WOOD-MARTIN, W.G. History of Sligo, County and Town, Vol. I, From the Earliest Ages to the Close of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. VOLUME II INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR, From the Accession of James I to the Revolution of 1688 … Vol. III, From the Close of the Revolution of 1688 to the Present Time … With Illustrations from Original Drawings, Plans, and large folding maps of the County.

Three volumes. Dublin: Hodges Figgis, 1882-92. Octavo. First edition. pp. (1) xiv, 411 (2) x, 323 (3) xi, 510. Blue cloth over bevelled boards, titled in gilt. Volume II inscribed by the author at head of half-title; Signed by Alfred Moore Munn on titlepage. Boundary map in superior colour facsimile. A very good set. Very rare.
Colonel William Gregory Wood-Martin was born at Woodville, Sligo in 1847 and after a distinguished military career he took a keen interest in the history and antiquities of his native country. Following his Lake Dwellings of Ireland, Pagan Ireland, Traces of the Elder Faiths and Sligo and the Enniskilleners, he embarked on a massive undertaking and compiled his scholarly History of Sligo, County and Town, a work “of National as well as local importance”. In his introduction he wrote: “The author ... to the best of his ability, has earnestly endeavoured to present a thoroughly faithful and vivid picture of the whole life of the community of Sligo from its cradle upwards ... The labour has been considerable of arranging in consecutive order the various events bearing on the history of Sligo and of gathering together and putting into shape all the materials available for that purpose ...”. His history arranged in chronological order spans the countless troubled centuries from pre-historic times to 1891. From time to time the odd volume of his history appears on the market place, but complete sets such as that on offer here are of the utmost rarity.
Volume I is from the library of Alfred Moore Munn author of Notes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry, with his signature on titlepage and some underlining in pencil. Also in this volume the armorial bookplate of Henry S. Guinness of Burton Hall, Stillorgan. He was an engineer in the Public Works Department India and later served as High Sheriff of Dublin.

[Cat 160]