David Malcomson established a cotton spinning mill at Portlaw, County Waterford in 1825. Weaving and finishing processes were later developed as the industry became fully integrated. The business reached an employment peak of 1,648 in 1856 and survived until 1876 when the Malcomson commercial empire became bankrupt. This book examines the development, structure and performance of the Portlaw cotton industry and makes a significant contribution to our understanding of aspects of the economic and urban history of nineteenth-century Ireland.