In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Grand Jury was considered the most important local body in rural Ireland. While the Grand Juries' initial remit was justice, it gradually extended to building and maintaining roads, and public buildings such as bridges, infirmaries, asylums, courthouses and gaols. Its records are a unique source for Irish local history, social change and genealogy. While many Grand Jury records were destroyed during the 1916–1923 period, vital collections still survive at local level across Ireland, where they are preserved by County Archive services. An excellent guide to these records can be found at https://virtualtreasury.ie/curated-collections/grand-jury-records