The Irish R.M. is a trilogy of books by the Anglo-Irish novelists Somerville and Ross and a 1983 television comedy-drama series based on them. They are set in the turn-of-the-twentieth-century west of Ireland. Books The television series is based on stories drawn from: Some Experiences of an Irish R.M. (Longmans, Green & Co., London, 1899) Further Experiences of an Irish R.M. (Longmans Green & Co., London, 1908) In Mr Knox's Country (Longmans Green & Co., London, 1915) All three books are in the public domain and can be accessed and used without royalty. The various stories concern the life of an Irish ex-British Army officer, Major Sinclair Yeates, recently appointed a Resident Magistrate (R.M.) in Ireland, when the entire island was still part of the United Kingdom. In the television series the Major is English and has previously spent little or no time in Ireland. Filming A television series based on the books was made in the 1980s, and was filmed in Ireland at locations in Kildare and Wicklow with additional locations in the west of Ireland in a co-production between Ulster Television and Raidió Teilifís Éireann. It was broadcast on Channel 4 and S4C in the United Kingdom, and RTÉ One in the Republic of Ireland. Like the books, the television series is a number of short stories around a few central characters. Morristown Lattin – the house used as Aussolas Castle, the residence of Beryl Reid's incarnation of the erstwhile Mrs Knox (located at Newhall, Naas in County Kildare), was badly damaged by fire following completion of filming for the series. It has since been repaired. Johnstown Kennedy – the house used as Major Yeates' residence, Shreelane House – was situated near Rathcoole, County Dublin. The extensive outbuildings were transformed into shops and pubs for some of the village scenes. The house was demolished soon after the third series was completed and a golf course now stands on the site. The design of the course preserved the large number of mature trees, and in addition the house's date stone and a number of other items are on display. Furness House, near Naas, was used as Castle Knox, the home of Sir Valentine and Lady Knox and their daughter Sally. For the second and third series, many of the Skebawn village scenes were filmed in Robertstown. Plot Major Yeates (Peter Bowles) is portrayed as an Englishman, and much of