Daniel Ayiotis skillfully explores how the Military Archives developed out of the vision almost a century ago of a handful of far-sighted military and civilians. That small visionary group saw the need to preserve Ireland's military records. Their vision became today's outward facing and internationally renowned Military Archives, the place of deposit for records relating to the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence.

In exploring its history, he has shown, to quote President Michael D. Higgins, "the fundamental importance of the Military Archives towards our understanding of the founding events of the state" and indeed, of the century that has followed.