This is a book not to be missed and probably the best book I have ever read about Ireland and the Irish. It isn't a travel guide but is a useful aid to any traveler preparing a wish list.
The author evokes a rural idyll. She paints pictures in words of ancient landscapes. She introduces one to pilgrims, peasants, monks, poets, nuns, Irish Kings, rebels, revoluntaries, knights and martyrs. Avoiding all the boring bits she tells a concise history of Ireland, taking in culture and politics. She treats people of importance and people of little importance with equal care.
There are visits to castles, monasteries, abbeys, loughs, bogs, standing stones and mountainsides, all brought vividly to life.
An absolute joy to read.

As my immediate family is from Ireland, and I have been there a number of times, I am always interested in all things Irish. But not this book. I simply found it hard to follow with the author on her travels. It seemed very matter of fact. Apart from the title, I felt no feeling emanating from the pages, it was just the author and her companion as they did this, and went here, and this is what happened years ago. I thank NetGalley and Matador for the advance read.