This book presents the opening eleven chapters of Henry Coulter's book The West of Ireland: Its Existing Condition and Prospects, first published in 1862. It offers local historians and genealogists access to print version of this important historic source as they relate to Counties Athlone, Clare and Galway and the Connemara area. Henry Coulter was special correspodent for the West of Ireland on the Saunder's Newsletter. While on a four month tour of the area he reported on the poor harvests and the prospect of impending famine. He reported on the state of agriculture and trade and particularly on the prospect of fuel scarcity after a very wet summer. With him we can enter workhouses, explore the devastating effects of usury and gombeen men, as well as the daily reality of living with high rents and evictions. This edition has been enhanced by the inclsion of an index and extensive footnotes not found in the original or in scanned editions found on the internet. It also includes the original faded illustrations, one of which is used on the cover.