A chance question the day after the Michael Collins episode aired of the documentary series "Who is Ireland's Greatest", gradually took a hold on me and drove me to research the life of my wife's grandfather, Peadar McNulty. Peadar was a veteran of the 1916 Rising and War of Independence. I found Peadar had written several journal and chronological accounts about these years including a detailed account of the Collinstown Aerodrome raid. I found them both fascinating and detailed, reflective of Peadar's main career as one of Ireland's best known auctioneers during his lifetime. The book traces the course of my research process and places Peadar's writings centre stage. I tried to demystify this process and encourage others to do likewise to show that when you research and learn about your family history, you learn about your country's history.