Birth and the Irish: a miscellany [Paperback]

Following the success of Death and the Irish: a Miscellany (2016), and Marriage and the Irish: a Miscellany (2019), this third volume in the series Birth, Marriage and Death among the Irish explores the experiences of birth in Ireland, and among the Irish abroad, from the seventh century to the present day.In almost seventy short articles, scholars and practitioners from a range of academic disciplines and professions including anthropology, Celtic studies, folklore, history, linguistics, literature, medicine, obstetrics, pastoral care, and theology, reflect on pregnancy, birthing, and the early period after birth over almost 1,500 years.Topics covered include shameful birth in early Irish religious communities; pregnant behind bars in medieval Ireland; preventing and coping with unwanted pregnancies in nineteenth-century Ireland; mother and baby homes, foreign adoption in Ireland; LGBTQ surrogacy; and birth customers among the Traveling Community.This anthology will serve as an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the social, cultural, religious, and legal history of pregnancy and birth in Ireland and among the Irish from the earliest times to the present day.Following the success of two previous volumes, this third book in the series Birth, Marriage and Death among the Irish explores the experiences of birth in Ireland, and among the Irish abroad, from the seventh century to the present day. Birth and the Irish: A Miscellany is an excellent addition to the Birth, Marriage, and Death Among the Irish series. It is a helpful resource to scholars in its entirety, an excellent sourcebook in which to pick and choose relevant essays, and overall, an engaging and educational read whatever method one chooses to enjoy it. IE