It seems as though RM11 geocoding is not as intuitive as previous versions. If I go through the uncoded places one by one, many of them are found once I add “Twp.” to the name of the city/town. But, it doesn’t find them all and if it doesn’t, then I have to manually delete “Twp.” from the name. It is so cumbersome and it seems as though I only end up finding about half of the places I am looking for. I recall previous RM versions had a better success rate of places found without having to manipulate the placename. Am I just imagining this, or have others noticed it too?
If there’s been a change, it would likely be “programmatic”, not source data. The Gazetteer hasn’t changed since 2006.
I can’t explain the differences you are seeing because RM’s place database has not changed.
I gave up on RM’s geocoding years ago because it does not align with way I like to enter my place names. I’m actually surprised that adding “Twp” to names is helping. In my experience, RM doesn’t like to see things like “Twp” and “County” in place names, whereas for my own use I insist that they be there. Internationally, there are lots more descriptors for place names than are supported by RM’s place name system, like Townlands for place names in Ireland.
Also, I like to geocode things like burials down to the individual burial plot, and RM’s place name and geocoding system doesn’t work with that, either. So I can’t use RM to map out my burials. As another also, I like to use polygons as when I plat out a deed on a map, and RM only supports pins for individual points and does not support polygons.
Just to be clear - in Ireland a townland is a division of land, not a placename, though within a townland there will sometimes be a population area with the same name as the townland in which it is situated. To quote the Oxford Companion to Ireland History, there are over 60,000 townlands in Ireland, varying in size from 1 acre to 7,000+ acres. They constitute the smallest recognized administrative division . A good source of information is the OpenStreetMap site Townlands in Ireland (https://www.townlands.ie), which includes geocodes, of course.
OK so I guess it is just my perception that has changed 
and RM is not to blame! Thanks for the replies gentlemen.
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