SESSION 5

Breadwinning, Silence & the Burden of Expectation

In this session we explore:

• Colonial emasculation and the struggle for authority
• Muscular Catholicism and ideals of disciplined manhood
• The pressure to provide as the primary breadwinner
• Emotional restriction and the absence of emotional language
• Cultural stereotypes such as the “big babies” trope

We also explore how some men adapted to these pressures through withdrawal, emigration or addiction.

Further themes include:

• The criminalisation and marginalisation of gay men
• Internal exile within families and communities
• Emigration as a pathway of escape or survival

This session invites a deeper understanding of how masculinity was formed under pressure.

It is not an indictment of men, but an exploration of the historical and cultural conditions that shaped Irish male identity.

Understanding this formation allows us to approach the topic with greater compassion and clarity.

If this inquiry speaks to something in your own history, we invite you to join us.*

*If the cost is a barrier but the inquiry speaks to you, please contact us. We are open to exploring payment plans or other arrangements.