Emerging identities

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In the construction of Irish identity, myth plays a central role, particularly through the personification of Ireland as a woman in various forms (Cathleen Ní Houlihan, Éire, Erin, etc.). This representation has significantly influenced the Irish poetic tradition, historically dominated by male poets. However, over the past thirty years, women have increasingly challenged and rewritten this canon, subverting gender stereotypes and asserting their own identities. This study examines the emergence of women's poetic identities through a comparative analysis of three contemporary Irish women poets: Eavan Boland, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, and Medbh McGuckian. It begins with a survey of the dominant myth of Ireland as a woman and how this myth has historically silenced Irish women's voices and obscured their identities. Each poet is explored in detail, focusing on their subversive treatment of myth and national gender representations. The study concludes with a comparative assessment of the poets' contributions and reflects on the current status of gender issues in contemporary Irish women's poetry.