This collection features a variety of contributors - from emerging voices in Irish literary criticism to established scholars in the field - who provide a fearless interrogation of the conventional readings of the representation of Irish men. In particular, these essays deconstruct the notion of masculinity as a fixed stable identity and explore the plurality of representations of manhood in literature and culture. Several of the essays look at hybridity in Irish male identity and the idea of diasporic identity, as well as discussing male identity in the domestic sphere. They consider masculinities (both north and south of the border) in a diverse range of topics (from O'Duffy's Blueshirts to Belfast drag queens and consumer culture), bringing a much-needed sophistication to the issue of masculinity in Irish studies.
