Irish Women and the Great War

The first full-length study to explore the impact of the Great War on the lives of women in Ireland.

Fionnuala Walsh (Author)

9781108811736, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 19 May 2022

266 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.41 kg

'Walsh's book is the first comprehensive study of Irish women in this conflict. It is meticulously and extensively researched, thoughtful in its analysis, engages with the scholarly literature, and makes a major contribution to early twentieth century Irish history.' Maria Luddy, Family and Community History

This is the first book-length study of the impact of the Great War on women's everyday lives in Ireland, focussing on the years of the war and its immediate aftermath. Fionnuala Walsh demonstrates how Irish women threw themselves into the war effort, mobilising in various different forms, such as nursing wounded soldiers, preparing hospital supplies and parcels of comforts, undertaking auxiliary military roles in port areas or behind the lines, and producing weapons of war. However, the war's impact was also felt beyond direct mobilisation, affecting women's household management, family relations, standard of living, and work conditions and opportunities. Drawing on extensive research in archives in Ireland and Britain, Walsh brings women's wartime experience out of the historical shadow and examines welfare and domestic life, bereavement, social morality, employment, war service, politicisation, and demobilisation to challenge ideas of emancipation and reflect upon the significant impact of the Great War on Irish society.

Introduction
1. Mobilising for the war effort
2. Family, welfare and domestic life
3. Social morality
4. Working lives
5. Politicisation
6. Demobilisation
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: First World War [HBWN], Social & cultural history [HBTB], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], British & Irish history [HBJD1]