Tír Eoghain sa bhliain 1539 is tús leis an úrscéal, tá Conn Bacach Ó Néill ina thiarna agus a chlann mhac in iomaíocht lena fhabhar a thuilleamh. Agus ní hiad amháin atá in iomaíocht — i measc a chomhairleoirí, tá a shéiplíneach Aodh Ó Cearúlláin, a chonstábla Giolla Easpaig Mac Dónaill agus, príomhphearsa an úrscéil, a chomhalta is a chara rúin Conchúr Mac Ardail.

Forbairt agus cur chun cinn an tiarnais is fis do Chonchúr. Idir é agus comhlíonadh na físe tá iliomad rud — guagacht a mháistir, éad na n-uaisle, cistí folmha, cúraimí clainne, agus a laigí féin mar dhuine. Anuas air sin, tá an mac is sine leis an tiarna ann, Feilimí Caoch, an gaiscíoch mealltach ar mian le Conchúr (agus le bean Fheilimí, Onóra Ní Néill) é a mhúnlú mar phrionsa Eorpach ar an déanamh nua.

As dlúth is inneach na staire, fíonn údar An Cléireach agus Táin Bó Cuailnge taipéis Ghaeltacht dheireadh na Meánaoise agus thús an Renaissance dúinn, taipéis bheo ina mhaireann eachlaigh is gallóglaigh, easpag is cléir, rúnaithe is ardfheidhmeannaigh, bantiarnaí is cailíní cuideachta, giollaí is iascairí.

As senior councillor in the lorship of Tyrone, Conchúr's vision for modernisation brings him into conflict with lords, princes and jealous colleagues and with his vacillating master, Conn Bacach Ó Néill.

Tyrone 1539: Conn Bacach reigns supreme and his sons compete to gain his favour. This is the story of Conchúr Mac Ardail: clerk, senior councillor, and father. The modernisation of the lordship, is Conchúr’s dream, Many things stand between him and its fulfilment — a headstrong master, jealous nobles, empty coffers, and his own human failings.

On top of all that there’s the lord’s son, Feilimí Caoch, a charismatic warrior-prince who Conchúr wishes to remould as a modern European ruler.

From the thread of history, the author of An Cléireach and Táin Bó Cuailnge weaves a tapestry of the Irish Gaelic lordship, a vibrant picture of servants and gallowglasses, bishops and clergy, clerks and councillors, lords and ladies in the Medieval and Renaissance Gaeltacht.