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Follow the Old Road: Discover the Ireland of Yesteryear
By turning off the main highway and discovering old routes, some of which have been traveled for thousands of years, you will see Ireland in an entirely different way. Follow the Old Road will take you on a tour of a variety of pathways from great river roads to lost railways.
Long before records began, travelers arriving on our shores found safe havens, natural harbors, the estuaries of rivers, and settled there, in sight of the ocean that had brought them to this land. Gradually they moved inland to more fertile soil, usually along the course of a river that provided both guidance and essential water supplies. In later centuries, great lords built their castles and monks their abbeys upriver, at the tidal limit. Some of the routes are still used today while others lie ignored and overgrown. Villages, and, later on, towns grew up around these castles and abbeys to serve their needs; towns that still prosper today.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION PAGE
CHAPTER I
THE GREAT RIVER ROADS
CHAPTER II
TRACE THE PATHWAYS TO THE PAST
CHAPTER III
SLOW AND THE CANAL AGE
CHAPTER IV
A FAR-OFF LOST RAILWAYS
CHAPTER V
FOLLOW THE SEA ROADS
Long before records began, travelers arriving on our shores found safe havens, natural harbors, the estuaries of rivers, and settled there, in sight of the ocean that had brought them to this land. Gradually they moved inland to more fertile soil, usually along the course of a river that provided both guidance and essential water supplies. In later centuries, great lords built their castles and monks their abbeys upriver, at the tidal limit. Some of the routes are still used today while others lie ignored and overgrown. Villages, and, later on, towns grew up around these castles and abbeys to serve their needs; towns that still prosper today.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION PAGE
CHAPTER I
THE GREAT RIVER ROADS
CHAPTER II
TRACE THE PATHWAYS TO THE PAST
CHAPTER III
SLOW AND THE CANAL AGE
CHAPTER IV
A FAR-OFF LOST RAILWAYS
CHAPTER V
FOLLOW THE SEA ROADS
304 pages, Paperback
Published May 11, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 13, 2018
interesting and fairly lightweight view of historical Ireland and her paths, roads, rivers, canals, railways and seaways
did seem to jump from location to location quiet quickly, some of which I would have liked more detail on, in particular when author hinted at local history and superstitions
touched on social and economic underpinning and impact of developments and settlements and their connections
plenty of good pictures - colour would have been great
did seem to jump from location to location quiet quickly, some of which I would have liked more detail on, in particular when author hinted at local history and superstitions
touched on social and economic underpinning and impact of developments and settlements and their connections
plenty of good pictures - colour would have been great
September 29, 2025
this was like a book-length copy of the Ireland's Own. if I never hear the word "yesteryear " again, it'll be too soon. I particularly remember when she refers to an oral testimony as "one old woman remembers..." or "Jim Dowd of Glanmire recalls..." as though we are meant to care who these people are. the book itself is full of interesting stories and travel tips, but the bang of nostalgia is a bit much. it was particularly galling when she was writing glowingly about the canals being so useful for shipping foodstuffs to the coast for export during the 1840s (at the height of the Great Hunger).
While there's a lot to be said against the rose tinted view of history that Ms Kerrigan puts forward in the book, as I've stated above, there is a wealth of interesting detail displayed throughout. Particularly with regard to the history of railway development and coastal steamer transport, this lifelong history fanatic discovered many subjects of deeper study and locations worthy of a visit quite close to home.
In conclusion, this book works well as an economic and social history of Ireland's transport infrastructure. If you are willing to overlook its often flowery descriptions and flights of narrative fancy (as well as a few typos from the publishers), it is certainly a book which is worth adding to your bookshelf
While there's a lot to be said against the rose tinted view of history that Ms Kerrigan puts forward in the book, as I've stated above, there is a wealth of interesting detail displayed throughout. Particularly with regard to the history of railway development and coastal steamer transport, this lifelong history fanatic discovered many subjects of deeper study and locations worthy of a visit quite close to home.
In conclusion, this book works well as an economic and social history of Ireland's transport infrastructure. If you are willing to overlook its often flowery descriptions and flights of narrative fancy (as well as a few typos from the publishers), it is certainly a book which is worth adding to your bookshelf
July 17, 2019
Good discussion of the various "roads" people in Ireland used to get from place to place. Includes stories about some of the places, historical as well as folkloric. It helped to know about such things when I visited Ireland recently - I recognized canals especially.
You need a good map to follow as you read because at times, all she gives you is a list of town names (and the map in the front of the book is helpful, but not very helpful for every place she names).
You need a good map to follow as you read because at times, all she gives you is a list of town names (and the map in the front of the book is helpful, but not very helpful for every place she names).
August 25, 2019
So interesting! I enjoyed this book a lot.
October 2, 2020
Excellent book that brings you around Ireland with great little stories and histories
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews