The seventeenth century in Ireland was a time of huge change. At its beginning, there were still significant areas under Catholic Gaelic ownership and cultural sway; by the end – almost none. The story of how the island made this journey is not well known.The Kennedy family provided us with a window into a turbulent century from the point of view of the people who lived there. They were one of the few Gaelic lines who did not become thoroughly anglicized, but went that one step further and embraced Protestantism. Their story shows how this accelerated their rise to power and improved their social standing. They became lords of a manor and baronets. Yet despite their adroit manoeuvring, the instability of the times eventually led to their undoing.This book will be of interest not only to those who live in Newtownmountkennedy and the surrounding communities in Co Wicklow, but also to Dubliners, as a major part of their story is set in this city. Up close and personal makes history come alive.