This guide to Ireland presents a meticulous, historical account of Ireland coupled with a comprehensive directory of sites. This fascinating volume is a perfect companion both for the discerning traveller who wants to see and savour the beauty of Ireland and for the armchair traveller. The book begins with a chronology of Irish history from the Ice Age to modern times, a narrative richly textured with the people, places and events which have shaped the cultural landscape of modern Ireland. Always the emphasis is on the visible and visitable remains of Ireland's past - gardens, abbeys, castles, cathedrals, towers, sculptures, galleries and more.