Contemporary Echoes: Female Irish Mythological Figures Performed Today.

In the 21st century women in Ireland have had to face changes regarding their position in society, their anatomy and their rights. Women were once worshipped as icons within ancient Irish mythology, and like other cultures such as in Greece, these images are legacy and site for contemporary female artists to speak out about female agency.

This research is partially inspired by Nicholae (2023), who argues for the importance for women in religion and culture to be heard and seen and has used studies to show that some women turn to worshipping solely the divine feminine for theirreligion.Other studies (Jacobs, 1989) included in her work have shown to how domestic violence under more patriarchal religions caused women to turn to a more matriarchal religion to worship.

This research uses some of the well known figures in Irish mythology such as the Morrígan, Brigid and Éiru as casestudies. It compares their stories and past to contemporary creative works such as Doomsday Blue by Bambie Thug(2024), Tremble Tremble by Jesse Jones (2019), The Harp of Erin by Thomas Read (1867), The Morrígan by Linda Ravenscroft.

The images of the performances and artworks reveal narratives of women’s issues and are used to explore the possibility of bringing forth pagan goddesses to represent women’s voices.

Other themes visited in this thesis focus on the witch hunts, trials, the wage gap, The Easter 1916 Rising, Paganism, Christianism, sexism and objectification.