Women, Press, and Politics During the Irish Revival

Book excerpt: Women, Press, and Politics explores the literary and historical significance of women writing for the most influential body of nationalist journalism during the Irish revival, the advanced nationalist press. This work studies women’s writings in the Irish national tradition, focusing in particular on leading feminine voices in the cultural and political movements that helped launch the Eater Rising of 1916: Augusta Gregory, Alice Milligan, Maud Gonne, Constance Markievicz, Delia Larkin, Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, and Louie Bennett. Karen Steele argues that by examining the innovative work of these writers from the perspective of women’s artistry and women’s political investments, we can best appreciate the expansive range of their cultural productions and the influence these had on other nationalists, who went on to shape Irish politics and culture in the decades to come.