Prunty, Jacinta. Maps and Map-Making in Local History.

Maynooth Research Guides for Irish Local History, No. 7. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2004. Reprinted 2005. 8vo. Pp. 335. With illustrations, diagrams, and numerous references to historical maps and cartographic sources. Original publisher’s pictorial card covers. A very good copy.

An authoritative guide to the use of maps as historical sources in the study of Irish local history. Written by historical geographer Jacinta Prunty of the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA), this work forms part of the important Maynooth Research Guides for Irish Local History series and provides a practical framework for historians, researchers, and genealogists working with cartographic material.

The book explores the development of map-making in Ireland and explains how maps can be interpreted as historical documents. Topics include the evolution of Irish cartography, essential map-reading techniques, and the ways maps encode social, political, and economic information about landscapes and communities. Prunty also provides guidance on locating historical maps in archives and collections, alongside case studies demonstrating how maps can be used in local historical research.

Particularly valuable is the extensive list of illustrations and references to key cartographic sources such as Ordnance Survey maps, estate maps, and early survey material. The work concludes with appendices, a select bibliography, and a detailed index, making it a useful reference tool for researchers of Irish geography, genealogy, and local history.

An important modern reference work for those studying Irish cartography, landscape history, and historical geography.

[L2 4B]