What makes his book so valuable, however, are the quirky subjects he chooses to illustrate how history really works:

• the great winter freeze of 1740 and the famine that followed;
• crime and duelling;
• an emigrant voyage;
• evictions.

These episodes get behind the historical headlines to give a glimpse of past realities that might otherwise be lost to view. The author has retained the original episodic structure of the radio programmes. The result is a marvellous mosaic of the Irish past, delivered with clarity and narrative skill.

Jonathan Bardon was born and educated in Dublin, but has spent most of his life as a teacher and lecturer in Belfast. He is, therefore well acquainted with both parts of Ireland. He has an outstanding reputation as a narrative historian of rare ability.