The Reporters’ Gallery. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1913. First Edition. Pp xii, 452. Blue cloth boards, title in gilt to spine. Covers lightly worn contents bright & clean. Housed in slipcase.

Presentation copy, inscribed verso title page: ‘To John Redmond, MP, with the kindest regards from the Author, Michael MacDonagh. February 1914.’

Michael MacDonagh was one of the first members of the Institute of Journalists and he was a founder of the Irish Literary Society, for which he later served as vice-president. He began writing for the Freeman’s Journal when he was 21, and was their special correspondent for eight years. In 1887 he was appointed as sketch writer in the House of Commons. He published two book on the Irish soldiers in the great War: The Irish at the Front (1916) and The Irish on the Somme (1917) for which John Redmond wrote the prefaces. As leader of the Irish Nationalist Party, Redmond had promised MacDonagh the office of Clerk of the Irish House of Commons but subsequent events prevented his appointment.

A nice association copy.