Binns: The Miseries and Beauties of Ireland

Rath at Clones

Sketch of a rath at Clones, taken from volume 1 of 'The Miseries and Beauties of Ireland'.

Rath at Clones

Rath at Clones

Sketch of a rath at Clones, taken from volume 1 of 'The Miseries and Beauties of Ireland'.

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Jonathan Binns (1785-1871) lived in Lancaster, England.

In the preface to The Miseries and Beauties of Ireland, he explains that he produced these two volumes in order to heighten people’s awareness of the difficulties of life in Ireland . It is signed in Lancaster, 1837.

Binns records his travels around Ireland in these two volumes. He makes observations on the hardship of the lives of tenants in Ireland, but also includes all manner of subjects, such as the Irish language, wage and rent rates, superstitious fables, notable Irish monuments, the division of farmlands, etc. Some sketches that Binns made on his journey are also included.