This historical memoir provides a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of the O'Briens, one of Ireland's most prominent families. With meticulous attention to detail and a wealth of primary sources, the author provides a sweeping account of the O'Brien dynasty's rise to power, their struggles, and their eventual decline. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.