An Essay on the Antient and Modern State of Ireland

The essay surveys the island's ancient origins and successive eras, arguing for an early western migration, the importance of the missionary credited with Christianizing the people, and the later transfer of sovereignty to an external monarch; it outlines an early elective system and the communal preservation of learning, traces the rise of military power and foreign incursions, and balances praise for religious, literary, and legal culture with criticism of political decay, concluding with reflections on the condition and legal circumstances of Roman Catholics and suggestions to correct misunderstandings and promote native prosperity.