The context of ‘Philadelphia Here I Come!’ in 1960s Ireland is an essential part of any study of this text. The story is immersed in Irish culture while feeling the glamorous draw of big-city America.
'Philadelphia, Here I Come!' in 1960s Ireland
This mini-series is designed to support teachers of Friel’s play, ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come!’ as well as being a useful resource for students in their wider research. In this post, we will explore the context of “Philadelphia Here I Come!” in 1960s Ireland: the social, religious, cultural, and historical contexts of the play. At the end, I provide you with some ideas to help you plan your lessons and create meaningful learning experiences for your students.
Check out other articles in this mini-series:
A note of caution: this article provides a broad overview of the context of “Philadelphia Here I Come!” in 1960s Ireland. It is not designed to be an in-depth historical text, but rather, a big picture for English Literature students.
Literature students need to understand the context in so far as it illuminates the characters, setting, plot, themes, quotations, etc. It is part of literary analysis rather than history alone. If you want further information on life in Ireland in the twentieth century, check out this brilliant cluster of articles from Junior Cycle History exploring the decade of the sixties in Ireland.
Jump ahead if you know what you are looking for:
Understanding the context of Ireland's political climate in the 1960s
Ireland and Northern Ireland
‘Philadelphia, Here I Come!’ is set in the fictional town of Ballybeg in Co. Donegal, Ireland.
Today, as in the 1960s, the island of Ireland is split into two countries: the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is one of four countries which make up the United Kingdom along with England, Scotland and Wales.
The Republic of Ireland is made up of 26 counties, of which Donegal is the most northern. While there are some towns in Ireland called Ballybeg, this particular town is a fictional place created by Friel and used in several of his plays.
The island of Ireland has a turbulent history. Throughout the 20th Century, it has struggled and fought, divided and refined itself. Despite all of this conflict, there is a rich culture and social context which students of this play will enjoy learning about.
Ballybeg
‘Bally’ (town) and ‘beg’ (small) give us a clue about the setting of the play. Friel suggests that the town is not only small in its physical size, but perhaps also small in its outlook. The prospects for young people were in many ways limited. Out of this environment, many young people emigrated to America. I will explore the limited and small outlook of rural Ireland in the 1960s in this article.
A brief timeline of Irish history leading up to the 1960s
- 1914 – WW1 caused a delay in the implementation of Home Rule, which would have given power to an Irish parliament rather than British control.
- 1916 – Easter Rising. Nationalists took control of the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin and proclaimed Ireland as an independent state, free from British rule. The British crushed the uprising and alienated the public.
- 1921 – The Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed creating the Irish Free State. Ireland became an independent dominion of Britain, partitioned from Northern Ireland which remains part of the UK.
- 1922/23 – Civil war breaks out between supporters and opponents of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- 1937 – The election results in Eamon De Valera taking charge and the creation of Eire, a sovereign democracy independent from Britain.
- 1939-45 – Eire remains neutral during WW2
- 1949 – Eire becomes the Republic of Ireland and leaves the British Commonwealth
- 1969 – Northern Ireland experiences conflict between nationalists, who want union with Ireland, and unionists, who want to keep the union with the United Kingdom. This conflict often spreads into Ireland and England.
The context of Northern Ireland in 1960s
In the 1960s, Northern Ireland was characterized by deep sectarian tensions between the Protestant and Catholic communities. The Catholic minority, of which Friel was part, faced discrimination and economic disadvantage, while many Protestants felt threatened by the possibility of a united Ireland.
Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland claimed sovereignty over Northern Ireland, which was rejected by the British government and many Protestants in the north. These tensions led to increasing violence and political unrest, culminating in the outbreak of the Troubles in the late 1960s. The situation was further complicated by the involvement of paramilitary groups on both sides, as well as the role of the British army and government in attempting to maintain order and control the violence.
While the play is set in Donegal, part of the Republic of Ireland, Friel was born in 1929 in Co Tyrone. Co. Tyrone is of the six counties of Northern Ireland, only formed six years previous to Friel’s birth. He has said of his experience of growing up in this place:
There were certain areas one didn’t go … This was a terrifying experience, because if the Protestant boys caught you in this kind of no-man’s land, they’d kill you… That sort of thing leaves scars for the rest of one’s life.
