The Clainings Tree

Gerry Bohan 

The Clainings Tree is a collection of eight stories 'positioned on the cusp of a 'New Ireland' and embedded in Leitrim landscape these stories bring forward and revive ancient lore'.

So much of writing about the countryside and rural life is by outsiders looking on; this is about writing from the inside, looking in.

 If you loved John McGahern's depiction of Leitrim, you will devour this. The writing, the thinking, the humanity. Truly mind-opening stories and musings told with a light touch.

Buy it, read it. You'll smile, laugh, learn and generally be the better for it. That goes double if you’re from Mohill or Leitrim.

 The book is available to buy locally and directly from Gerry Bohan. It is also available online at Leitrim Design House.

It is also available as an audiobook narrated by the author at gerrybohan.com.

Leitrim: The Irish Revolution

Patrick McGarty 

Using a wide variety of sources in Ireland and Britain, Patrick McGarty has produced an absorbing, comprehensive and insightful exploration of County Leitrim during the Irish Revolution. This wide-ranging study details social, political, cultural and military developments from 1912 through the First World War, Irish War of Independence and Civil War.

In Leitrim there was a decisive political transformation with the collapse of the Irish Parliamentary Party and the unprecedented rise of Sinn Féin. McGarty describes how resistance was deployed against British rule, and against the pro-Treaty Irish government. These included political violence and widespread campaigns of boycott and intimidation and this study provides new insights on the nature and implications of both republican and state violence. McGarty offers a novel and compelling account of the Irish Revolution in a so-called ‘quiet’ county.

 The book is available to buy locally and at Four Courts Press >>>

The Murder of Dr Muldoon

Ken Boyle & Tim Desmond

Mohill 1923: a  priest and his housekeeper abandon a baby girl on a doorstep in Dublin’s north inner city. The two are handed over to the police, charged and sent for trial. 

A month later, a young doctor, Paddy Muldoon, is shot dead in Mohill. 

Dr Muldoon is carried to his home at Coolabawn House and to the arms of his distraught and grief-stricken wife. His body is laid out in the surgery there, where it remains for a few days while a post-mortem and inquest are carried out.

The book tells the story of the murder and its aftermath. It tells how the IRA, the church and major figures in the emerging state, all colluded in some way to cover up the scandal and help the perpetrators evade justice. Above all, the book is the story of Paddy Muldoon's widow Rita, and her determination and fortitude in challenging those in power as she sought justice for her husband.

Available at good bookshops and at Mercier Press  >>>.

For more on the story, listen to RTÉ's documentary on the story, 'An Unholy Trinity' on the RTÉ player.

Virtues of a Wicked Earl:

The life and legend of William Sydney Clements, 3rd earl of Leitrim, 1806–78

Anthony Malcomson

A.P.W. Malcomson's  meticulously researched study disentangles fact from fiction in the story of Lord Leitrim. Malcomson's portrayal shows Leitrim as a difficult, cantankerous, unappealing character. The book is not just a biography, but provides detail on the Irish land system and the operation of central and local government. Malcomson has been accused of being overly-sympathetic to Lord Leitrim, and he certainly provides a rounded picture of the man, but his research is solid and well-referenced.

 … This is an important and well researched book which gives a great insight not only into the life of Lord Leitrim but also adds to our understanding of landlordism in Ireland in the nineteenth century', Liam Kelly, Breifne Historical Journal (2009).

 The book may be available in libraries or second-hand, or at Four Courts Press >>>

By Hereditary Virtues: a History of Lough Rynn

Fiona Slevin

The 3rd Earl of Leitrim lives in local memory as a notorious despot who represented the worst excesses of landlordism in Ireland during the 19th century. Drawing on primary and secondary sources, this book describes how the Lough Rynn estate emerged from early times up to the end of the 19th century. It focuses largely on the 3rd Earl including his management of the Lough Rynn estate, his role during and after the famine and his eventual demise. The story, however, is not just about one man, but rather about all the people who lived and died during an important period in Irish history.  

‘A marvellous read. A beautifully-presented, well-researched scholarly work.’ Brendan Kennelly

‘The classic local history, a scholarly mosaic of political, social and cultural life. We need this kind of intelligent, analytical history.’ Professor Michael L. O'Rourke, Trinity College Dublin

‘A must for anyone interested in the social history of 19th Century Ireland.’ Desi Kenny, Kenny's Bookshop (www.kennys.ie)

 The book is available to buy here or from Amazon.

Recipes & Remedies of Lough Rynn

Fiona Slevin

Recipes and Remedies of Lough Rynn is based on original journals by the housekeeper at Lough Rynn, dating from the late 1800s.

