In this book, Kathleen Villiers - Tuthill explores the history of Clifden, from its foundation by John D'Arcy, who inherited his family's estates in 1804, through the difficult famine period, through to Clifden in modern times.

'(Connemara) was inhabited by a race of people, wild, as its mountains, whose principal occupation was smuggling, about that time I undertook the difficult task of improving the lands and civilising the people, for which purpose I commenced building the town of Clifden' - John D'Arcy 1831