An Irish Childhood in England: 1951: Poet & Context

“An Irish Childhood in England: 1951”: Poet & Context

Eavan Boland’s Background

Born in Dublin, Eavan Boland is a prominent Irish poet. This poem draws from her personal experiences of being an Irish immigrant in post-War London.
Insight into Irish diaspora, the poem reflects Boland’s worldview shaped by her Irish identity and the challenges encountered during her stay in England.

Post-war Setting

“An Irish Childhood in England: 1951” is set in London during the post-war era. The period was marked by disdain towards Irish immigrants, who were primarily seen as labourers.
The political counselling between England and Ireland during the 1950s, known as the Anglo-Irish Agreement, significantly influenced Boland’s writings.

Cultural Conflict

The poem navigates the flux between Irish nationalism and foreign identity as experienced by an Irish immigrant child in England.
It highlights the cultural alienation and marginalisation she felt, stemming from her distinct Irish accent and cultural background.
Boland’s experiences of ethnic displacement become a common theme across her poetry. Her work often explores the brutality of cultural prejudice and the struggle for identity in a foreign land.

Boland’s Perception of Home

Boland’s poetry frequently deals with the theme of home. In “An Irish Childhood in England: 1951”, ‘home’ is a conflicted space - it’s where she was born (Ireland) and where she resides (England).
She contrasts her idealised picture of Ireland as home, filled with native folklore and inherited memories, with actual experiences of her childhood in England.

War Influence & Irish Nationalism

Boland’s works often delve into the effects of war and conflict on the Irish populace. In this poem, she gestures towards the Irish Civil War and its lasting impact on the Irish psyche.
The poem explicates the tensions surrounding the definition of the ‘Irish’, reflecting her own grappling with Irish nationalism and identity.