The series was, at the time, the most ambitious and single highest budget production of the national Irish broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ).
The series takes place from 1907 to 1914.
Author James Plunkett has said that Rashers Tierney (David Kelly) was based on the Dublin tramp "Johnny Forty Coats".
David Kelly (Rashers Tierney), Frank Grimes (Father Vincent O'Connor), Bryan Murray (Bob "Fitz" Fitzpatrick), Angela Harding (Mary Fitzpatrick) and Brendan Cauldwell (Hennessy) are the only actors to appear in all seven episodes of the series.