Green cloth binding with gilt title and decoration on the spine and on the front board. Dimensions are for one volume.

Some fading on bottom corners.

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Please view our photographs. History of Ireland. 6 Volumes. By The Rev E A D’Alton Printed: Circa 1920 Publisher: The Gresham Publishing Co. London Language: English Size (inches): 6.8 x 9.2 x 1.6 Condition: Good The “History of Ireland” by the Rev. Edward Alfred D’Alton, published by The Gresham Publishing Co. around 1910–1920, is a widely recognized multi-volume scholarly work featuring distinctive sage-green cloth bindings decorated with intricate gilt Celtic knotwork. Complete 6-volume sets in Good condition generally range in value from £65 to £250, depending on the presence of color frontispieces, maps, and the degree of typical aging like foxing or shelf wear.

Chapter content and price

The current market value for a complete 6-volume set of Rev. E.A. D’Alton’s History of Ireland in Good condition generally falls between £65 and £250. The total layout of the set covers Irish history from antiquity into the early 20th century, structurally divided across six distinct chronological volumes.

Chronological Chapter & Volume Content

• Volume I (Pre-History to 1210): Covers early mythic history, the introduction of Christianity via St. Patrick, the era of the high kings, Celtic monastic culture, Viking raids, and the initial Norman invasion of Ireland up to 1210.

• Volume II (1210 to 1547): Details the consolidation of Norman power, the growth of the “Pale,” shifting tribal and feudal alliances, and the onset of the Tudor conquest under Henry VIII.

• Volume III (1547 to 1649): Highlights the Elizabethan wars, the flight of the Earls, the Plantation of Ulster, the 1641 Rebellion, and the eventual arrival of Oliver Cromwell.

• Volume IV (1649 to 1782): Covers the Cromwellian confiscations, the Williamite War (the Battle of the Boyne), the execution of the restrictive Penal Laws, and the push for legislative independence in the late 18th century.

• Volume V (1782 to 1879): Chronicles the 1798 Rebellion, the Act of Union (1800), Catholic Emancipation led by Daniel O’Connell, the devastating Great Famine of the 1840s, and early agrarian agitations.

• Volume VI (1879 to 1908): Focuses on the modern political area, documenting the Land War, Charles Stewart Parnell’s Home Rule movement, and local political developments tracking up to 1908

Biography of Rev. E. A. D’Alton

The Right Reverend Monsignor Edward Alfred D’Alton (1859–1941) was a prominent Irish Roman Catholic priest, theologian, and highly respected historian. Best known for his monumental multi-volume History of Ireland, he balanced a demanding lifetime of parochial duties in the West of Ireland with a prolific career as a serious, self-taught historical researcher.

Early Life and Education

• Birth: Born on 5 November 1859 in Lavallyroe, near Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. He was the son of John D’Alton and Ellen Reynolds, who came from a farming background.

• Education: He received his early education at St Jarlath’s College in Tuam, County Galway. In 1881, he matriculated into St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, the premier seminary in Ireland, to study for the priesthood.

• Ordination: He was officially ordained as a priest in 1887.

Ecclesiastical Career & Community Influence

Following his ordination, D’Alton served as a curate across five different rural parishes in the Archdiocese of Tuam. His career advanced considerably as both his administrative skills and academic standing grew:

• Parish Priest of Ballinrobe (1911): He was appointed the parish priest of Ballinrobe, County Mayo—a community where he would remain deeply influential for the rest of his life.

• Rise through the Hierarchy: In 1911, he was made a Cathedral Canon and Vicar Forane. By 1912, Pope Pius X named him a Domestic Prelate, granting him the title of Monsignor.

• Dean and Vicar-General (1930s): He attained the rank of Dean of the Cathedral Chapter in 1930 and was appointed Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Tuam in 1933, effectively making him the second-highest official in the diocese.

Historical Scholarship & Major Works

Despite his full-time pastoral obligations, D’Alton spent decades combing through historical records. Interestingly, he applied for the chairs of history at University College Cork and University College Dublin in 1909 but was unsuccessful—meaning his landmark historical achievements were accomplished largely outside academia.

• History of Ireland from the Earliest Times to the Present Day: His magnum opus was originally published in sections starting in 1903. It earned him widespread acclaim for its balanced narrative style and deep research, ultimately being expanded into popular 6-volume and 8-volume commercial sets by publishers like Gresham.

• History of the Archdiocese of Tuam (1928): A highly detailed two-volume regional work charting the ecclesiastical, political, and monastic history of the west of Ireland from the era of St Jarlath to the early 20th century.

• A Short History of Ballinrobe Parish (1931): Written later in life out of a deep affection for his local community, this monograph was created to ensure local school children had an accessible, reliable record of their area’s heritage.

• Shorter Academic Contributions: He was a frequent writer for the Dublin Review—specialising in the Cromwellian and Restoration periods—and authored several definitive historical entries for the global Catholic Encyclopedia.

He was honored for his academic rigorousness by being elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA). Monsignor D’Alton passed away in Ballinrobe on 25 January 1941 at the age of 81, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of the early 20th century’s most dedicated regional Irish historians.