In late-Georgian and Victorian Ireland, most towns and many villages had an impressive public Market House, administered by the local landlord or Town Council, where farmers weighed and sold their merchandise. Often, the first floor of the building was used as the local Court House, or for public events, or even by the Town Council for their monthly meetings. Thankfully, many of these important public buildings have survived, and converted to alternative use, such as the public library, or Council offices. This book, with many colour photographs, confines itself to the province of Leinster, in an effort to give a flavour of what the rest of Ireland has to offer.