These old recipe books don’t tell us much about what the vast majority of the people ate. But it is the very difference between the table of the lord and his tenants that is of interest and which raises lots of questions. Like how did they know about Indian Curry in Mohill in 1860? And where did they get their hands on parmesan cheese, and fresh lemons and nectarines? How did they preserve food without refrigerators and freezers? And then there’s the poignancy of comparing the ingredients for Poor Soup, or Rice for the Poor against the abundance and complication of Oyster Sausages or dressed French Beans.

The book is available as a print-on-demand paperback and hardback at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.

I have a small number of copies to sell directly, if you prefer to buy directly from me.

The Reynolds Letters: An Irish Emigrant Family in Late Victorian Britain

Lawrence W. McBride

After her husband died, Mary Reynolds, then aged thirty-eight, emigrated with her six children to Manchester. The family did well and kept regular contact with family in Mohill and America. This book illustrates the power and longevity of deep connections between emigrants and their family at home and abroad. It also highlights how those connections went beyond remittances to include support and jobs for would-be emigrants and those remaining at home.

Out of print but may be available at general bookshops and online.

Leitrim's Republican Story, 1900-2000

Cormac Ó Súilleabháin

Leitrim’s Republican Story 1900-2000 is a  historical account of republicanism in County Leitrim through the last century. It was first published in late 2014, and was republished in Sept 2019.

The publication looks at all facets of the Republican tradition in Leitrim with considerable material on the War of Independence including lists of all 3,000 IRA volunteers from the county. The Civil War and the more recent Troubles are also examined in detail, with excellent photographs and a good index.

Available at general bookshops and online.

Cavan and Leitrim Railway

Flannagan, Patrick J.

Published in 1972

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The Cavan & Leitrim Railway - The Last Decade - An Irish Railway Pictorial
Tom Ferris and Patrick Flanagan

Published in 1997, this pictorial book covers the final decade of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway, the aftermath of its closure, and recent developments.
Try online or in second-hand bookshops.

However, nothing beats visiting the outstanding Cavan and Leitrim Railway Museum in Dromod where you can travel in a real narrow gauge railway along the track.

See https://www.cavanandleitrimrailway.com/

That They May Face the Rising Sun

John McGahern

For a flavour of life in this area, read John McGahern's 'That They May Face the Rising Sun'.

"Tea was made. Milk and several spoons of sugar were added to the tea and stirred."

Although describing a way of life that is slowly fading from reality and memory, the book is a masterful meditation and a quiet celebration of the routines and beliefs and interactions that make us who we are. 

It is also a reflection on the value of – and sometimes the need for – silence, and keeping one's counsel.

Buy at Kennys.ie >>>  and at good bookshops.

Note - this was also published as 'By The Lake' in the US.

Parish histories online



Leitrim County Library has digitised and published a treasure trove of parish histories that can be read online.

These include histories of Annaduff and Dromod, Aughavas, Ballinagera, Carrigallen, Cloone, Dromahaire, Drumshanbo, Eslin Bridge, Glenfarne, Kiltoghert, Kiltubrid as well as the Church of Ireland Story.

See https://leitrimdoc.ie/leitrim-parish-histories/

Also see https://leitrimdoc.ie/ for access to books, articles, and other media

Battle of Connacht 1270

Noel MacLochlainn

Seldom has a victory been so successfully erased from the history books as Aedh O'Conchobar's victory over the Normans at the battle of Áth an Chip near Carrick-on-Shannon, in August 1270.

Exactly one hundred years after conquering, and settling most of Ireland, Norman's gathered to crush the defiant gaels of Connacht. A massive army of knights and foot-soldiers, led by no less than the Justiciar of Ireland, marched through county Roscommon, over the River Shannon, into south county Leitrim. Following days of drama and skirmishes, the Gaelic champion Aedh O'Conchobar launched a surprise attack, wiping out the entire Norman army at Áth an Chip. Here, for the first time, the iconic Battle of Connacht at Áth an Chip, and the heroic leadership of both Aedh O'Conchobar and Turlough O'Briain can be revealed. 

Available at BookDepository >>>

Fág a Bealach | Clear the Way

History of the Mohill GAA Club 1889-2015

Mohill GAA Club was founded in 1889, just five years after the GAA itself came into being. This book is a masterful and thorough celebration of the club - its trials, tribulations and its many, many achievements. It is the result of the work of a voluntary committee and documents and records the teams, events and - most importantly the people - from every single year. It cleverly puts every year in context, introducing the local by providing a glimpse of what was happening nationally and globally. The year-by-year chronicles are interspersed with learned and beautifully written memoirs and articles.

The loyalty, love and immense dedication shine through. As does the humour.

This is a must read for those interested in GAA history, Mohill, but also for anyone who wants to understand what makes and sustains a community across centuries. It sets the standard by which all club histories should be written.

 The book is available at local shops but may soon be out of print. Beg, borrow or steal one.