Ireland's Huguenots and Their Refuge, 1662-1745

Book excerpt: This book explores this question and attempts to reveal precisely who these Huguenots were, what they contributed to and received from their adopted land, and why Huguenot ancestry is so respected and prized even among devout Irish Catholics. The true chronicle of Irelands Huguenots is, in opposition to the narrow misrepresentations of the past, one of extraordinary richness and variety, as befits an ethnic group whose influence permeated into every nook of Irish life and society. Here are some of the towering personalities that left such an imprint on Ireland's history, character and heritage: Henri, Earl of Galway; warrior turned financial tycoon David Digues Latouche; the scholar/librarian Elie Bouhereau; and many other greater and lesser luminaries.