Emigration in Ireland in 1960s
Another important context of “Philadelphia Here I Come!” in 1960s Ireland is the economic hardship in Ireland. A combination of factors caused this, including the legacy of colonialism, poor agricultural productivity, and limited access to markets for Irish goods. Additionally, there was a lack of foreign investment and industrial development, which contributed to high unemployment rates and a significant outflow of people leaving the country in search of work.
While Irish people emigrated to many countries across the world in the 1950s and 60s, America has always been a popular choice. America was a symbol of prosperity, progressive thinking and endless opportunity. This is in stark contrast to the limited opportunities for employment and prosperity in rural Ireland. In addition, the church’s control in Ireland left many young people feeling stifled, craving the freedom and more liberal attitudes of America.
According to this article by Irial Glynn for the Migration Policy Institute, Ireland lost nearly 15% of its population in the 1950s. America attracted many from both sides of the border, but especially from the Republic of Ireland. According to Encyclopaedia.com, over 500,000 people left Ireland between 1945-60.
The impact of loosing so many people, especially young people, perpetuated the economic hardship the country experienced.
Emigration in 'Philadelphia, Here I Come!'
Emigration is a central theme in Friel’s ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come!’ and plays a crucial role in shaping the characters and their experiences. The play explores the reasons, emotions, and consequences associated with leaving one’s homeland, centring on the character of Gar.
Gar sees America as a place of opportunity and freedom, where he can reinvent himself and find success. He also hopes to escape the emotional baggage and family dynamics that have been weighing him down in Ireland. The repeated refrain of ‘Philadelphia, here I come, right back where I started from …’ shows Gar’s excitement at the prospect of a new life. When talking to Kate in Episode II, Gar boasts, “I’ll come home when I make my first million, driving a Cadillac and smoking cigars and taking movie-films.”
The Role of Women in Ireland in 1960s
During the 1960s, women in Ireland had limited opportunities in terms of education and employment. The traditional view was that a woman’s place was in the home, and many women faced significant pressure to conform to this role. Women who did work outside the home were often restricted to certain professions, such as teaching or nursing, and faced discrimination in terms of pay and opportunities for advancement. Moreover, married women were expected to prioritise their duties as wives and mothers over their professional ambitions. This attitude was reflected in the legal system, where married women were legally required to obtain their husband’s permission to work or open a bank account.
Women in 'Philadelphia, Here I Come!'
Madge
In the play, the character of Madge represents the limited opportunities available to women in 1960s Ireland. Madge is a woman in her sixties who works as a housekeeper for S.B. and Gar O’Donnell. Madge’s situation is highlighted indirectly through Friel’s honest and down-to-earth realism. At no point is the role of women directly addressed, but through the frequent references to Madge’s role as housekeeper, her pseudo-mother role to Gar and her fussing around to care for the O’Donnell men, we see her very much in the sphere of the home. Through Madge’s character, Friel exposes the limited opportunities and societal expectations that women faced in 1960s Ireland. Likewise, through his treatment of Madge, we see how normal it was for women to fulfil these roles.
Lizzie
At first glance, Gar’s aunt Lizzie seems to represent a more progressive woman than many in Ireland at the time. She enjoys a drink, she is witty and emotionally more open than others, and she has escaped the confines of Ballybeg. She leaves Ireland and doesn’t return. America offers her many opportunities that Ireland simply cannot. However, Lizzie is also desperately lonely. Despite the great opportunities America offers her, she is cut off from her family, and she is devastated to be unable to bear children.
Kate Doogan
Kate is young and vibrant, and so initially seems to present the audience with a more forward thinking place in society for women. However, Kate’s future is not in her power to decide. Her father, Senator Doogan, determines the big decisions in her life, for example her marriage to the well respected and wealthy Francis King. Her father, and indeed all of society, expect Kate to marry for security and wealth rather than for love.
Kate’s future is also left in the hands of Gar, who fails to pluck up the courage to ask Doogan for permission to marry her.
In these ways, we see Kate as powerless to determine her own future.
Religion in Ireland in 1960s
Religion plays a significant role in Irish society, and the 1960s was no different. Catholicism was the dominant religion, with a large majority of the population identifying as Catholic. The Church influenced issues such as birth control, divorce, and homosexuality, and its influence extended to many aspects of everyday life.
A devout Catholic would have had a daily routine that involved practicing their faith in some of the following ways:
Daily Prayer – A devout Catholic would typically start the day with prayer, and may also pray throughout the day.
