At first, the sea was formed around 5.6 million years ago, due to a large-scale flood, but the waters were separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar, so, in the hundreds of thousands of years that followed, the water spreads dried out almost completely.
The Irish Punt was legal tender in the Republic of Ireland until 2002, when Ireland joined the Euro. This guide outlines the sources for historical exchange rates between the Irish Punt and Pound Sterling. The Irish Punt established by the Currency Act 1927 had a fixed link with Pound Sterling until March 1979.
Early Work on Irish Families This book, first published in the 19th century, is a classic. It was one of the first popular genealogy books to appear in its time. This is the I.G.F. edition, from 2002. Following is the introduction to the book, written by Michael C. O'Laughlin, along with the table of contents.