This is a novel built around most of the leading historical figures from turn-of-the-first-millenium Ireland – culminating in the Battle of Clontarf.

The history was first recorded in the 12th century (“Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh”) - told from a victor’s perspective, as history usually is. Fr. Peadar Ua Laoghaire wrote his novel for mass public consumption based on this. And, the story is fascinating. (Critics will argue that it mixes too much fiction into the history. If you want a more balanced perspective of history, watch the documentary on tg4.ie that explores that, but read this book!)

The body of the novel itself is 330 pages. This edition, edited by David Webb, adds several valuable things:
- A preface explaining its context, with an extensive bibliography; 33 pages.
- Timeline appendix – two pages summarizing the key historical events
- Chapter notes – 18 pages of notes on both historical events and grammatical usage
- Index of personal and place names – 15 pages of who were the people and the places mentioned
- Glossary – 83 pages of vocabulary.

For non-native-speakers like me, as well as being a fascinating read, it's a great way to build out one's practical Irish vocabulary. As I count it, are over 6000 unique words are used.

Beside this additional content, what is unique about this edition is that it is written in reformed spelling, Munster Irish (specifically, Muskerry West dialect). If you’re reading this, obviously you’re interested in the Irish language, so a few notes on this.
- There are clear differences among Irish dialects: in the attempts at national standard to establish a common average of them, it doesn’t accurately reflect the way any native speaker does; this one does. (Side exhortation, everyone, speak your own dialect! If you are from Tír Chonnail, you'll enjoy this book, but keep on speaking Canúint Ghaeilge Uladh - that's what I hope to hear when I visit you!)
- Spelling is adjusted here to match how one speaks in Munster. For example, “leo” as written in the national standard is really pronounced “leó” – so that’s how it’s written here. Munster pronunciation rules, like how a síneadh fada works, apply.
- Vocabulary unique to Munster is the focus of the glossary; for example, the relevant entry notes that in Munster, one says “comáint”, where the national standard has “tiomáint”. (Standard vocabulary easily can be looked up in teanglann.ie or any dictionary, so there’d be no point to duplicate it in the glossary.)
- For those interested in the pre-reform spelling (with dot lenition and all), you can find it on wikisource.org. I compared the two as I worked through this book; this edition has fixed some errors that are in the wikisource copy.