Regular Mass Attendance – parishioners attended Mass on Sundays and holy days.
Confession – Regular confession was also an important practice, allowing Catholics to confess their sins and seek forgiveness from God.
Devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Saints – Many in Ireland had a strong devotion to the Virgin Mary and other saints, and prayed to them for intercession.
Participation in Parish Life – people often volunteered for various roles and participated in social events organised by the Church.
Following Church Teachings – Catholics followed Church teachings on issues such as birth control, divorce, and sexual morality. This often meant adhering to strict moral codes that were enforced by the Church.
The 1960s was a time of modernisation, with the emergence of new technologies, ideas, and lifestyles. Many people struggled to reconcile their traditional values with the changing times. The country was still heavily influenced by the Catholic Church, placing strict limits on personal freedoms and social behaviour. Many young people felt stifled by these restrictions and were drawn to the more liberal and permissive societies of other countries.
Religion in 'Philadelphia, Here I Come!'
The play explores the impact of Catholicism on Irish culture and identity, with many of the characters struggling to reconcile their religious beliefs with their desires and aspirations. Some examples of religion in the play include:
Prayers
S.B., Gar and Madge say the angelus and the rosary every night, for example in the opening of In Episode III Part 1, the stage directions tell us: ‘The rosary is being said’ and describes the tone as a ‘monotonous, somnolent drone’. This reflects the importance of Catholicism in Irish society, and the role of the Church in guiding people’s moral compass. However, the stage directions indicate that Gar’s attitude to confession and prayer are rather cynical. Public says later in the play, “And that wasn’t it all. At six o’clock he remembered about the bloody pollock, and him in the middle of the Angelus. (Stands in imitation of the Father: head bowed, hands on chest. In flat tones –) ‘Behold-thehandmaid-of-the-Lord-Gut-and-salt-them-fish.’ Friel paints a picture of the impotence of the Catholic church through both Gar, and the stage directions’, use of a sarcastic and negative attitude to these prayers.
The character of Canon Mick O'Byrne
Canon Mick O’Byrne represents the Catholic church in the play. The Canon speaks in a way that is monotonous, repetitive and predictable: Gar Private predicts his every word before he says it, adding a humous and mocking tone towards this religious figure. The Canon quietly refuses to engage in any meaningful conversation. Private Gar explodes: “You could translate all this loneliness, this groping, this dreadful bloody buffoonery into Christian terms that will make life bearable for us all. And yet you don’t say a word. Why, Canon? Why, arid Canon? Isn’t this your job? – to translate? Why don’t you speak, then?” Gar’s speaks desperately here, using short and frequent questions, repeating ideas and with the emotive triplet: ‘this lonelliness, this groping, this dreadful bloody buffoonery’.
The authority of the church
The play highlights the authority of the Church in Irish society, with many of the characters feeling trapped by the strict moral codes imposed by the Church. This is exemplified in Gar Public, who speaks politely to the Canon, despite his clear disgust at the Canon and all he represents. Despite this private outburst, “Why, Canon? Why, arid Canon? Isn’t this your job? – to translate? Why don’t you speak, then? Prudence, arid Canon? Prudence be damned!” Gar Public only speaks with politeness and respect to the Canon: “Tomorrow morning, Canon.”
Money and hypocrisy
In Episode III Part 1, the Canon and SB play games of chess for small amounts of money. There is underlying hypocrisy here in that the church would frown upon gambling, and yet it was a widespread activity. In this same section of Episode III, Gar Private exclaims, “Money! Agh, sure, Canon, what interest have you in money? Sure as long as you get to Tenerife for five weeks every winter what interest have you in money?”
Lesson ideas on the play's context
Push and pull factors
This idea comes straight from my Geography GCSE memory! Students identify the push factors (factors which would have pushed someone away from living in Ireland at this time) and the pull factors (factors which made America an attractive place to move to). Students could make two lists, or write the push and pull factors on small pieces of paper and then rank them.
For more ideas on encouraging thinking, check out this post: 8 Ways to Get Students to Think
Characters in their context
It could be said that each character in the play represents a major factor in understanding the context of Ireland at the time of the play. For example, Canon Mick O’Byrne represents the Catholic Church, Master Boyle represents education, Madge represents the limited role of women in rural Ireland, etc.
Use this worksheet to get students to explore how these characters represent their context, with quotations from the text to support their ideas.
