One reason is that Irish historiography has been little affected with recent methodological developments in intellectual history. During the last two decades, however, there has been a move away from regarding political texts as embodiments of eternal truths to a more contextual approach: one in which political theory is regarded not as the rarefied speculation of isolated individuals, but as a social activity conducted by numerous people using a variety of linguistic conventions. In Ireland political though is to be found in myth, law, literature, theology, folk fore, in ballads, newspapers, parliamentary debates, pamphlets and sermons, as well as in the conventional texts. Furthermore, Irelands’ political thinkers have displayed great heterogeneity, encompassing, for example, seventeenth- century bishops and poets. professors and conspirators in eighteenth century. improving land lords, urban artisans, journalists in the last century and politicians and literati in this. Yet Irish historiography has largely remained unaware of the rich pickings offered by a contextual approach to political ideas. Instead, emphasis is still placed upon men or women of action. Throughout the troubled history of Ireland, women have been no less concerned than men when it came to coping with the difficulties and confused loyalties of Ireland. The role they played, however, have been misconceived and underestimated in past histories of the island.