This special edition of James Hardiman's (1782-1855) classic History of the Town and County of Galway has been published by Clachan Publishing to make the bicentenary of its original publication in 1820. The esteem respect in which James Hardiman is held in Galway and beyond is clearly evidenced by the fact that the library in the National University of Ireland, Galway, then known as Queen's College Galway, is named after him. He being its first chief librarian. Hardiman was probably born in County Mayo into a family known in Irish as O'Hartigan. However, his formative years were spent in Galway where his father was a shopkeeper. This book chronicles the history of Galway as was discoverable at the time, lists civic office holders and gives, among other things, accounts of the county's ecclesiastical foundations, charities and schools. His description of the contemporary early nineteen century Galway has proved to be of invaluable significance to later historians.