Moving Histories: Irish Women's Emigration to Britain from Independence to Republic

Moving Histories is an original and enlightening book that explores the lives of women who left Ireland after independence, tracing new narratives to bring original insights into their migration in the twentieth century. Despite a strong tendency to leave Ireland like men, women's migration to Britain has been less well studied, and the book considers the public commentary made about Irish women from the pulpit, press, and politicians. It argues that the focus on Irish unmarried mothers in Britain was based on genuine concerns but was not representative of all Irish women.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2018
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

An Open Access edition of this book is available on the Liverpool University Press website and the OAPEN library.
Moving Histories is an original and enlightening book which details the lives of women who left Ireland after independence. Drawing on a wide range of archival material, this book traces new narratives to bring original insights into the migration of thousands of Irish women in the twentieth century. Despite having a strong tendency to leave Ireland like men, women's migration to Britain has been less well studied. Yet Irish women could be found in all walks of life in Britain, from the more familiar fields of nursing and domestic service to teaching, factory work, and more. This fascinating study also considers the public commentary made about Irish women from the pulpit, press, and politicians, who thought the women to be flighty, in need of guidance, and prone to moral failures away from home. The repeated coverage of the 'emigrant girl in government memos and journals gave the impression Irish women were leaving for reasons other than employment.

Moving Histories argues that the continued focus on Irish unmarried mothers in Britain was based on genuine concerns and a real problem, but such women were not representative. They were, rather, an indictment of the conservative socio-cultural environment of an Ireland that suppressed open discourse of sexuality and forced women to 'hide their shame in institutions at home and abroad.

Weight: 582g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781786941671