Irish Women: Late Developers?

Abstract

David Lloyd (1999) asks whether there are other methods and theoretical approaches that might open up the field of Irish studies to alternative perspectives and narratives. Occlusion of the women’s movement, and indeed other social movements, calls into question the theoretical foundation that frames much conventional analysis of contemporary Ireland — in particular, the historical determinism of Enlightenment or developmental varieties of ‘modern Irish history’ and modernisation theory. A meticulous survey of mainstream historical, literary and sociological literature confirms that the women’s movement is not considered an integral agent of change in dominant interpretations of the development and progression of Irish society, from the foundation of the State (in 1922) to the present day. Interest in Ireland and the Irish microcosm has more recently developed an international field, that of Irish studies. Tom Garvin (1988: 1) writes:

Ireland and the Irish microcosm came under increased scrutiny, a scrutiny perhaps disproportionate to the real importance of the country itself. This attention, due to Ireland’s accidental presence at the heart of the Empire, aggravated Irish self-consciousness and self-importance. After all, all these important people were paying attention to us.