Introduction

At the time of the publication of this book in its fourth edition in 1969, Ireland was alone globally in having experienced a decline of population for more than a century. National movements in Wales and Scotland made the story of the Irish Republic’s first fifty years increasingly interesting. Traditional and conservative as Ireland’s life may have seemed in the late 20th Century it had changed considerably since 1921. Like much of Western Europe it continues to share the experience of a declining number of agricultural workers and its government, like that of many other countries is concerned with the problem of industrial growth. The book analyses the physical environment and the life of 20th century Ireland whilst it was in the throes of an economic revolution.