Published in Dublin in 1905 by James Duffy & Co., and not by coincidence dedicated to Sir Charles Gavan Duffy, C. P. Meehan's original publication of the Confederation of Kilkenny, was at the behest of Gavan Duffy and formed part of the Library of Ireland publications series, the aim of which was posit an alternative view of the history of Ireland: namely that concerned with the nation's struggle against dominion.
The first meeting of the confederate parliament took place on 24th October 1642 at the Kilkenny mansion of Sir Robert Shea and marks one of the seminal moments in the Irish struggle much later articulated by the likes of Gavan Duffy. Within ten days the Confederate Parliament consisting of twenty-four spiritual and temporal peers and some two-hundred commoners had resolved to create national councils for all of the counties of Ireland in order to govern by means not inconsistent with the Roman Catholic credo. Also instituted was a supreme council, whose first elected president was Lord Mountgarrett, which would hold power over all military, judicial and administrative matters in the country. In order to sanction acts passed by the council a great seal was created, a new Irish instrument of law to challenge the Great Seal of England used to sanction laws emanating from London. The Great Seal of Kilkenny bore some familiar Irish emblems such as the harp and cross and also pictured a flaming heart, the wings of a dove and a crown. One of the first acts made under the Seal of the Confederation was to muster 30,000 men to the Confederate Army in the province of Leinster.
As one would expect the Confederation of Kilkenny details the major conflicts during the Confederacy as well as the considerable political machinations and intrigue that dominated the period, especially those surrounding the chief protagonists, Owen Roe O'Neill, Lord Inchiquin, General Taafe and the Duke of Ormond. Meehan's history culminates in 1649 with the invasion of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell
Containing some 350 pages, Meehan's publication also contains a comprehensive appendix and some appendices of interest, which includes the trial of Sir Phelim O'Neill. Fully searchable, this CD-Rom republication of Meehan's Confederation of Kilkenny is highly recommended to anyone interested in the confederacy period.
The record of the Grand Jury Presentments for Co. Kilkenny, or to give them their full title: 'At a General Assizes, and General Goal Delivery, held at Grace's Old Castle, Kilkenny, in and for said County, on Wednesday 7th March 1832', was published in Kilkenny City in 1832 by T Shearman, stationer.
The Presentments for Kilkenny are a detailed record of the financial transactions and payments made to and from the Grand Jury of County Kilkenny between the Spring Assizes of 1825 and the Summer Assizes of 1832 and as such are a set of early accounts for the forerunner of Kilkenny county council.
Broken down into baronies, the Presentments deal with the appointment of surveyors and contractors the Board of Board of Superintendence, the constabulary and other matters. In the main, these broad categories dealt with all the areas for which the Grand Jury had financial responsibility a decade prior to the inception of the Poor Law and general taxation in Ireland and as such provide a fascinating glimpse in to the upkeep and development of the infrastructure, economic development as well as the burden of social responsibility placed on the Grand Jury between 1825 and 1832.
As far as the appointments of surveyors and contractors are concerned, most appear to numbered among the local gentry and landed classes of the county in the make making claims for either the upkeep or development of roads passing through their lands. While this in and of itself is of passing interest, the comments made by the Grand Jury as to the portion of road concerned is of some import. To identify the exact portion of the road in question local landmarks, usually marking the starting and termination points of the road, were recorded. Landmarks often included turnpike gates, bridges, farms, gentlemen's residences and other built features such as limekilns.
While the accounts of the Grand Jury may at first sight seem like dry reading, the detail of the accounts provide some valuable social information on the county. For example, the accounts record payments made to the county's fever hospitals and dispensaries shortly after their establishment and records amounts paid to the county goal and lunatic asylum for the upkeep of the inmates. Payments are also recorded for surgeons who attended assizes inquests and on a more bizarre note, payments made to individuals for the eradication of vermin. An inventory is also included of all the staff of the Grand Jury, including the treasurer, interpreter as well as the names of private individuals who leased out their houses for the conduct of local petty sessions.
The original Presentments was published in two parts of 180 pages each and the current republication, fully searchable on CD-Rom totals 380 pages. This publication will fascinate anyone interested in the machinations and workings of local government in Kilkenny in the guise of the Kilkenny Grand Jury.
