Masculinities in revolutionary and post-revolutionary Ireland

The study of masculinities in Irish history is a relatively new but thriving field of inquiry. This collection, based on two symposia in 2016 and 2017 funded by the Irish Research Council, brings together scholars who examine masculinities in revolutionary (1912–23) and post-independence Ireland. Taking themes that encompass the First World War, the Rising, the War of Independence, the Civil War and the Free State, the authors highlight different historical moments where a gendered analysis of men and an interrogation of contemporary concepts of masculinity can provide new and illuminating insights into this turbulent time. One of the phases of modern Irish history that has received ample scholarly attention, the history of the Irish revolutionary years has not been significantly addressed from the point of view of masculinities and gendered norms for men. Far from being an “outdated concept” in Irish historiography as Tosh queried in 2011, this collection utilises his approach “where a perspective of masculinity” can be usefully applied to exploring gendered histories of the revolution and beyond