These Irish rogues and rascals range from Myler Magrath, a sixteenth-century character who loved wine, women and money and who was both Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor and Protestant Archbishop of Cashel; through Tiger Roche, the eighteenth-century rake and duellist; to more modern figures such as Paul Singer and Des Traynor. Not forgetting the most accomplished political rogue of modern times, Charles J. Haughey.

Joseph McArdle writes with affection about his rogues, usually seeing more to admire in their cleverness and brazenness than to deplore in the results of their conduct. His rogues may not always be honourable but they usually are fun and their stories make compelling reading."