Bassett's County Kilkenny is both a directory and a guide to the entire county in 1884. It is one of the most important sources published for late nineteenth century Kilkenny, recording details (addresses and occupations) for around 10,000 people in the county. It contains 360 pages of detailed information, as well as an excellent full colour map.
The book begins with the history, economy, geology and social life of the county. This is followed by a full directory for every town and village, giving the names and details for all office-holders, professionals, merchants and tradesmen, as well as a full alphabetical directory of farmers and other residents not listed by trade. There is a detailed introduction to each town and village, with information about the economy, history, religion, railways, post, and general character of the place. It includes an extended treatment for Kilkenny city, and the towns of Callan, Castlecomer, Graigue, and Thomastown, as well as entries for 44 other towns and villages. The book finishes with an index of places, a list of fairs and markets, and includes many commercial advertisements.
William Carrigan’s History of the Diocese of Ossory (4 vols, 1905) is one of the most important historical publications concerning Counties Kilkenny and Laois ever produced. Carrigan’s main interest was the history of the church from the earliest times, and his four volumes, contain a history of the Bishops and other diocesan officials, as well as an extensive introduction to the area’s political history. Thereafter he journeys from parish to parish recording a vast amount of information concerning all aspects of the area’s history, always with special emphasis on religion. His books are copiously illustrated with photographs, maps and drawings, reflecting his desire to record record the antiquities of the Diocese. Importantly, the four volumes contain extensive extracts and transcripts of original manuscript material, much of which was lost in the destruction of the PRO in 1922.
This digital publication of Carrigan’s work also includes the first ever comprehensive index to his work by Helen Litton (published in 2005). This Index also contains an extensive biographical study on Carrigan by Fearghus Ó Fearghail and a foreword by the current Bishop of Ossory, Laurence Forristal. (in association with the Diocese of Ossory)
This is one of earliest full commercial directories of Ireland, and includes over 220 urban centres throughout the island. Organised by Province, and then town, it lists all the principal office holders, gentry, professionals, tradesmen, hotels, schools, public institutions, churches, and even pubs for each town in Ireland. There is a description of each Province and town as well. This was Pigot's much-expanded second edition (the previous version dated 1820) and is now extremely rare.
This title includes the Introductory sections, and the Dublin & Leinster sections only.
Lewis gives details about every parish, town and village in Ireland, including numbers of inhabitants, the economy, history, topography, religion and parish structures, administration and courts, schools, and much more. He also gives the names of the principal inhabitants (generally landlords, merchants and professionals).
This Dictionary is in four parts:
· Preface & Subscribers
· Volume 1: A-G
· Volume 2: H-Z
· Volume 3: Maps
The Maps are in full colour, making this source one of the most important for research on Ireland.
This is an incredibly rare book, and one of the earliest local directories published in Ireland. It contains a full list of city and borough officials for the places covered, as well as covering education, religion, public and private institutions, trades directory, alphabetical directory, as well as a lot of other useful information, such as a calendar of fairs, tides, postal services, etc.
The places covered are:
Waterford, Kilkenny, Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, New Ross, Carlow and Tramore (which was added after the title page had been printed).
This superb book includes a full commercial directory for the entire country. Organised by Province, and then town, it lists all the principal office holders, gentry, professionals, trades, hotels, schools, public institutions, churches, and even pubs for each town in Ireland. Slater took over Pigot's important publication of commercial directories of Ireland, and this was the first instalment. It has almost twice as much detail as its predecessor (published in 1824), and is now an extremely rare item.
For those familiar with the study of Irish history and in particular Irish genealogy, directories such as Slater's are a vital research tool. Each town and village contained in the Directory is introduced by its geographical location in relation to its nearest railway station together with population statistics derived from the 1861 Census of Ireland as well as a brief geographical and topographical description. The Directory provides the names and addresses of the principal private residents, together with those engaged in commercial and agricultural activity as well as the presence and location of religious, commercial and public institutions.
This publication reproduces just the Province of Leinster & Dublin city sections of Slater's 1870 Royal National Directory of Ireland. This directory is one of only nine national directories for Ireland published prior to 1900 and an essential research tool for the study of Irish genealogy and history.
