Is the country that produced The Book of Kells the same one that built Georgian Dublin or gave birth to the poetry of Yeats? All too often the great periods of Irish achievement have been presented as fragments, unrelated to a continuing tradition. Yet no other country has been so obsessed with its own past as Ireland, or more tenacious of its own unity. This book presents the whole of Ireland - the dark side as well as the light, the greatness as well as the suffering, the enduring victories as well as the humiliating defeats. Eleven leading scholars and writers trace the story of Ireland, from prehistoric Ireland and its stupendous megalithic monuments into the first millennium, when the early Irish Church outshone the rest of Europe, creating masterpieces of manuscript illumination and metalwork. The last two centuries, although beset with tragedy, included the important lyrical episode of the Celtic Revival in art, poetry, and drama. The final chapters are devoted to the Irish in America and modern Ireland. A wealth of superb illustrations combined with a superior degree of scholarship make this an essential overview and reference for anyone interested in Ireland. 340 illustrations, 62 in colour.