New history casts a critical eye over the Siege of Derry

‘The Siege of Londonderry’ utilises sources that have never been used before, according to the publisher Four Courts Press, and is full of fascinating new material on the famous conflict.

The book charts the familiar narrative of an isolated city as Ireland descended into war in 1689. However, it attempts to look at the siege with fresh eyes.

“All histories of the siege are based on the early printed accounts, written while the war in Ireland was still raging. This new book casts a critical eye over these sources, and for the first time provides a thorough analysis of the wealth of material that has since come to light in collections outside Ireland, including not only eye witness accounts from the French participants, but the writings of governors Lundie [sic, alternatively Lundy] and Michelburne [sic, alternatively Mitchelburne].

"Every aspect of the siege is held up to careful scrutiny and retold. The result is an account of the siege very different to any published to date,” the publisher states.

Piers Wauchope is a graduate of the University of Manchester and a London based barrister.

His previous writing on seventeenth century Irish history include a biography of Patrick Sarsfield (1992) and entries for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004) and the Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography (2009).

A hardback copy of the book running to 224 pages with colour illustrations is currently retailing for €50.00/£45.00 and is available at all good book shops and at www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2022/the-siege-of-londonderry/

Timeline -Extraordinary history of Derry & the NW 7000 BC to 2022 AD