During the reign of James I, an official scheme was drawn up for the "plantation" of West Ulster.

However, the actual area settled by new colonists was much more extensive. With them came innovation. Permanent dwellings of a more sophisticated construction became the norm. The spread of hedged enclosures heralded innovations in agriculture.

The settlers also brought with them a new language, new surnames, new religion and of course a change in political and historical allegiances. This account shows how colonisation on the ground was not as much influenced either by the London Government or by the new landowners as has often been assumed.

The author also demonstrates how seeds of bitterness were quickly sown between the Protestant settlers and the Catholic natives whom they had displaced, with consequences that last to this day.