The Municipal Revolution in Ireland, A Handbook of Urban Government in Ireland since 1800, by Dr Matthew Potter, Department of History, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, is the first major history of Irish urban government published and includes discussion of medium and small towns, as well as Ireland’s cities and large towns.
While The Municipal Revolution in Ireland is a general survey of the entire urban government system in Ireland since 1800, it examines 11 case studies in more detail. One of these is Ballina, which features prominently in every chapter. Among the topics he writes about are the town’s origins in the early 18th century, its status as Mayo’s largest town for nearly 300 years, population trends, local politics, the Ballina Poor Law Union, and the provision of services such as housing, water supply, and sewerage. He also writes about major figures in Ballina’s history such as the mighty and wealthy Knox-Gore family and Robert Paget Bourke.
The book is available in all good bookshops.
