The author, without making pretension to the rare qualifications thus depicted, yet feels the responsibility of his task, and to the best of his ability, has earnestly endeavored to present a thoroughly faithful and vivid picture of the whole life of the community of Sligo, from its cradle upwards, from pre-historic or legendary times, to historic and comparatively modern days. History furnishes the key to many perplexing anomalies of our present social system, and this little journey through one of the by-paths of Irish History, may perhaps afford some degree of instruction or amusement, even to those who have already travelled along its well-beaten highways.