The Female Pen: Translation Activity and Reception

This chapter looks at female participation in transnational spaces and the many translations published by Irish women in the nineteenth century. By examining patterns of production and reception of translations by Irish female translators, this chapter considers the context within which these women worked. An analysis of how reviews assessed translations by women highlights the gendered norms of the period and the societal context of their transnational work. Various examples are used, from women translating for the national press to nuns translating devotional material. The research reveals active and engaged networks of female translators working in a positive environment which offered new opportunities for literary, political and societal outlets through translation.