Historians in the north west will be pleased to learn that the Irish Library in Magee College, Derry will soon be open for public consultation. The great library at Magee, built up since 1865, was plundered when the New University of Ulster was established at Coleraine and the books were transferred there. Over 6,000 were retained in a store off the main library in Magee College and only the privileged few – including myself when I completed my Ph.D. –…