In Dublin Castle the Viceroy, chief representative of the Crown in Ireland, presided, a conduit and image of power. Around him gathered a privileged elite who represented the apex of Irish high society for over two hundred years. Their colorful lives, roles and rituals lent shape to what became known as the Viceregal Court. This lively, little-known aspect of Irish social history is brought to life in this readable and entertaining history. It examines the social and ceremonial life of that court, and looks at the individuals who performed at the Castle from the onset of English administration until the transfer of power to Michael Collins and the government of the Irish Free State in 1922: