Murdoch and Hunt's Dictionary of Irish Law defines the principal words, concepts and phrases, their legal source, whether statutory or judicial, and gives a brief introduction to the law. Now in its sixth edition and with its definitions having been cited in the Supreme Court, this book remains essential to the understanding and practice of the law. The dictionary's usefulness lies in the wealth of related information that is pulled together under subject-matter headings. The entries are usually accompanied with the relevant statutory basis, as well as related acts and even, in the case of a major topic of law, noteworthy textbooks in the area. The dictionary draws information from a range of sources including the Rules of the Superior Courts, Law Reform commission Reports, as well as Gazette and Bar Review articles. In this way the dictionary can also be used as a subject-index of Irish law which reflects the up-to-date legislative and judicial developments in each area whilst also encompassing references to academic commentaries.

The layout of the dictionary has been carefully designed with alphabetical physical tabulations and bold fonts for entry titles, to ensure the ease and speed of use.

The sixth edition of Murdoch and Hunt's Dictionary of Irish Law contains over 10,300 legal definitions from “a coelo usque ad centrum” to “zoonoses”. This new edition adds 533 pages, incorporating 308 acts and 6335 SIs enacted since the 5th edition's publication eight years ago. The ongoing value of the work can be seen in the 23 instances it has been cited by the superior courts in recent years. This value will only grow in this newly expanded and updated edition.