Series Editor's Introduction from Giulia Bruna and Catherine Wilsdon

In Irish Studies, the term Irish Revival broadly defines the cultural nationalist movement which thrived in Ireland from the late nineteenth-century up until the establishment of the Irish Free State. It refers to the pre-Independence period when powerful narratives of de-colonization and cultural reaffirmation mobilized communities both locally and internationally. The singular label Irish Revival encompasses a plurality of movements often with conflicting agendas: from the Irish Literary Revival, the GAA and the Gaelic League, to the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, and the advanced nationalist movements such as Sinn Féin, Inghinidhe na hÉireann and others. These movements responded to questions surrounding cultural standards and the ways in which Ireland should be represented. They shared a common goal of advancing the cause of the Irish nation at a political, social and cultural level. Though sometimes criticized for being backward-looking, many Revivalist projects were characterized by a modernizing impulse that sought inspiration in the past but looked firmly ahead to the future towards a developed national consciousness.

During this crucial decade of commemoration, issues surrounding the Revival's legacy and what it means deserve critical attention. This series brings together experts within a variety of disciplines to investigate the complexity of efforts and modes of expression that underpinned the Revival project. The lectures draw attention to multiple forms of engagement through which Irish artists and activists mediated competing notions of Irishness and of Revivalism: from Irish dance practices and the visual arts, to literary genres, political propaganda and more. The lectures ponder the Revival's multifarious ways of translating, adapting, experimenting and coming to terms with both the past and an encroaching modernity to shape future Irish identities.

This podcast series is one of the initiatives of the Irish Revival Network, which aims to connect scholars working on the Irish Revival within a wide range of academic fields. You can follow the activities of the Irish Revival Network on Facebook and on Twitter.