CARRIGAN, Rev. William. The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory (Rare first edition)

With a Preface by The Most Rev. Dr. Brownrigg, Lord Bishop of Ossory. With large coloured folding map of the Diocese and numerous other illustrations. Four volumes. Dublin: Sealy, Bryers & Walker, 1905. First edition. Quarto. Title printed in red and black. Olive green cloth. Covers framed by a blind and gilt roll enclosing in the centre the insignia of the Diocese, title in gilt on spine. Mild fading to volume 1, otherwise a fine set. Rare in this condition.
William Carrigan (1860-1924), catholic priest and historian, was born at Rothestown House, Muckalee (Ballyfoyle), Co. Kilkenny. While still at Maynooth Carrigan developed an interest in antiquities, which was enhanced by his stay at Kilkenny (a well-preserved medieval town with two historical societies) and furthered by his residence in rural parishes where he took every opportunity to inspect remains, transcribe gravestones and documents, and listen to the lore of old residents. His bishop, Abraham Brownrigg, authorised him (1890) to compile a definitive history of Ossory. This became Carrigan’s sole great object. His achievement, The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory (4 vols, 1905), was a work that, in the words of his biographer writing in 1927, “far surpasses in extent, minuteness and accuracy all other Irish diocesan histories hitherto published” (Coleman).
A traditionalist, he was frugal in his ways: his history was written with a dip pen in an unheated study lit by two candles. Undoubtedly the finest Irish diocesan history ever written, giving a meticulous description of the ancient kingdom of Ossory and its kings and chieftains and a history of the diocese of Ossory from the time of St. Kieran and St. Canice up to 1903.

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