Award-winning travel writer Lawrence Millman tromps through western Ireland's rugged countryside to record the oral history of its people before their hard-earned traditions are permanently stifled by industrialization and development. In doing so he produces a "lovely nugget of good writing" (New York Times) that relays the stories of traditional laborers tinkers cartwrights, rat-charmers, coopers, thatchers, farriers, gleemen, pig-gelders with candor and depth.