Women s Work in Ireland
WOMEN’S WORK IN IRELAND
Table of contents:
Introduction 3
Women working full-time in the home 3
Women and paid employment 4
Patterns of paid work 1921-1961 5
Factors influencing women’s labour market participation 7
Conclusion 8
References: 8
Introduction
My essay will examine the women’s work in the Irish society starting from the early 1880s and will analyze the changes of women’s place in the Irish workforce. I will pay particular attention on women working in the home, those seen as the back-bone of the Irish society and also the women in paid employment .I will highlight the factors influencing the participation of women in the workforce and conclude with the emphasis on the significant role of the past generations of Irish women in determining the broad patterns of Irish history.
Women working full-time in the home The tenacity of the idea that a woman‘s place is in the home is such that even in the late twentieth century many still consider the domestic environment to be the proper territory of a woman. This notion became a popular perception of female authority and aptitude during the nineteenth century, when in contrast to their lowly positions in public arenas, women were expected to act as the principal focus of the family and family life. Their status in Irish society and particularly in rural Irish society was regarded as far below that of their fathers and sons, brothers and husbands. However the main responsibilities that women performed within their family in providing childcare, household tasks or farm duties conferred them “a remarkable degree of power and influence within their household”. (Hill, Myrtle and Vivienne Pollock 1993, p 7) Women working full-time in the home exemplify the ideal patterns of Irish life. These are the women who have settled down, who have reared or are rearing children
Table of contents:
Introduction 3
Women working full-time in the home 3
Women and paid employment 4
Patterns of paid work 1921-1961 5
Factors influencing women’s labour market participation 7
Conclusion 8
References: 8
Introduction
My essay will examine the women’s work in the Irish society starting from the early 1880s and will analyze the changes of women’s place in the Irish workforce. I will pay particular attention on women working in the home, those seen as the back-bone of the Irish society and also the women in paid employment .I will highlight the factors influencing the participation of women in the workforce and conclude with the emphasis on the significant role of the past generations of Irish women in determining the broad patterns of Irish history.
Women working full-time in the home The tenacity of the idea that a woman‘s place is in the home is such that even in the late twentieth century many still consider the domestic environment to be the proper territory of a woman. This notion became a popular perception of female authority and aptitude during the nineteenth century, when in contrast to their lowly positions in public arenas, women were expected to act as the principal focus of the family and family life. Their status in Irish society and particularly in rural Irish society was regarded as far below that of their fathers and sons, brothers and husbands. However the main responsibilities that women performed within their family in providing childcare, household tasks or farm duties conferred them “a remarkable degree of power and influence within their household”. (Hill, Myrtle and Vivienne Pollock 1993, p 7) Women working full-time in the home exemplify the ideal patterns of Irish life. These are the women who have settled down, who have reared or are rearing children
References: Beale, Jenny. Women in Ireland-Voices of Change. Indianapolis: Published by: Indiana University Press, 1987. Clear, Caitriona. 2000. Women of the House: Women and Household Work in Ireland 1922-1961 Daly, Mary. 1997. Women and work in Ireland. Dublin: Dundalgan Press Ltd. Hill, Myrtle and Pollock,Vivienne 1993 Hill, Myrtle. 2003. Women in Ireland: A century of change. Belfast: Blackstaff Press Luddy, Maria. 1995. Women in Ireland 1800-1918, a documentary History.Cork University Press. Russell, Helen, et.al. 2009. A Womanʼs Place: Female Participation in the Irish Labour Market. Dublin: Equality Authority and ESRI. Central Statistics Office (CSO, 1997)[internet] http://www.cso.ie accessed Oct 2013