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Irish guide book from 1966

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  • 09-05-2013 9:30am
    #1
    tac foley
    Registered Users Posts: 5,500 ✭✭✭


    Only slightly OT, and mods, please feel free to trash it. I was in the village surgery yesterday collecting the prescriptions for the old folks' home and happened to pick up a fascinating book for 20p [25c] in the book sale racks.

    Called the 'Illustrated road book of Ireland' it was published by the AA in 1966 and has a wealth of information about Ireland [all of it], travelling hints, itineraries and mileages to get the best out of the time there, all the place names [where applicable] in Irish with translations, and a genuine treasure-trove of pen and ink drawings of great charm and accuracy.

    I didn't put it down until the early hours, and I was still finding fascinating historical tid-bits with every turn of the page.

    I recommend it to anybody.

    tac


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    #2
    gobnaitolunacy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭gobnaitolunacy


    Some of those old guide book are fascinating. Built up a small collection of older ones including the Midland Great Western Railway, 'Through Connemara and the West of Ireland' which includes fishing tips, Cork, Bandon & South Coast Rly/Cork & Macroom Direct Railway guides featuring the 'Prince of Wales Tourist Route', Great Southern & Western Railway's guide 'The Sunny(!) Side of Ireland'.http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19329/19329-h/19329-h.htm

    There is a Lough Swilly Railway guide book out there that I haven't got yet which features 'seal shooting' as a tourist activity!


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    #3
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    gobnaitolunacy wrote: »
    Some of those old guide book are fascinating. Built up a small collection of older ones including the Midland Great Western Railway, 'Through Connemara and the West of Ireland' which includes fishing tips, Cork, Bandon & South Coast Rly/Cork & Macroom Direct Railway guides featuring the 'Prince of Wales Tourist Route', Great Southern & Western Railway's guide 'The Sunny(!) Side of Ireland'.http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19329/19329-h/19329-h.htm

    There is a Lough Swilly Railway guide book out there that I haven't got yet which features 'seal shooting' as a tourist activity!

    I agree, they are fascinating. The original guides (like ‘The Sunny Side of Ireland*) were instigated by the railway companies, to encourage people to travel, hence the building of railway hotels like the Great Southern chain. In the early 1900s one could buy a railway ticket complete with hotel accommodation at all main railway stations. Baddelys guides were another well-known series in the late 1800’s.

    Next came the motoring guides, Michelin, Shell, etc. published by the tyre and petrol companies to encourage motorists to venture afield and use petrol or damage tyres on the poor roads. Initially these guides gave a list of mechanics and fuel depots by town; Michelin I think was first with their Red Guide in 1900 – the AA came later with similar, and these expanded to contain reviews of restaurants, hotels and local points of interest.

    Seals were culled with regularity; they also carried a bounty for years (not sure what year that stopped) and eventually they were put on the 'Protected' list in the Wildlife Act of 1976. They were a prized source of pocketmoney for many youngfellas (including myself) with access to a rifle!
    *that guide c1900 has a chapter on 'Nature' by Robert Praeger who much later went on to found ‘An Taisce’.


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