The history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age, to 1167 A.D., when a Norman invasion brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. The book also looks at contemporary Ireland's connection with the country's past. Companion to the PBS documentary series. "Well-written...integrates the talents of distinguished anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians....Contains new and fascinating material challenging many myths."-Lawrence J. McCaffrey, Loyola University of Chicago.