The Lives and Times of the Presidents of Ireland brings together in one publication a concise and entertaining account of the lives of each of the eight presidents of Ireland, including the political background prevailing in the lead up to, and during, their period of presidency. The biography of each president highlights the most noteworthy aspects of their term of office in a highly readable manner, unearthing many fascinating nuggets of information along the way. The book describes the background, nature and personality of each of the presidents and examines how these factors fitted in with the periods of their respective presidencies. It touches, too, on the drama in the personal lives of the presidents which sometimes occurred before their presidency and sometimes during it. It also highlights the importance of the role of the presidency in Irish life. The presidents include: Douglas Hyde (1938-1945); Sean T. Kelly (1945-1959); Eamon de Valera (1959-1973); Erskine Childers (1973-1974); Cearbhall O Dalaigh (1974-1976); Patrick Hillery (1976-1990); Mary Robinson (1990-1997); and, Mary McAleese (1997-2011). With a new president to be elected in 2011, there is certain to be considerable interest and media attention focused on his or her illustrious predecessors.