Irish Classrooms and British Empire

The rise of mass education is often viewed in national isolation, yet the phenomenon can only be understood in global terms. The enormous advances in Irish education up to 1914 occurred within an imperial anglophone world: Irish schools were profoundly affected by prevailing ideas on class, race, gender, and civilization. But, schooling was also shaped from below, by the abiding popular belief that education was the key to family advancement, and by the Catholic Church, which passionately held that clerical control was essential. The essays in this book explore the competing ideologies and policies that molded Irish educational institutions during the long 19th century, examining in particular how the values and narratives of British Empire were embedded. They also explore Ireland's educational impact across the English-speaking world in the era of high empire, ranging from the freebooting Irish schoolmaster on the American frontier to the global reach of the Christian Brothers.