Travels in Ireland

Two very different styles are on display this week as part of the Special Collections travel writing exhibition. Arthur Young (1741-1820) journeyed to almost every county on the island of Ireland in the 1770s and his keen observation of country life, which is more ethnography than travelogue, provides a valuable insight into contemporary farming practices.

Powerscourt Waterfall, ex.:  A tour in Ireland with general observations on the present state of that kingdom (Dublin : G. Bonham, 1780)

Prior to the advent of rail travel, the post-chaise was the most familiar and widely used means of road transport, and The post-chaise companion (1786) describes the antiquities and industry encountered along this journey, as well as noting the all-important distances between destinations which determined the cost of hiring a post-chaise.
 

If you would like to view the spotlight exhibition, or to consult material in this vein, please contact the staff of the Special Collections Reading Room in the Hardiman Research Building at specialcollections@nuigalway.ie.
A spotlight exhibition can also be viewed on the digital display wall in the Hardiman Foyer during the month of April.