“What a piece of work!” - A reader's review of Edinburgh's First Hibernian

I have just finished reading  Edinburgh's First Hibernian. It is one of the best books I have ever read.

The depth of the research and the insight shown in the observations are first class.

For me personally also, apart from my lifelong supporting of, love for and interest in Hibs, as a football-mad Catholic boy who grew up in Kirkliston, West Lothian attending Catholic schools in Broxburn and Bathgate and attending mass in South Queensferry, to the age of 12, the explanation of the Church history and politics, the connections with Irish Home Rule and the general history of Edinburgh through the 19th century discussed in detail were fascinating.

In particular, I was reminded of the churches in Edinburgh that we attended , usually when visiting family in Forrest Road ( mentioned several times in the book), Dalry  and elsewhere, namely St Pat's itself, the Sacred Heart at Lauriston, Our Lady Star of the Sea at Leith  and also St Mary's Cathedral. This has really stirred memories and next time we are in Edinburgh I will visit them all.

Overall, though, all I can say is , "What a piece of work",  of which Mike Hennessy can feel extremely proud. Please pass my thanks to him. He has left me with a hunger to learn more which now I am retired I will have time to do. I can't think of many books where i read the bibliography with such interest - my son's PhD thesis is I think the only one which compares in this respect.

https://www.thirstybooks.com/bookshop/edinburghs-first-hibernian

Derek Adamson, Solihull.

September 2025