The Irish Parliament met for the first time on June 18, 1264 at Castledermott and for the last time in the Parliament House, Dublin, on August 2, 1800. It had lasted for over 500 years, and from 1707 it was the only parliament in the British Empire with the medieval structure of King (represented by the Lord Lieutenant), Lords and Commons. Like the English/British parliament it only met regularly from the end of the 17th century. In 1692 Ireland had a minimal infrastructure; by 1800 it had become recognisable as the country in whose history and culture there is a continuing and irresistible tide of interest worldwide. Since its publication, "History of the Irish Parliament "has acquired an already legendary status. This companion volume looks at Irish society and the personal concerns which influenced the MPs. This volume will form a valuable reference work in addition and complementary to the "History of the Irish Parliament." The six-volume "History of the Irish Parliament 1692-1800" was published in 2002. The online resource is available at www.historyoftheirishparliament.com.

Explains how the leadership of the IPP operated, taking the concepts of oligarchy and collegiate governance and applying them to the Home Rule case more comprehensively than ever before