the schools in his district giving the names of the schools in the 3rd column and altering the word localities to schools in the heading, also the declaration at foot of Form R to suit the circumstances of the case. The enumerator will further proceed in the manner shown in paragraph 52 of the Instructions to Enumerators.
The Census Commissioners beg to inform the Commissioners and Directors of Educational Boards and Institutions, the Principals, Managers, and Teachers of Colleges and Schools, the Clergy of all Denominations, and others interested in the condition and progress of Instruction, whether public or private, that the Educational Census of Ireland will be taken for the Fortnight ending the 11th of May next, and is intended to comprise the Students or Pupils who actually attended upon any day or days during that period.
In schools where a roll is kept, a return of the children on the roll, and of their actual daily attendance during each month for the year ended the 31 March 1901, will be required not later than the 1st July, 1901, according to the practice adopted at the last four Decennial Censuses.
The principals of colleges and boarding schools, and masters of all schools, are requested to furnish these statistics as accurately as circumstances will admit, and in compliance with the instructions on the forms. The Commissioners look forward with confidence to the assistance of everyone connected with education in Ireland in the procurement of the fullest and most trustworthy Returns.