A Nation, not A Parish: The Homewhere-s and Elsewhere-s of 1930s Irish Culture

As recent studies on the «London Irish» and on the work of almost forgotten artists have revealed, there existed in the 1930s a vibrant appreciation and response to international politics and artistic innovations. Many Irish writers such as Kate O’Brien, Elizabeth Bowen, Sean O’Faolain, Liam O’Flaherty, to name but a few, felt at ease in this climate. Reconsidering Irish culture in the 1930s in light of recent critical work will further enhance an understanding of a decade of cultural production which, until the turn of the 21st century, was subjected to comparatively narrow interpretations. At a time when a fledgling democracy was being created in Ireland, the influence of these and other connections in the realm of culture cannot be underestimated. It is the major purpose of this book to rely on all these premises and rebuild the milieu of the 1930s by observing the dialogues between the homewhere-s and elsewhere-s where Ireland’s cultural legacy and cultural products have been shaped.