Eighteenth-Century Irish Literary Studies: Then and Now

This article reflects on developments in eighteenth-century Irish literary studies since the foundation of Eighteenth-Century Ireland/Iris an dá chultúr in 1986. The article notes changes in the denomination of the field, before discussing how, in terms of both primary texts and methodological approaches, the field has expanded and become more diverse. Having explored the current standing within Irish studies of canonical writers such as Jonathan Swift, Oliver Goldsmith, Edmund Burke, and Maria Edgeworth, the article turns to a consideration of generic shifts in poetry, fiction, and drama. The final section delineates significant new areas of prominence, including children’s literature, life writing, and the gothic.