Customer Reviews

Irish Book of Arms Genealogy Heraldry

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book has salvaged original arms from works as early as the 1700s in Ireland, and ties many of the arms to specific individuals - seldom done in other works. Some originals were from the 1700's, it is no wonder that they are not 'perfectly' glossy. They are very real. Those unfamiliar with the printing process may not understand that ink will fade over the centuries. All the originals have been reproduced exactly as they appeared in the dusty, salvaged volumes in the Irish Archives. Many appear nowhere else in print. Some novices may like arms that have been redrawn by a modern 'artist' in modern colors- this book includes over a hundred of those, but also includes hundreds of orginals that are found in no other work today- which makes it very unique

In addition - genealogy notes which appear nowhere else in print appear in several hundred entries. They name the holder of the arms, the name of father or descendant, and the SOURCE from which the information is taken, i.e. the Peerage of Ireland, The Irish Compendium, etc...dating back to 1722 a.d.. It is, bar none, the largest collection of Irish arms with commentary.

In short, any serious student of Irish heraldry will appreciate this work and its historical context.

This book taught me alot. Nothing else explains the old Irish and also the families that settled in Ireland from Scotland, England and Wales etc... It includes the Roll of Arms for Irish septs..circa 1690 and also 300 years of Arms issued in Ireland under the British. Lots more to read, genaology notes can run from one sentence to serveral detailed paragraphs. I recommend it!

This book has been so informational! It has helped greatly in my research. Information I havent been able to locate anywhere. This book has captured the arms and family history of the old Irish Septs. As well as the newer families from Scotland and England! I highly recommend!

Overall this is a very good source on Irish heraldry dating back some time. True it is in black and white and the images seem to be scanned in from other sources, but that is precisely the point. It is a compilation of arms from several Irish sources scanned into one collection and alphabetized for the reader.

It is a worthwhile book for anyone interested in Irish armory at all levels and certainly aids those who do heraldic artwork, such as myself, in finding emblazons from long ago so future clients can create their own arms based off of, though different from, the existing arms of these names from specific places.

Overall I give it 4 out of 5 stars. The only reason it is not 5 out of 5 is that I wish the blazons for some of the arms, which are not included, would have been; i.e., the arms of the Tribes of Galway is an excellent feature, but the blazon for the crests and arms is not there ... you have to dig them out of the text where they are available there, though not all are.

Length:: 2:06 Mins

This book presents old and new Irish Family coats of arms. You will see in the video that some of these arms are in color, and several other works have that. What no other work has, are the combined records of the old heralds work, with the rough black and white original illustration, plus the genealogical notes on both the older and newer illustrations.

Included are illustrations and family notations from 4 or 5 heraldic works, dating back 2 to 4 centuries. Those unfamiliar with the printing techniques of the day, will not understand the old block letterpress style printing of times past. Those illustrations are not like the slick illustrations from art departments today. I included the originals just as they appear in the old works by Kimber, etc.. so we could see exactly what kind of designs were being used in the days when it meant much more than today.

Included from the old heralds work, are notations on the family, sometimes giving the ancestor from whom they descended, or from where they originally came. So, they are taken then, from the original heraldic work. You will also find lists of those who lost heraldic honors, and those whose line went extinct. Anyone with an appreciation for history will find the older section of this work both interesting and valuable. These original resources are seldom used in modern works, so much so that many people have no idea from whence they came !

I hope you will enjoy the video and the Irish Book of Arms. It is a unique resource for Irish Heraldry, with original heraldic illustrations and commentary.

If you are thinking of buying this book, save your money. Neither the research into this subject nor the quality of the printing is worth it. The book appears to be a cut-and-paste collection of images that appeared in antique books. The quality is so poor that many of the black-and-white images are blurry (low resolution on computer scanner?)and show black lines at the edges like a poor photocopy. Nor is the book comprehensive. All in all this book seems to have been published at home....