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Palgrave Macmillan

The History of Physical Culture in Ireland

  • Book
  • © 2020

Overview

Authors:
  1. Conor Heffernan

    1. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA

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  • Explores exercise in Ireland across educational, martial and recreational settings

  • Examines the rise of physical culture in Ireland in the late nineteenth century and traces its development across the following four decades

  • Contrasts the influence of foreign fitness entrepreneurs in Ireland such as Eugen Sandow, Thomas Inch, Eustace Miles and Mary Bagot Stack with their Irish counterparts

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 1-16

  3. Combating the ‘Evils of Civilisation’: Recreational Physical Culture in Pre-Independence Ireland

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 17-52

  4. ‘With This Atmosphere of Unrest and Sinister Rumours…’: Military Physical Culture in Pre-Independence Ireland

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 53-89

  5. ‘The Production and Maintenance of Health in Body and Mind’: Educational Physical Culture in Pre-Independence Ireland

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 91-126

  6. ‘Physical Culture Is Good for Body and Soul’: Recreational Physical Culture in Interwar Ireland

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 127-168

  7. ‘Embracing the Whole Gambit of Physical Exercise’: Interwar Military Physical Culture

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 169-203

  8. ‘In Ireland the Subject of Physical Training Had Perhaps, Been Neglected’: Interwar Physical Culture in Schools

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 205-240

  9. Conclusion: ‘Physical Culture Is Nation’s Need’

    • Conor Heffernan
    Pages 241-249

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 251-280
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Keywords

About this book

This book is the first to deal with physical culture in an Irish context, covering educational, martial and recreational histories. Deemed by many to be a precursor to the modern interest in health and gym cultures, physical culture was a late nineteenth and early twentieth century interest in personal health which spanned national and transnational histories. It encompassed gymnasiums, homes, classrooms, depots and military barracks. Prior to this work, physical culture’s emergence in Ireland has not received thorough academic attention. Addressing issues of gender, childhood, nationalism, and commerce, this book is unique within an Irish context in studying an Irish manifestation of a global phenomenon. Tracing four decades of Irish history, the work also examines the influence of foreign fitness entrepreneurs in Ireland and contrasts them with their Irish counterparts.

Reviews

“The History of Physical Culture in Ireland is not only a learned and readable book about a part of sport and exercixe that has ended up in the backwaters of the more spectacular and mediatized competitive sports, it is also an example of a well-conducted research effort. … All in all, a book well worth spending time with.” (Hans Bolling, idrottsforum.org, May 4, 2021)

Authors and Affiliations

  • The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA

    Conor Heffernan

About the author

Conor Heffernan is Assistant Professor of Physical Culture and Sport Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, USA.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The History of Physical Culture in Ireland

  • Authors: Conor Heffernan

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63727-9

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: History, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-63726-2Published: 25 January 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-63729-3Published: 25 January 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-63727-9Published: 24 January 2021

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 280

  • Number of Illustrations: 6 b/w illustrations, 2 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: History of Britain and Ireland, Social History, Sport Science , History, general

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