This portrait of Ireland begins with its prehistory looking at the archaeological remains and moves on through the years describing everything from the High Kings of Tara, the evolution of Christianity and its importance, the Norman invasion under Strongbow and the Tudor conquest in the 16th century to the gains of the 19th century and the current position in the European Community. At the back of the book is an A-Z gazetteer cross-referenced to the main text and useful reference tables.