In 1949 Edward took up his new post as Keeper of Manuscripts in the National Library of Ireland in which he had the onerous task of cataloguing the thousands of manuscripts which had accumulated in the library. When he started work in 1949 there were 847 manuscripts catalogued, and five years later there were 9000 manuscripts catalogued. He also catalogued the parish registers of the country, which in itself was a mammoth task. He loved this work as he felt he was rolling back the pages of history as he checked each manuscript. He gathered a fount of knowledge from 1939-1954 in the whole area of genealogy which resulted in the publication of his book Irish Families in 1957 and was later reprinted and enlarged in ’72, ‘78, ’85 and ’91. He also carried on a voluminous correspondence with people of Irish extraction from all over the world who wanted to trace their roots and found in him a patient listener and a conscientious researcher.

Coimeádaí ar Choimisiún na Lámhscríbhinní 1949-1954

Nuair a d’eirigh sé as an phost mar Príomh Arailt, fuair sé post sa Leabharlann Náisiúnta agus cuireadh i gceannas ar chlárú na Lamhscribhinní a bhí ina luí ina charn mór gan eagar air. B’shin gnó a thaitn go mór leis. Nuair a thosnaigh sé ag clárú bhí 874 láimhscribhinn chláraithe agus nuair a d’éirigh sé as an bpost i 1954, bhí os chionn 6000 díobh cláraithe. Ag an tráth seo bhí eolas cuimseartha cnuasaithe aige ar chúrsaí ghinealais agus thug sé faoi leabhar a scríobh ina mbeadh cursíos láimhscribhinn chláraithe.agus nuair a d’éirigh sé as an bpost i 1954, bhí os chionn 6000 díobh cláraithe. Ag an tráth seo bhí eolas cuimseartha cnuasaithe aige ar chúrsaí ghinealais agus thug sé faoi leabhar a scríobh ina mbeadh cursíos beacht ann ar shloinnte na nGael ar fud na tire, rud nach raibh deanta ag éinne roimhe ach an tAthair de Bhulbh. D’fhoilsigh Éamonn Irish Families i 1957 agus lean sé air ag foilsiú an stór eolais nó go bhfuair sé bás.