The History of Drogheda, With its Environs. An Introductory Memoir of the Dublin and Drogheda Railway. In Two Volumes. Dublin: McGlashan and Gill, 1863. First Edition Thus (Two volumes in One). Pp (1) cxxxiv, 260, with engraved title page, 16 engraved plates and a folded map; (2) iv, 475, with 3 map and 3 engravings in text. Recased retaining publisher’s original brown cloth, title lettered in gilt to spine. Mild age-toning to contents, otherwise in very pleasing copy.

This scarce work (first published in two separate volumes in1844) covers the history of Drogheda from ancient times to the 19th century when Drogheda became an important industrial town. After the publication of D’Alton’s book, Ireland was ravaged by the Great Irish Potato Famine from 1845 to 1852. Many of the rural Catholic Gaelic Irish poor in County Louth died from hunger and disease or had to emigrate.

John D’Alton was born in Bessville, County Westmeath in 1792, studied at the Middle Temple in 1811 before being called to the Irish Bar in 1813. He studied at Trinity College, Dublin and went on to write a series of Irish history books and translations of Gaelic Irish poetry. He died in 1867.