It was, in many ways, a turning point in Ireland for nationalistic symbols. Éamon de Valera decided to found a new political party, Fianna Fáil, which had its own interpretation of language and nation. Raidió Éireann came on air, and Coimisiún na Gaeltachta published a report which for the first time laid down the official Gaeltacht boundaries and provided a new insight into community life there. It is on the work of this Commission that this book is based; describing life and attitudes amongst Gaeltacht communities. John Walsh is a lecturer in the National University of Ireland, Galway.