The Volunteers 1778-1793: Iconography and Identity

The Volunteers of 1778 to 1793 represent one of the most widely studied political and military movements of eighteenth century Ireland. The Volunteers were undoubtedly of central importance to the political life of this period, but were also of great significance to the tradition of amateur military service in Ireland, social customs and networking, political empowerment and the consumption of material goods. The focus of this work is centred on certain facets of volunteering, many of which have previously been overshadowed by political aspects of the movement, which have traditionally received most attention. This study approaches the subject primarily through the medium of artefacts relating to Irish Volunteer companies. This work, therefore, hopes to utilise previously untapped sources in an attempt to gain fresh insights into a well explored area of Irish history