Conference Contribution Details
Mandatory Fields
Jonathan Cherry
Conference of Irish Geographers
Visual material as propaganda: a case study of the promotion of the work of the Irish Church Mission in mid-19th Mission in mid-19th century Connemara
NUI Galway
Non Refereed Paper/Abstract
2013
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Optional Fields
16-MAY-13
18-MAY-13
The Society for Irish Church Missions (ICM) to Roman Catholics was founded in 1849, in an attempt to secure conversions to Protestantism. Its evangelical efforts were primarily concentrated in the west of Ireland, through the establishment of orphanages, schools and churches. A series of five hand-coloured prints of some of the mission buildings in Connemara, scenes of missionary work there, and one map of County Galway and part of south Mayo were produced by the ICM circa 1858 for consumption by an English audience of benefactors and supporters. The purpose was to illustrate the achievements made and challenges faced by the ICM in the west of Ireland. This paper presents and discusses each of these images and offers an interpretation that their content and composition allows each to be considered propaganda material in bolstering support for the ICM.