This superb book includes a full commercial directory for the entire country. Organised by Province, and then town, it lists all the principal office holders, gentry, professionals, trades, hotels, schools, public institutions, churches, and even pubs for each town in Ireland.
This is the third edition of Slaters, for the year 1881, and contains 1,580 pages of information including a large-scale map of Ireland.
Published by HMSO from evidence given to both house of Parliament in February 1893 by Assistant Commissioner W. O. O'Brien, the full title of this publication gives some idea as to its nature and scope:
'Royal Commission on Labour: The Agricultural Labourer. Vol. IV. Ireland, Part II, Reports by Mr. W. P. O'Brien C.B., (Assistant Commissioner) upon certain selected districts in counties Carlow, Cork, Clare, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, King's, Limerick, Queen's, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow'.
In fact, the information presented in the 138 Report was taken from the Commissions Surveys of eleven Poor Law Unions, namely Kenmare, Kanturk, Nass, Ennistymon, Cashel, Wexford, Lismore, Thomastown, Kilmallock, Mountmellick and Carlow and is one of a number of similar reports into the state of agricultural labourers that taken together are the most comprehensive survey of the condition of agricultural labourers undertaken; the Commission undertook inquiries into 41 aspects of the lives of Irish labourers. This evidence was derived from a plethora of sources, which give both this and the Commissions conclusions great validity. Amongst the sources from which evidence was garnered were secretaries of local labour leagues, land agents, independent witnesses, Poor Law Union Guardians, parish priests as well as personal interviews by the Commissioner and his agents. These interviews included visiting labourers' cottages in each of the subdistricts of the unions surveyed and much of the firsthand evidence gathered revealed the depressing conditions experienced by the rural and urban labourer alike.
The scope of the Commission's inquiry was as far-reaching as were its final conclusions. The specific areas of inquiry were as follows: supply of labourer; immigration; conditions of engagement; terms of engagement; hours of labour and meal times; Sunday work; wages and earnings; piece work; mode of payment; prerequisites and allowances; wages earned and other employments; estimated annual earnings; diet of labourers and their families; cottage accommodation; suggested amendments to Labourer's Acts as well as a plethora of evidence as to way and means of improving labourers wages, housing and conditions; garden allotments, cultivation plots and allotments for town labourers; live stock, bee industry, cow runs and pastures; benefit societies, trade unions, relations between employer and employee; general condition of town and agricultural labourers; age and size of families and the effect of early marriages and large families.
In short, the Commission probed into every conceivable aspect of labourer's lives and probably extended its scope beyond its original remit by inquiring into the conditions and circumstances of town labourers, miners and women labourers both town and country. Taken as a whole the 1893 Royal Commission on Labour provides provides some of the best social, economic and historical data available for the labouring classes of Ireland towards the end of the 19th century and will be a useful time for academics and those simply interested in the socio-economic conditions experienced by much of the population of Ireland in the 1890s.
Buy the Compendium with all four volumes and save €12
This publication reproduces just the Province of Leinster & Dublin city sections of Slater's 1894 Royal National Directory of Ireland. This directory is one of only nine national directories for Ireland published prior to 1900. Apart from the fulsome coverage given-over to Ireland's four major cities, Slater's also provides information on the principal private and commercial residents (including farmers) of the larger towns and villages. As a fully searchable CD-Rom, the publication of Slater's Royal National Directory of Ireland is an essential research aid that must grace the shelves of anybody interested in the people and institutions of Ireland.
This important book is well known to Irish genealogists. It contains an index to over 40,000 Irish wills, most of which were destroyed in the 1922 explosion at the Public Record Office in Dublin. As a consequence this book is especially important as the only surviving evidence of what did exist at one time. This index gives the name of every person who left a will, their address, rank or occupation and the date of probate. Vicars' based his work on the abstracts to the original wills compiled by Sir William Betham, and is the only index to his voluminous collections of abstracts and extracts in existence.
However, this edition is doubly important because we have included the never-before-published supplement compiled in 1914 to correct errors and omissions in Vicars' work.
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