Turtle Bunbury Launches his New Book, 1847, at The Chq Building

Turtle Bunbury launches his new book, 1847, at The chq Building with a special performance from Luka Bloom

Bestselling author and historian, Turtle Bunbury, launched his new book, 1847 - A Chronicle of Genius, Generosity and Savagery, with a wine reception at The chq Building, Custom House Quay, Dublin 2, on Thursday 29 September at 6.30pm. The book was launched with a special performance by Luka Bloom, who sang ‘The City of Chicago’ at the event.

Discover the events, characters and pioneering spirit that forged the modern world

1847 by historian Turtle Bunbury is a rollicking journey into the minds of an eclectic bunch of characters in an especially memorable year.

From the Irish soldiers who fought for Mexico against the United States, to Arctic adventurers, entertainers like Lola Montez and Tom Thumb, and inventors who were slaving over products that would become modern mainstays, 1847 was a year filled with events and people that forged the modern world.

Having grown up in an Irish country house built that year, 1847 has long proven the source of inspiration and fascination for historian Turtle Bunbury. In a bid to grasp the spirit of the age, in this book he has assembled the most remarkable stories from those 12 momentous months. With his penchant for the quirky, it bristles with all manner of life and human endeavour.

The stories run in chronological order as the year progresses and the reader is introduced to weird and wonderful tales and personalities, such as:

• Stephen Foster, the young Mississippi shipping agent from Pennsylvania, whose song-writing exploits provided ‘Oh Susanna’ and ‘Hard Times Come Again No More’.
• Mary Anning who became the world’s most brilliant fossil collector in the 1820 and 1830s and inspired the tongue twister, ‘She sells seashells upon the sea shore.’
• Cartier, the son of a Napoleonic soldier who established one of the world’s most famous jewellery and watch-making brands.
• The rival Russian circus masters who had an extraordinary showdown in the city of St Petersburg.

1847 is available on our website, Eason, Amazon and in all good bookstores.

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About the author:

Turtle Bunbury is one of Ireland’s most recognisable popular historians and a bestselling author, journalist, genealogist and television presenter. Author of the award-winning and bestselling Vanishing Ireland series and the critically acclaimed The Glorious Madness, he lives in Tullow, Co. Carlow, with his wife and two daughters.

Check out photo highlights from the launch below and the full album on Facebook.