This thesis traces the chronology of events during the Shackleton period of ownership of the Anna Liffey flour mill just outside Lucan village mill from 1859 to 1978. It begins with the period of Joseph Fisher Shackleton, the first member of the family to come to Lucan, from the Quaker village ofBallitore, Co. Kildare. The family had a milling tradition from the late eighteenth century and Joseph Fisher applied the same degree of expertise to this new enterprise. The mill prospered under his direction. Lucan was a small village on the west side of county Dublin and the mill offered very welcome employment. Many generations of families were employed by the Shackletons over the years. Issues dealt with in the succeeding chapters include the family's adaptation of new technology which was vital to the prosperity ofthe milling industry. The Shackletons acquired land and property in the village itself and its hinterland. A sizeable proportion of the second chapter is given to the 1913 Lockout, which resulted from the employers refusing to employ workers who were members of the Irish Transport & General Workers Union. Although the initial union troubles originated in Dublin city, Sbackletons' mill was the first to lock out its workers and these events assumed importance in Lucan. The mill continued to operate throughout World War I and survived the political unrest associated with Irish independence. The imposition of import restrictions introduced by the government in 1932 increased the profitability for millers and Shackletons were able to remodel the mill in 1936 and install new machinery. World War II took its toll on the industry but the Shackletons held on and survived the war years. However, due to increasing competition from larger mills a decline began from the 1950s on but the adaptation of new technology kept the firm afloat for the next twenty years. Roma Foods Ltd. had been one of the Anna Liffey mill's best customers and that firm expressed a desire to buy the mill. This was achieved in 1978 when the Shackleton period was effectively brought to a close.