Pages slightly yellowing Bearable Press, 1985, 255 pages For centuries the land of Ireland has captivated strangers and has held the Irish themselves in its thrall. That appeal is in the mountains, at the seashore, beside the many tranquil lakes and bright rivers, in the lush water meadows, in the shade of ruined castles, in the brilliant hedgerows of fuchsia and of whitethorn and on the rough, lonely islands of the West. It is "that fierce, sweet attachment of the Irish to their land" that has moved Brian de Breffny to write this book. The land of Ireland has a complex history of invasions and settlements, which have shaped the face and nature of the country. In attempting to define the Irish essence, Brian de Breffny surveys the distinctive features —geological, geographical, archae-ological, mythological and historical—of Ireland's four ancient provinces. In company with photographer George Mott, he guides us to prehistoric burial places, to earthworks, to Iron Age forts and mines, to Celtic crosses round towers 166 illustrations including 127 plates in full color and 4 maps