Leisure and the Irish in the Nineteenth Century, ed. Leeann Lane and William Murphy

Abstract

In recent years, research on Irish modern history has paid increasing attention to the role of leisure activities in the formation of Irish identities. This anthology is a response to this movement, gathering contributions based on papers presented at the conference of the Society for the Study of Nineteenth-Century Ireland in 2012. The chapters all address various aspects of the cultural history of leisure in the nineteenth century and are packaged as reactions to a recent move towards the role of leisure in research on Fenianism (mainly the contributions by R.V. Comerford) and Irish sports associations (mainly the Gaelic Athletic Association). The concise but illuminating introductory chapter by editors Leeann Lane and William Murphy highlights the way sports historians more and more consider the wider culture of leisure in their work, and the role of associations and various disciplining institutions (including the temperance movement) in supporting ‘de-Anglicised’ Irish identities in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The ensuing twelve chapters may not always reflect quite the same perspectives and lines of inquiry, ranging from studies of cycling and tourism to photography and children’s playgrounds, but the theme of leisure is emphasised throughout and the quality of the chapters is consistently high.