One of the main objectives of the Encyclopedia will be to bring conceptions of Irish identity fully up-to-date and in to line with developments in modern, or post-modern culture. Though the Encyclopedia deals extensively with the face Ireland presents to the 'outside' world, its most important function will be to address the complex dialogues which Irish people are having with themselves in a period of uncertainty and change, of both anxiety and optimism. To the extent that the various entries reflect these dialogues, the Encyclopedia may help to refigure the boundaries between the inside and outside, national and international, and what it means to be at home and abroad in contemporary Irish culture; this will involve challenging both the official images and popular stereotypes. Coverage spans from 1922, marking the end of the Anglo Irish War, the Treaty and the division of Ireland, to the present day. The range of reference is not only confined to the island of Ireland, but also embraces the worldwide Irish diaspora extending to the 70 million or so people other countries of Irish decent. Culture is defined in its broadest sense to include: film, literature, visual arts, performing arts, architecture and heritage, music, vernacular culture, history, kitsch, tourism and leisure, religion, politics, sport, language, national identities, food and drink and the media. The Encyclopedia includes a thematic entry list where entries are listed by category, suggestions for further reading after each entry, a comprehensive system of cross-referencing linking connected entries to one another and an extensive index. These invaluable tools help navigate the reader through the Encyclopedia and on to further study.

Table of Contents

1798; abortion; abstraction in art; Adams, Gerry; adult and further education; advertising; agribusiness; agricultural policy; agriculture; Ahern, Bertie; Allen, Darina and the Ballymaloe Phenomenon; Alliance Party; American Conference for Irish Studies; An Gael; Ancient Order of Hibernians; Angela's Ashes; Anglo-Irish Agreement; Anglo-Irish Treaty; Aontach Eireann; architectural, innovations; architecture; architecture in the landscape; Articles 2 and 3; Arts Council; arts funding; assessment and certification; Australia, history; ballet; Ballroom of Romance; ballrooms; Banville, John; Barr, Glenn; Beckett, Samuel; Beef Tribunal; Behan, Brendan; Bell, The; Bell-Burnell, Jocelyn; Bernal, J. D.; Binchy, Maeve; Birmingham Six; Blaney, Neil; Blarney; Bloody Sunday; blueshirts; Boland, Eavan; Boland, Kevin; Bono; border, the; Boston, Celtics; brain drain; British newspapers in Ireland; British Policy; Brooke, Basil; Brothers McMullen, The; Browne, Noel; Bruton, John; B-Specials; Built Heritage; Burns, Edward; Byrne, Gabriel; Cagney, James; Catholic church, role of; Catholocism; Ceallaigh, Sean TO; ceilithe; Celtic Tiger; Celtic Tiger in the US; celtiicism and new age culture; censorship; censorship and print media; charismatic movement; child abuse; Childers, Erskine; childhood/child care; children's literature; Chuilleanain, Eilean Ni; cinema; Civil Rights/Emergency Legislation; Civil War; Clan na Gael; Clan na Poblachta; Clancy Brothers; Clann na Talmahan; Clarke, Austin; Clarke, Chichester James; class; classical music; clientelism; Coimisium le Rinnci Gaelacha; Coleman, James; colonial/regional issues; Commitments, The; community arts; Connolly, James; constitution; consumer society; contraception; corporal punishment; corporatists ideology and social partnership; Cosgrave, Liam; Cosgrave, W. T.; Costello, John A; craic, the; Craig, James; Craig, William; Crane Bag; crime; critical debates; Crotty Case; Culchies; cultural funding; cultural policy; culture, Irish political; Cumann Na nGaedheal; Daley, Richard; Dance Halls Act; dance, contemporary; dance, traditional; Dancing at the Crossroads; de Valera, Eamon; Dead, The; death; Democratic Left; Democratic Unionist Party; Dempsey, Jack; development assistance; development education; developments in national education policy; Devil in the Dancehalls; Devil's Own, The; Dhomhnaill, Nuala Ni; diaspora; diaspora, Irish-American; diasporic writing; diasporic, community; divorce; Doherty, Willie; domestic violence and rape; Downing Street Declaration; Doyle, Roddy; drama; drama and theatre in education; Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies; 'Dublin novel'; Durcan, Paul; early childhood education; Eastern Canadian material culture; economic war; education/Gaelscoileanna; educational change; Eire-Ireland; elections; Electoral system; emigration; employment; employment, Irish in Britain; envoy; equal pay; equality; Ervine, David; ESRI; ethnic identities; ethnic mobilization; EU; European integration; export