Women and the Irish Nation: Gender, Culture and Irish Identity, 1890-1914

Women and the Irish Nation is a groundbreaking study of women's associational and print culture, which demonstrates the gendered nature of women's public activism in debates about Irish identity in early twentieth-century Ireland. It examines women's involvement in organizations such as the United Irishwomen, the Gaelic League and the Sinn Féin movement, demonstrating how access to public activism was often highly gendered. Through associational activities and writing for newspapers, women participated in debate about Irish identity by focusing on feminine topics, such as housewifery, cookery and fashion. While operating within the constraints of Edwardian gender ideology, Irish women demonstrated considerable agency in negotiating access to the public space of the press or national associations, often subverting and challenging conventional womanly behaviour. Illustrating how Irish political culture was gendered during this period of intense debate about Irish identity this book will appeal to readers interested in Irish history, women's and gender studies