The Burren and the Aran Islands have some of the most distinctive stone walls to be found anywhere. Visitors are invariably intrigued while locals, having lived with them for generations, pass little comment. The walls, in their use of local stone and economical design, nevertheless stand as linear monuments to local skill and hard-won endeavour.

The book deals with their social history, from the earliest prehistoric examples to the most modern, indicating how different styles may be attributed to specific period of construction.