About
Welcome to the West Wicklow Bookshelf.
This is an occasional blog which, over time, will hopefully build up into a useful starting point for anyone interested in researching West Wicklow history and society. The description of each item is accompanied by a cover image or logo, together with a link to the text or content of the document/website (if freely available).
The material logged here will include:
#1: Items on West Wicklow subjects / topics regardless of where they originate
#2: Items issued in West Wicklow regardless of subjects / topics covered
#3: Items produced or written by anybody who has an association with West Wicklow
#4: Items with a peripheral connection to West Wicklow
Any queries or comments may be relayed via the ‘Leave a Reply’ box at the bottom of this page or via the link on individual postings.
A Note on Placenames: Because there are variations in local spellings of placenames we will, for consistency, endeavour to use the spellings taken from the multi-volume ‘Place-Names of Co. Wicklow’, by Liam Price.
DISCLAIMER: Links to external images and logos are not meant to imply that the owners of these images and logos endorse the content of this site. We utilise links to relevant images and logos to enhance the visual impact of the site. Images may also be taken as verification of the existence of individual publications. Any concerns about this linking may be communicated via the comment / reply facility below.
West Wicklow Bookshelf 
Hello,
Love your website, it’s very useful. I’ve recently published “Education in Wicklow” which details schools all over the county prior to 1825. If you’d like a review copy for your website, let me know and I can post it over to you. Details here: http://www.wickloweducationhistory.org/ (including index to the book)
All the best,
Michael
Dear Michael,
Thank you for you message. We’re glad you like the blog and find it useful. Thank you also for the offer of your new book. In actual fact we have managed to get our hands on a copy and we hope to log it very soon. Best of luck with the publication.
Regards,
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Great! Your industry is admirable. Hopefully you’ll consider extending to the eastern slopes sometime in the future!!
Michael
I would like a copy of the kiltgan gathering 20130 please thank you
Dear Carmel,
Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, we only list materials of West Wicklow interest on this blog. We do not sell anything. We are not sure if copies of this booklet are still available or not. However, we will try to find out and get back to you.
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Dear Carmel,
Further to previous reply, we have been informed that a small number of these booklets are still available. We have provided you with the contact details via the email address you have given us.
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Dear Carmel,
We just wish to check whether or not you received the contact details that we emailed to you recently?
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Do you only list material relating to West Wicklow or would you list publications relating to other areas in Co. Wicklow. If so how does one submit information about a publication .
Thanks
Margaret
Dear Margaret,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, we only list materials of West Wicklow interest on this blog. To try to cater for the eastern side of the county and to do justice to the multitude of historical publications relating to that area is a task beyond us at the present time. If you have an East Wicklow-interest publication that you wish to promote further afield,may we suggest some or all of the following:
1. Have it listed on the publications page of Our Wicklow Heritage http://www.countywicklowheritage.org/category/wicklow_publications
2. Contact the local history societies in the county. Details at: http://www.countywicklowheritage.org/category/county_wicklow_historical_societies
3. Consider placing the book in the Blessington Bookstore: https://www.blessingtonbookstore.ie/
Best regards,
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Hi,
Do you have contact details for Michael Russell? That website appears to be out of action. I’m interested in getting for interview.
Many thanks
Margaret
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for contacting us. We do not have any details for Michael Russell other than what is publicly available on the internet. As you say, the website relating to his books is not currently available. The Facebook page called Michael Russell Forgotten Cities has some contact details on the ‘About’ page. These may still be current.
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Hello, do you have contact details for John Hussey. I was hoping to contact him about the book he was writing on Wicklow granite. Thanks
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately, we do not have any contact details for John. However, he is a member of Blessington-Lakeside Heritage Group and the Group can be contacted via email @gmail.com. Use BlessingtonLakeside as the name. Whoever replies to the email may be able to assist you.
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Hello, I’m trying to source a copy of “At the Foot of Keadeen”; I can’t locate a copy on National Library catalogue, Bray Library or LibrariesIreland. Have you any suggestions?
Many thanks
Kevin
Dear Kevin,
Thank you for your enquiry. We believe that this publication was only available locally and may now be sold out. However, we suggest making contact with the school where it was published via https://talbotstownns.ie/contact. They should be able to advise if any copies are still to be had. If not, the only alternative is to seek out a used copy via the likes of ebay, abebooks or stores like Kennys Bookshop Galway.
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Hi I’m trying to source copies of “My life as a stonecutter” byAndy Farrington. ( aug 2017) and also “Valleymount – Facets of our Local History”. by Fr. Richard Cantwell (editor) & contributors.
Any suggestions? Thanks
Dear Peter,
Thank you for your enquiry. Of the two items that you are interested in, My Life as a Stonecutter should be easier to obtain as it is more recent. Nevertheless, small local history items such as this are usually only available in the immediate locality and for a limited time.
Try Irish Local History Books, who currently specialise in Wicklow material:
https://irishlocalhistorybooks.com/contact/
Alternatively the Blessington Tourism Office carries a small selection of local history books and may have a copy:
https://www.facebook.com/blessingtonTouristOffice/
In relation to Valleymount – Facets of our Local History, it is unlikely that copies are to be had easily as they only seem to have been available locally in three volumes between 1990 and 1993. At one time, these three volumes and an additional fourth volume were published freely online, but sadly are no longer accessible.
It has come to our attention that an online bookseller is offering some of the items in which you are interested.
My Life as a Stonecutter:
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22856996185&searchurl=bi%3D0%26ds%3D30%26sortby%3D17%26an%3Dfarrington%26vci%3D168753&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title5
Some issues of Valleymount Parish News (which contain history material included in Facets….)
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30656654339&searchurl=bi%3D0%26ds%3D30%26sortby%3D17%26kn%3Dvalleymount%26vci%3D168753&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-image2
Best regards,
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Hi, I’m trying to trace the whereabouts of a Wicklow granite baptismal font that was exhibited at the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace attended by 6 million visitors in 1851. Since only 300 of the 14,000 exhibitors at the 1851 Great Exhibition came from Ireland and few from carved stone, would be interested to find a picture of the font or better still its current location.
The Baptismal font was cut out a single block of granite from the Woodend Quarry near Blessington and was made by Patrick Olligan from Oldcourt near Manor Kilbride. The exhibit was described as the “most truly interesting specimen’ for its class by the Dublin Evening Packet Correspondence (May 1851). Unfortunately there is no recorded image or details of the baptisimal font in the official catalogues.
Assuming that the font was commissioned for the intended purpose of being used in a church (and not just for the exhibition) it may still await discovery in one of the churches in Wicklow or Dublin ?
Suggestions appreciated.
Peter
Dear Peter,
Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately, we do not have any information that would assist you at present. If you have not already done so, it might be a good idea for you to contact The Blessington History Society with your query: https://blessingtonhistorysociety.com/contact-2/
Then again, if anyone reading this can provide any information on this topic, please contact us using the ‘Reply’ link and we will pass that information on to Peter.
Best regards,
West Wicklow Bookshelf
Greetings from Cincinnati, Ohio, US. I am descended from Doyle and Toole lines in Graigue, Kiltegan and am wondering if there is any way I can acquire a copy of Kiltegan: The Gathering 1913? I cannot find it anywhere. All of your titles look VERY interesting. I wish I could read them all. Thanks and best regards.
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for contacting us and for your kind words. It may be possible to source a copy of this booklet and we are currently investigating this. We will contact you again via the mail address you have given us.
West Wicklow Bookshelf