If you follow the headlines, you could be forgiven for thinking that things in Ireland are worse than ever. In fact, we live longer than ever before, we have never been healthier or better educated, we earn five times more than our grandparents did, our personal freedoms exceed those of any previous generation, and the lives of women and children have been transformed for the better.   At a time when some good news is welcome, this uplifting book tells our national story through facts and stats, placing Ireland under the microscope to chart 100 undeniable achievements of the past 100 years.   When the State was formed, Ireland was one of the most poverty-stricken nations in Europe. Now it has the second-highest quality of life in the world. While there is still more to be done, In Fact illustrates that Ireland, for all its imperfections, is in a much better state than you might think.