A WALKING TOUR ROUND IRELAND IN 1865

An Englishman [Barry, Willlam Whittaker]

Published by Richard Bentley, London, England, 1867

Octavo, 8 1/4 in. x 5 3/4 in., pp. xix, [1], 406, [6]. Illustrated with fold-out map of Ireland. Green cloth boards with double frame in blind to front and back and gilt clover emblem to front. Gilt title and fleurons with three framed panels stamped in blind to rebacked spine. Original cloth spine readhered with libarary tape to front and rear hinges. Rubbing to extremities; scuffs to top/bottom of spine. Bottom corners just exposed. A few spots to fore-edge. Bindery sticker ("Westleys & Co.") and previous owner's bookplate ("William Morris Beaufort") to front pastedown. Bubbling to front and rear pastedowns. Fold-out map has several small closed tears. During the autumn of 1865, William Whittaker Barry spent 10 weeks, during which he visited 20 out of the 32 counties, and walked upwards of 1,000 miles. A self-professed "intelligent and well-informed Englishman", Barry arrived in Galway on Wednesday 13 September 1865. The following day he toured the town, including the suburbs of the Claddagh and Salthill, and departed on Friday 15 on foot in the direction of Kinvarra. The book was such a great success, that the following year Barry published the journal of his walking tour of Normandy, France, which had undertaken in 1863. (from Our Irish Heritage) From the book: "The waiters were uncivil, and at night the bed was unclean. I ordered some fresh herrings, but they proved to be corned, which made the already thirsty traveller still more thirsty. I may observe that corned beef, mutton, and fish are rather common at the inns in Ireland, as having frequently few guests the fresh provisions ordered are not all required for immediate use. The process consists, I believe, merely in slightly salting the meat or fish, not so much, for instance as in the case of the bloater. Indeed the waiters endeavour to persuade travellers that corned food is about the same as fresh. Other travellers seemed treated here in the same uncivil manner.". Seller Inventory # 86509

Bibliographic Details

Title: A WALKING TOUR ROUND IRELAND IN 1865
Publisher: Richard Bentley, London, England
Publication Date: 1867
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Good Plus
Edition: First Edition.