Anthony Holten

He was born in Dowdstown, Navan in 1945. He started an apprenticeship in Navan Engineering Works as a mechanic over six years. He was a Navan Road Club member in the mid-1960s, competing in the Rás Tailteann cycling race four times. He was a member of the town's winning team in The 1968 Waller Cup Race.{{Cite web |title=Cyclist and seafaring engineer with passion for River Boyne |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2020/10/02/cyclist-and-seafaring-engineer-with-passion-for-river-boyne/ |website=Meath Chronicle}} In 1967, he was awarded the Henry Ford Award for Merit.{{Cite news |date=29 April 1967 |title=Ford Award For Navan Mechanic |work=The Meath Chronicle |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/}}

In 1969, he began a career as an engineer on deep sea tankers for Shell Oil Company. Over the next ten years, he travelled extensively during his marine engineering days in the Merchant Navy prior to continuing his career working on offshore oil and gas fields worldwide.{{Cite web |title=Cyclist and seafaring engineer with passion for River Boyne |url=https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2020/10/02/cyclist-and-seafaring-engineer-with-passion-for-river-boyne/ |website=Connaught Telegraph}}

He worked for Marathon Petroleum in the 1980s, primarily on the Kinsale Head gas field. He and his family moved to Jakarta, Indonesia in the mid-1980s for his work as a marine engineer on the company's new Kakap oil and gas field on the South China Sea. When he returned to Ireland, he was based in Marathon's head office in Cork, until a stroke forced him to retire in 1999.{{Cite web |title=Touching the River |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2017/02/21/touching-the-river/ |website=Meath Chronicle}}

After suffering a stroke at the age of fifty-four, he initially lost the use of his right arm and leg and had to re-learn to use them. After a long period of rehabilitation, he began work on his first book, entitled A Stroke of Luck, about his experience and his dealings with the Irish Health System.{{Cite journal |date=2007 |title=Back Matter |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20633005 |journal=Books Ireland |issue=291 |issn=0376-6039 |jstor=20633005}}{{Cite journal |date=2007 |title=Early Autumn Shopping List: 180 New Books Due September and October from 26 Publishers |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20624248 |journal=Books Ireland |issue=296 |pages=165–169 |issn=0376-6039 |jstor=20624248}} The book was published by Nonsuch Ireland (an imprint of The History Press) in 2007.{{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=50BBGQAACAAJ&q=A+Stroke+of+Luck+nonsuch+holten+2007 |title=A Stroke of Luck |year=2007 |isbn=9781845885953}} Books Ireland called it a "funny, inspiring and telling account" and a "disturbing insight into the Irish health system".{{Cite journal |date=November 2007 |title=First Flush |journal=Books Ireland |publisher=Wordwell Ltd. |issue=298 |page=265 |issn=0376-6039 |jstor=20633077 }}

He was also the author of several in-depth history books, primarily focusing on roads (including old toll roads and road networks) and rivers in County Meath including On Ancient Roads about the road network around Tara and Where Toll Roads Meet, the latter of which gained some controversy and extra attention as it was partially about the M3 Controversy.{{Cite journal |last=Rountree |first=Kathryn |date=2012 |title=Tara, The M3, and the Celtic Tiger: Contesting Cultural Heritage, Identity, and a Sacred Landscape in Ireland |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24394200 |journal=Journal of Anthropological Research |volume=68 |issue=4 |pages=519–544 |doi=10.3998/jar.0521004.0068.404 |jstor=24394200 |s2cid=155763811 |issn=0091-7710|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite news |title=Controversy over the M3 |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/controversy-over-the-m3-1.1170426 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}{{Cite news |last=Eileen Battersby |date=26 May 2007 |title=Is nothing sacred? |newspaper=The Irish Times}}{{Cite news |last=Glenn Frankel |date=22 January 2005 |title=In Ireland, Commuters vs. Kings |page=A01 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27671-2005Jan21.html |access-date=2007-06-14}}{{Cite journal |last1=Mullen |first1=Joan |last2=Ludlow |first2=Francis |title=Naming the Land: Mapping the Meath Field Names Project |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298789346 |journal=Meath Field Names Project}} This led to an incident at the book launch in Navan Library as then Irish Minister Noel Dempsey attended to give a speech about Holten and his book, and clashed with protestors who attempted to present a pig's head to the Minister.{{Cite web |date=25 April 2009 |title=Noel Dempsey On the Pig's Back? – Indymedia Ireland |url=http://www.indymedia.ie:80/article/89508 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425190032/http://www.indymedia.ie:80/article/89508 |archive-date=2009-04-25}}

