Welcome to Clachan Books
We are a small, niche publishing company that specialises in short-run editions
of family and local histories, local interest publications, poetry and the like.
We also publish modern editions of antiquarian books.
These are carefully formatted and edited to modern standards.
Our publications are available on our shop.
NEW
A History of the Church of Ireland in Ramoan Parish
Hugh A. Boyd
Paperback, 248 pgs. This is a reproduction of Hugh Boyd's original 1930 publication of the same name . The original text has been scanned and formatted to modern standards. All images have been preserved as has the character of the original.
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I warmly welcome this invaluable reprint of Hugh Alexander Boyd’s book. Even as a youthful scholar his careful and detailed record still stands the test of time and will cast light on many things relating to the Church of Ireland, not only in the Ballycastle area but in many other parts of Ireland.
The Reverend David Edward Ferguson, Rector of Ramoan and Culfeightrin in 2011
In addition to its careful and detailed attention to the history of the Church of Ireland, the book also notes the terrible events of 1641, and how the ancient Church of St Eraclasius became the earliest Presbyterian place of worship in the area, and the erstwhile Vicar Daniel McNeile (also spelt McNeale) became minister of what was later to become Ramoan Presbyterian Church.
The Very Reverend Dr Godfrey Brown, Moderator of the General Assembly, 1988-89,
Minister of Ballycastle Presbyterian Church 1964.
The O'Hallorans of Clann Fearghaile
Sean O'Halloran
Melody Lines
Michael Sands​
Paperback, 105 pgs. Though the O’Hallorans of Clann Fearghailel were not among the great lordships of Gaelic Ireland and they played but a small role in Irish history, their story is typical of many of the lesser lordships whose uncharted decline reflects the demise of the Gaelic order and whose members were driven from their ancient territories by war, poverty and hunger.
Clann Fearghailel, of whom the O’Hallorans were the preeminent lineage, claimed an ancestory that went back to Brian, the son of Eochy Moyvane, 122nd High King of Ireland, father of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
In medieval times, Clann Fearghailel’s territory bordered the east side of Lough Corrib and spread westward through present day Galway and along its famous bay. The clann’s location and the possibility that their name, O’h-Allmhurain, the descendants of Allmurhan, derives from the Gaelic for ‘one who imports’ suggests that they may have been involved in maritime trade well before the arrival of the ‘Tribes of Galway’. At the time of the Norman invasion their overlord and neighbour was the O’Flahertys who in turn were the immediate subjects of Rory O’Connor, last High King of Ireland. This, however, was all to change. Powerful merchant outsiders built the walled city of Galway from which Gaels like the O’Hallorans were excluded. They and the O’Flahertys were driven into Connemara. Displacement and disputes within and between the lordships and the gradual dominance of English rule led to their decline and eventual impoverishment. Now you are as likely to meet an O’Halloran in Sydney or New York as in Ireland - unless you meet their hardy descendants in West Connacht and its islands.
Paperback, 117 pages. Michael Sands hails from Newry, County Down and is well known in traditional music circles as a guitar player and singer. These days he can be found hosting sessions, managing the Ballycastle Trad Trail, welcoming guests to Teach an Cheoil B&B, teaching guitar and running Irish language courses up in Ballycastle, County Antrim.
He comes from a celebrated family of singers, writers and poets and it’s little wonder he has put pen to paper in recent years.
'Melody Lines' is his fourth book of poetry along with -
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Away with Words (Clachan Publishing)
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A Moment's Notice (Clachan Publishing )
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Triquetra (Free online)
to accompany his two novels -
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Nut Hollow, The Knife and Nefairious (Clachan Publishing)
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Tadhg and the Pockel (Shanway Press)
This project is the first time a writer has used the names of fifty Irish Traditional tunes as inspiration for a collection.
The Friendship of Scholars
Rosie Nee
Paperback, 229 pages.
This novel envisages an unusual story set in the unrelenting tragedy of seventeenth century Ireland.
Roderic O’Flaherty grows up in Moycullen Co Galway to become a renowned antiquarian. Why does the Gaelic heir of West Connacht follow this unusual path? What brings the young boy under the influence of two scholars in the west: the priest and classicist John Lynch of Galway city and the ollamh of the seanchas Dubhaltach Óg Mac Fhirbhisigh of Lecan on Killala bay in Co Sligo? And in what way do they collaborate in Galway during the years before the city is occupied by the Cromwellians?
Whatever the answer to these questions may be, all we can know nowadays is that this remarkable friendship matured in the passing Gaelic world and ultimately bequeathed to modern scholarship the unique legacy of their various works.
Children Are my Heroes
Maurice Savage
Paperback, 290 pages.
As a young doctor training to become a Paediatrician, Maurice Savage met a young child with what turned out to be a progressive kidney disease. He realised there was no known curative treatment. Discovering that kidney dialysis and transplantation was not yet available for small children at that time, the direction of his future career was set.
The book tracks his experiences from medical student days, to his time as a junior doctor in Belfast through the worst days of the ‘Troubles” Never forgetting that child, he moved to London to study at the Hospital for Sick Children at Great Ormond Street and then to Manchester. Having gained expertise in Paediatric Nephrology, he returned to his home city of Belfast to establish a renal replacement programme for children.
Maurice is Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics at Queen’s University.
Here are stories of the children and families he met along the way, stories of their courage, resilience and even humour. Children who are his heroes.
Hardiman's History ofGalway
James Hardiman
Paperback, 229 pages.
This special edition of James Hardiman’s (1782–1855) classic History of the Town and County of Galway marsk the bicentenary of its original publication in 1820.
The esteem and respect in which James Hardiman is held in Galway and beyond Is clearly evidenced by the fact that the library in the National University of Ireland Galway, then known as Queen’s College Galway, is named after him. He being its first chief librarian.
Born in County Mayo, Hardiman's formative years were spent in Galway where he developed his passionate interest in its history. He entered the legal profession, later working for Public Records in Dublin Castle.
In his preface he states that his work enabled him “to investigate with greater accuracy the history and antiquities of this ancient and respectable town”. The book chronicles the history of Galway as was discoverable at the time and gives, among other things, accounts of the county’s ecclesiastical foundations, charities and schools. His description of the contemporary early nineteen century Galway has proved to be of invaluable significance to later historians.
Hardiman's History ofGalway
Francisco De Cúellar
Paperback, 229 pages.
This is an extraordinarily bleak account of the survival of Francisco De Cúellar’s, captain of the San Pedro, shipwrecked off the Sligo coast along with other vessels of the Spanish Armada. Washed up on Streedagh, injured and virtually naked, he faced a series of horrors ashore. Appalled by the sight of the bodies of twelve of his compatriots hanging from the ceiling of a ruined monastery and hounded by English troops and some locals, he bundled his way from horror to horror, in constant fear of capture and certain death in the English garrisoned North Sligo/Leitrim area. He eventually found refuge with chieftains of the clans O’Rourke and McClancy, before making his way northward to and escaping to Scotland.
This letter, with its accounts of burnt out monasteries, deserted villages, English forces and Irish chieftains, is an invaluable social document, giving a glimpse of Gaelic Ireland in a period when it was being destroyed and its religion, courts, courtiers, poets and historians ruthlessly suppressed.
This story has captured the imagination of a number of Irish writers and musicians. Donal O’Kelly based his play, The Adventures Of The Wet Señor on the experiences of Captain Francisco De Cuellar and featured live music from Kíla.
6 Hillside Road, Ballycastle,
Glens of Antrim,
BT54 6ET
Phone
07798926624