What is inside?

Republished here is the 5th edition of Baddeley & Ward's Guide to Ireland, Part I, published by Dulau & Co., in London in 1902, together with their Guide to Ireland, Part II, published by Nelson & Sons in 1911. Published as part of Baddeley and Ward's 'Thorough Guide' Series, these editions collectively contain more than 700 printed pages. Part I, entitled Ireland (Part I). Northern Counties including Dublin and its Neighbourhood, includes 23 maps and town plans by J. Bartholomew; whereas, Part II carries the title, Ireland (Part II). East, West & South including Dublin and Howth and includes 27 maps and plans, again by J. Bartholomew. Mountford John Byrde Baddeley (1843-1906) distinguished himself as a guide book writer of the late 19th early 20th centuries, with his first 'Thorough Guide', that to the Lake District, being published by Dulau in 1880. This publication alone went through 23 editions, the last being published by Hammond in 1978 illustrating the enduring appeal of the format of Baddeley's Thorough Guides, which encompassed twenty regions throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Ireland (Part I) was edited and unusually written by Baddeley. Written for the independent tourist travelling on foot, bicycle by coach or rail these guides were at the time of their publication particularly highly regarded and praised in the national newspapers for their accuracy, tasteful topographic descriptions and beautiful maps and these aspects of the Thorough Guides series was as true then as it is today. Ireland (Part I) includes 28 main destinations throughout the north of Ireland, including Donegal. Each of the destinations is accompanied by descriptions of how to get there be it by rail, bicycle or coach and on arrival where to stay. From these focal points the Thorough Guide provides notes for all the activities available in the area, such as notes for walkers, notes for cyclists, anglers, golfers and the like as well as learned topographical descriptions provided by Ward on the local buildings, places and sights of interest. From each stopping point the reader is offered a number of day trips or excursions, which are aimed walkers with varying levels of fitness to cyclists prepared to cycle more than 100 miles in a day! Ireland (Part II), was written by C. S. Ward and edited by W. Baxter and includes 25 main destinations, mainly in Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Limerick and Clare, with a large section on Galway and Connemara. One of the distinguishing features of the Thorough Guides series are the excellent maps and plans that accompany the guides and the two editions that cover Ireland are no exception. The nature of the maps, showing relief and gradient are akin to modern discovery series Ordnance Survey Maps all of which mark the routes described in throughout the text. Issued here as one publication, the Thorough Guides to Ireland (Parts I & II) remain an excellent travel companion for the environs which they cover and all editions in this series have now become eminently desirable to collectors, the maps alone making this CD-Rom republication a worthy edition to anyone with an interest in independent travel.

• Topography / Placenames
• Travel Writing

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