Featuring contributions from some of Ireland's leading historians, as well as the work of a younger generation of rising academics, this book shines a light on those people on the margins of a rural society undergoing an intense period of change.

This book examines their struggle and the evolving nature of the West of Ireland during this dynamic time. Covering areas from the urban poor, the plight of tenant farmers, the role of charities the development of the Western seaboard, the result is an insightful work that will appeal to the general