The 25th publication in the Royal Irish Academy’s Irish Historic Towns Atlas (IHTA) project has been launched in Ennis, documenting the history and development of the Clare County Capital.
The IHTA project traces the development of Irish towns through its series of publications and is part of a wider scheme with similar atlases for over 480 European urban centres.
Supported by the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), Ennis Town Council, Clare County Library and Ordnance Survey Ireland, the newly-published Ennis atlas traces the growth of the town from its early O’Brien foundation at Clonroad, to the medieval town that developed around the Franciscan friary, to its function as an early modern market and county town through to the 20th century.
Over 15 early maps and old views are presented in colour on A3 sheets with additional thematic maps and illustrations in the accompanying text. An extensive topographical gazetteer documents over 1,200 entries for Ennis and is accompanied by an essay explaining the urban morphological development of the town. Also included is a CD-ROM of the publication where the text is word searchable and the maps and images are in high resolution allowing for detailed examination.
According to Mayor of Ennis Cllr. Peter Considine: “I want to congratulate everyone associated with this project. The publication is the story of Ennis, a beautifully crafted and perfectly illustrated historical record which will have a cherished place in households all over Ennis, County Clare and further afield.”
Speaking at the launch of the Ennis Atlas, Professor Howard Clarke of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) said: “IHTA fascicles cover a lot of geographical and historical ground and are based on most of the accessible printed evidence and some of the unprinted material as well. But they are not the end of the historiographical story. They are best seen as a reliable base-line for further research and for fresh interpretations. Accordingly there will be plenty of scope for interested parties to continue the task of investigating Ennis’s history and its historical geography. This in turn will help to further understanding of the history of Irish towns in general.”
To mark the publication, author and Ennis native Brian Ó’Dálaigh this week delivered a talk to more than 80 people at DeValera Library in Ennis on the history and development of the town and present material from the atlas.
According to Professor Howard: “These atlas fascicles are complex and sophisticated products. For the Ennis fascicle we had as our author an experienced scholar whose knowledge of the town’s history was already deeply rooted. Brian Ó Dálaigh has proved himself to be an energetic researcher, willing to pay great attention to detail and to engage proactively with members of the editorial team on technical issues. The outcome of our collective efforts is an impressive monument both to the history of Ennis and to Brian’s assiduous application to the task in hand. Everyone in and associated with Ennis will be forever in his debt.”
Copies of the book retail at €30. For further information visit www.clarelibrary.ie or www.ria.ie.
The IHTA project traces the development of Irish towns through its series of publications and is part of a wider scheme with similar atlases for over 480 European urban centres.
Supported by the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), Ennis Town Council, Clare County Library and Ordnance Survey Ireland, the newly-published Ennis atlas traces the growth of the town from its early O’Brien foundation at Clonroad, to the medieval town that developed around the Franciscan friary, to its function as an early modern market and county town through to the 20th century.
Over 15 early maps and old views are presented in colour on A3 sheets with additional thematic maps and illustrations in the accompanying text. An extensive topographical gazetteer documents over 1,200 entries for Ennis and is accompanied by an essay explaining the urban morphological development of the town. Also included is a CD-ROM of the publication where the text is word searchable and the maps and images are in high resolution allowing for detailed examination.
According to Mayor of Ennis Cllr. Peter Considine: “I want to congratulate everyone associated with this project. The publication is the story of Ennis, a beautifully crafted and perfectly illustrated historical record which will have a cherished place in households all over Ennis, County Clare and further afield.”
Speaking at the launch of the Ennis Atlas, Professor Howard Clarke of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) said: “IHTA fascicles cover a lot of geographical and historical ground and are based on most of the accessible printed evidence and some of the unprinted material as well. But they are not the end of the historiographical story. They are best seen as a reliable base-line for further research and for fresh interpretations. Accordingly there will be plenty of scope for interested parties to continue the task of investigating Ennis’s history and its historical geography. This in turn will help to further understanding of the history of Irish towns in general.”
To mark the publication, author and Ennis native Brian Ó’Dálaigh this week delivered a talk to more than 80 people at DeValera Library in Ennis on the history and development of the town and present material from the atlas.
According to Professor Howard: “These atlas fascicles are complex and sophisticated products. For the Ennis fascicle we had as our author an experienced scholar whose knowledge of the town’s history was already deeply rooted. Brian Ó Dálaigh has proved himself to be an energetic researcher, willing to pay great attention to detail and to engage proactively with members of the editorial team on technical issues. The outcome of our collective efforts is an impressive monument both to the history of Ennis and to Brian’s assiduous application to the task in hand. Everyone in and associated with Ennis will be forever in his debt.”
Copies of the book retail at €30. For further information visit www.clarelibrary.ie or www.ria.ie.
