The Encyclopedia of Ireland is the most comprehensive reference work to date on all aspects of Irish life, culture, and history. It encompasses the whole of Ireland-its islands and seas, its people both home and abroad-and provides fascinating facts about subjects from prehistory to the present.

The encyclopedia contains:

* Thousands of entries arranged alphabetically, from the Abbey Theatre in Dublin to Zozimus, a nineteenth-century balladeer;

* More than 700 illustrations and maps, most in full color;

* Coverage of art, biography, cinema, current events, fashion, food, history, Irish language, literature, music, politics, religion, sports, and more;

* Biographies of a wide range of famous people of Irish descent, including St. Brigid, Eamon de Valera, John F. Kennedy, Bono, Eugene O'Neill, Mary Robinson, and William Butler Yeats;

* Articles on often-neglected subjects such as the role of women in Irish life and the contribution of Irish scholarship to science and philosophy;

* Extensive cross-references and a full index.