This work is the magnum opus of Irish genealogy, a vast and prodigious compendium of family history and source material. The first volume explores the origin and stem of the Irish nation. The old Irish genealogies assembled here are brought down to the lineal descendant of each family living at the time of the British dispossession, although many of the descents are brought down to the 19th century. Also included is a lengthy appendix with an extraordinarily detailed table showing families that owned land in the 12th century. In addition, there is an index of several thousand surnames.