Public History in Ireland

Through a collection of essays that reflect the complexity of the islands historical past as it operates today, Public History in Ireland delivers a scholarly yet accessible introduction to contemporary topics and debates in Irish public history. Despite the reputation that Ireland, both north and south, has gained as a place of contestation, this is the first book-length study to tackle its diverse and often difficult public histories. Public History in Ireland offers examples drawn from museums, heritage and collections, prime mediators of public historical interpretation, but also from the work of artists and academics. It considers the silences in Irelands history-telling including those of the recent conflict in Northern Ireland and of the traumatic public discoveries and re-evaluations of the islands institutions of social control. The books key message is that history is active, making itself felt in ongoing debates about heritage, identity, nationhood, post-conflict society and reparative justice. It shows that Irish public history is freighted and often fraught with jeopardy, but as such it is rich with insight that has relevance far beyond this islands shores. This book is useful for students, scholars, and practitioners working in the fields of public history and the history of Ireland.