In addition to his books, he also frequently contributed pieces to other publications, usually on Irish history.{{Cite web |title=Navan Historical Society – A Milestone in Navan |url=http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=a-milestone-in-navan |access-date=2021-04-22 |website=www.navanhistory.ie}}{{Cite web |title=Navan Historical Society – Publications |url=http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=publications |access-date=2021-01-30 |website=www.navanhistory.ie}}

Holten's other books include From High Kings To Seakings about his time with Shell, Of Other Days about his childhood, and The River Boyne about the river of the same name, the latter book becoming very popular in County Meath and among Irish historians nationwide, with journalist Paul Clements remarking in The Irish Times that it "invoked the work of Sir William Wilde" and that Holten was a "pontist extraordinaire".{{Cite news |last=Clements |first=Paul |title=Local History round-up: How fields get their names, and other Co Meath nuggets |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/local-history-round-up-how-fields-get-their-names-and-other-co-meath-nuggets-1.3211649 |newspaper=The Irish Times}} Holten regularly gave talks about his books and local history.{{Cite web |title=Anthony's talk on the Boyne and its history |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/entertainment/anthonys-talk-on-the-boyne-and-its-history-36976146.html |access-date=2021-01-30 |website=independent }}

In addition to being an author, he was an advocate for stroke survivors and chairman of the Cork Stroke Support Group, often giving talks at medical conferences, hospitals, and universities, and was the recipient of the Irish Heart Foundation's "Life after Stroke Awards" Boehringer Ingelheim Stroke Champion Award in 2013.{{Cite web |title=Irish Heart Foundation 'Life after Stroke Awards' Stroke Champion Award – Anthony Holten |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h06IQ8R47w&ab_channel=IrishHeartFoundation |website=www.youtube.com}}{{Cite web |last=Ring |first=Evelyn |date=4 December 2013 |title=Awards prove that life can be fulfilling after a stroke |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20251533.html |website=Irish Examiner}}{{Cite journal |title=Cork Stroke Support Group Newsletter |url=https://www.corkstrokesupport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Newsletter-Issue-1-stroke-guardian.pdf |journal=Cork Stroke Support Group Newsletter}}

