In the 18th and 19th centuries, agriculture was the sole economic source for the overwhelming majority of the population in Ireland, except for the northeastern part of the country. Land was of vital importance; however, most inhabitants were obliged to rent it from a class of Protestant, English, and often aristocratic landlords. The dream of gaining more control or even owning their fields led to many of the most explosive conflicts in Irish history. Rebellions against British rule were rare, but fierce attacks related to land ownership hatred occurred, with state suppression being a common phenomenon in rural Irish life. The struggle for land was also crucial in supporting nationalist demands for autonomy and Irish independence.

In this epic narrative, Myles Dungan explores two hundred years of agrarian conflicts from the catastrophic famine of 1741 to the eve of the Second World War. He examines pivotal events that shaped Irish history: the rise of 'moonlighting,' the infamous Whiteboys and Rightboys, the Captain Rock rebellion, the Tithe War during the years 1831–36, the Great Famine of 1845 that devastated the country and drastically reduced Ireland's population, and the Land War from 1878 to 1909, which led to the transfer of almost all landholdings to their tenants. These events unfold against the background of existing British dominance and marked inequality between classes and wealth.

"Land Is All that Matters" recounts the epic story of the agrarian revolution that fundamentally shaped modern Ireland.