River of Ireland tells of raucous and romantic episodes that shaped the character of these island people during the past five millennia. Fiction and fact are woven together in a series of interconnected stories set along the Shannon River that include Viking raids, the triumph of King Brian Boru, a Norman siege, a blind harper's romance, and the pursuit of a Spanish Armada captain over a wild landcape. Each story points to a mysterious location and a pivotal event that transformed the future of this island.