The book traces how Ireland transformed from the bleak situation of the 1980s to the success of the Celtic Tiger years, told from an insider's perspective by Con Power, who, as Economic Policy Director with the Confederation of Irish Industry, played a key role in national economic initiatives during the critical years 1979 to 1993. Power’s analysis of social and economic policies and how Ireland, within the EU, dealt with a previous recession provides lessons for Ireland and internationally in the current context of global economic and financial turbulence.