• A Stroke of Luck: One Man's Struggle with Diabetes and the Irish Medical System (Nonsuch/The History Press, 2007) ({{ISBN|9781845885953}}){{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/316421011 |title=A stroke of luck |date=2007 |publisher=Nonsuch Publishing |isbn=9781845885953 |oclc=316421011 |via=Open WorldCat}}{{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=http://library.catalogue.tcd.ie/search~S9?/aHolten,+Anthony./aholten+anthony/-3,-1,0,B/frameset&FF=aholten+anthony&1,,2 |title=A stroke of luck |date= 2007 |publisher=Nonsuch Publishing |isbn=9781845885953 |via=library.catalogue.tcd.ie Library Catalog}}{{Cite journal |year=2007 |title=First Flush |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/20633077 |journal=Books Ireland |issue=298 |pages=262–270 |jstor=20633077 }}{{Cite web |title=Harvard Library Hollis catalogue |url=http://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990114630160203941/catalog }}
• Where Toll Roads Meet: Exploring the Road Network Around Tara from Olden Times to the Current M3 Controversy ({{ISBN|9781905451760}}){{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/318670440 |title=Where toll roads meet: exploring the road network around Tara from olden times to the current M3 controversy |date=2008 |isbn=9781905451760 |oclc=318670440 |via=Open WorldCat}}{{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=https://librarym.ucd.ie/record=b1839936~S1 |title=Where toll roads meet: exploring the road network aroundTara from olden times to the current M3 controversy |date= 2008 |publisher=Choice Publishing |isbn=9781905451760 |via=librarym.ucd.ie Library Catalog}}{{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=http://library.catalogue.tcd.ie/search~S9?/aHolten,+Anthony./aholten+anthony/-3,-1,0,B/frameset&FF=aholten+anthony&2,,2 |title=Where toll roads meet: exploring the road network aroundTara from olden times to the current M3 controversy |date= 2008 |publisher=Choice Publishing |isbn=9781905451760 |via=library many links.catalogue.tcd.ie Library Catalog}}
• On Ancient Roads: Recollections, History and Folklore of County Meath ({{ISBN|9780956991102}}){{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/775590693 |title=On ancient roads: recollections, history, and folklore of County Meath |date=2011 |publisher=publisher not identified |isbn=9780956991102 |oclc=775590693 |via=Open WorldCat}}{{Cite web |title=Ancient Roads: Recollections, History and Folklore of County Meath |url=http://www.newgrange.com/on-ancient-roads.htm |website=www.newgrange.com}}{{Cite web |title=Missing milestone mystery in Balrath |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2017/06/15/missing-milestone-mystery-in-balrath/ |website=Meath Chronicle}}{{Cite web |title=New York Public Library / All Locations |url=http://catalog.nypl.org/search/o775590693 |website=catalog.nypl.org}}{{Cite web |title=Harvard Library Hollis catalogue |url=http://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990130905170203941/catalog |access-date=2021-01-14 |website=hollis.harvard.edu }}
• From High Kings to Seakings: A Tale of Three Ships and the Landlubber Who Went To Sea ({{ISBN|9781291704242}}){{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/922596316 |title=High kings to seakings |date=2014 |isbn=9781291704242 |oclc=922596316 |via=Open WorldCat}}
• Of Other Days: Recollections of an Irish Country Childhood (1945–1955) ({{ISBN|9781291705348}}){{Cite web |last=Holten |first=Anthony |date=12 January 2018 |title=Of other days: recollections of an Irish country childhood (1948–1958) |url=https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=isbn:9781291705348 |via=Open WorldCat}}{{Cite web |title=Trinity College Dublin / All Locations |url=http://library.catalogue.tcd.ie/search/i=1291705341 |website=library.catalogue.tcd.ie}}
• The River Boyne: Hidden Legacies, History and Lore Explored on Foot and by Boat ({{ISBN|9780956991119}}){{Cite book |last=Holten |first=Anthony |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1084319069 |title=The River Boyne: hidden legacies, history and lore explored on foot and by boat |date= 2016 |oclc=1084319069 |via=Open WorldCat}}{{Cite web |title=Trinity College Dublin / All Locations |url=http://library.catalogue.tcd.ie/search/i=0956991114 |website=library.catalogue.tcd.ie}}

• "Echoes Along the Boyne – Rediscovering the Stackallen Lighters" (in Navan – its People and its Past, Vol. 2)
• "The Great Weir of Navan and the Boyne Mills" (in Navan – its People and its Past, Vol. 3)
• "A Milestone in Navan" (Navan Historical Society)

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{{Sisterlinks|d=Q104742010}}

• [http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=publications Navan Historical Society Publications]
• [https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL7077038A Works by Anthony Holten] at Open Library
• [https://sites.google.com/site/anthonyholtenauthor/ Official Website]
• [https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Anthony+Holten%22 "Anthony Holten".] JSTOR.
• [https://www.newgrange.com/on-ancient-roads.htm 'On Ancient Roads' at Newgrange.com]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h06IQ8R47w&ab_channel=IrishHeartFoundation Irish Heart Foundation "Life after Stroke Awards" Stroke Champion Award – Anthony Holten]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL_UysTBC-8&ab_channel=mythicalireland Mythical Ireland – Anthony Murphy reads Tony Holten's account of a visit to Newgrange back in 1956, from 'The River Boyne'.]

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Category:1945 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:21st-century Irish historians

Category:Irish male non-fiction writers

Category:21st-century Irish memoirists

Category:Irish nature writers

Category:People from Navan

Category:Writers from County Meath