Don't give up!
Here are some additional resources to try when Google or the Liberties Archive don't have the answer:
Books
Please order the below through your local bookseller or library
Fashion
British and Irish Home Arts and Industries 1880-1914 - Janice Helland
Vicereines of Ireland - Myles Campbell
Some Irish Fashions and Fabrics c. 1775-1928 - Mairéad Reynolds
Dress in Ireland - Mariead Dunlevy
Textiles
The Cambridge History of Western Textiles - Edited by Jenkins
Pomp and Poverty: A History of Silk in Ireland - Mairéad Dunlevy
Lace
Youghal Lace, the Craft and the Cream - Pat Earnshaw
Clones Lace - Maire Treanor
Early History of Irish Crochet - Barbara Ballantyne
Mademoiselle Riego and Irish Crochet Lace - Barbara Ballantyne
Irish Crochet Lace in the Nineteeth Century - Barbara Ballantyne
Irish Crochet Lace in Austria and France - Barbara Ballantyne
World Wide Web
Archive.org - A great resource for out of date publications. Our favourites include: The Dublin Pictorial Guide and Directory of 1850, and the illustrated record and descriptive catalogue of the Dublin international exhibition of 1865.
The British Newspaper Archive - A subscription service, but may be available at your local library. Great for primary source material, and one of the main resources we use for events and individuals.
Museums
National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History - no searchable online database, but they have a permanent display of garments + textiles.
The Hunt Museum - Limerick Museum with a searchable online database. AMAZING collection of Sybil Connolly dresses.
Clones Lace Museum - Small but lovely museum with a great collection of historic Clones lace (Irish crochet) and related ephemera.
Kenmare Lace and Design Centre- Collection of antique laces from the Convent of the Poor Clares Kenmare, occasional demonstrations and classes.
Limerick Museum - large collection of antique Limerick lace
Powerhouse Museum - an Australian museum with an online collection database that includes some great examples of Irish-made historic clothing.
The Met Museum - An American museum with an easily searchable collection database
The Victoria and Albert Museum - A British Museum with a searchable collection database.
Podcasts
Dublin's Historic South - Host Laura Fitzachary - we LOVE season 2, episode III on the Liberties! Many episodes delve into the textile history of Dublin.
Blúiríní Béaloidis Folklore Podcast - no episodes are textile related (yet), but a great podcast on Irish Folk tradition.