A DONEGAL book dealer has stumbled upon the first edition of a renowned 150-year-old history of Inishowen, ending a mammoth quarter-century quest.
Inishowen, Its History, Traditions and Antiquitieswas written in the late 1860s by Michael Harkin, a local journalist operating under the pseudonym Maghtochair.
Carndonagh book dealer Michael Herron (71) said he had all but given up hope of finding the elusive edition until son-in-law Peter Doherty traced it to a dealer in the United States.
“Feeling that I had exhausted all probabilities of it ever emerging, I was less zealous in my pursuit over the last 10 years, considering it a lost cause,” Mr Herron said.
“For any book dealer or collector with an interest in the Inishowen peninsula, this is truly a prized possession and a once in a lifetime occurrence.”
Mr Doherty said the hardback copy was in excellent condition, and although it has yet to be valued, it could be worth several thousand euro.
The leather-bound copy has gilded lettering on its cover with the title Inishowen written on its binding.
Mr Doherty said there were two reprints of it, one in 1935 and a second in 1985, both of which have been used as a definitive source by local historians.
The book was bought just over a month ago from a dealer in Milwaukee. However it is not clear how it ended up in the US.
There have been eight expressions of interest from local historians and book enthusiasts in Inishowen, although it has not been revealed how much they are offering. The book includes information on basic geography, antiquities, political history and details about every parish in the Inishowen peninsula, Mr Doherty said. Mr Herron has been running The Bookshop, in Carndonagh, since the 1980s.