Working-Class Women in Irish Literature and Theatre : Emerging from the Silence

Working-Class Women in Irish Literature and Theatre critically engages with works of theatre both by and about working-class women historically and presently. The work of J. M. Synge, Sean O’Casey and the Allegood Sisters has shaped working-class characterisation and representation on Irish stages, the impact of which still echoes today. Contemporary playwrights Rosaleen McDonagh, Frank McGuinness and Deirdre Kinahan have reframed the characterisation of working-class women by drawing out the intersection of social class with sexualities, ethnic minorities, and racial identities. While these playwrights have written working-class women into existence in the south, important work has also taken place in the north, where the work of Charabanc and JustUs has tirelessly striven to illuminate working-class women’s lived experiences. This edited collection also includes the voices of directors, playwrights, and performers who identify as working class through interviews conducted with Louise Lowe, Veronica Dyas, Felispeaks, and Emmet Kirwan in order to offer first-hand accounts of their lived experience in the theatre industry.