Histories of Irish towns are becoming plentiful and this one of Clonmel - or, rather, of 60 years of its life - is among the better records that have appeared recently. The period chosen may appear arbitrary but it includes a half-century of critical, political and social development that merits such a study, a period when people like Charles Bianconi, the Young Irelanders and new Catholic public representatives put Clonmel on the map. In Dr Sean O'Donnell, deputy principal of Rockwell College, the chronicling of the town's growth is in good hands. He brings a learned and detailed approach to the work, which will hold special attention for all Clonmelites. They will be particularly taken with the 300 potted biographies of prominent people and by the titbits scattered throughout the 337 packed pages - items like the fact that a Clonmel barber was a vital witness in the notorious "Tichborne Claimant" case in 1871. There are numerous good monochrome photographs as well, showing aspects of Clonmel in earlier times.
Richard Roche is an author, journalist and local historian