Corey Lee Wrenn, Ph.D.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this live recording of forgotten Irish animal advocacy. Ireland lays claim to a fascinating history of human interactions with other animals that is both unique to the island and critical to larger international discourse. While it is true that Irish culture is historically tied to speciesism and its economy is especially dependent upon “meat” and dairy production, Ireland’s relationship with other animals is complex and sometimes forgiving.

This episode discusses the persistence of animality in Irish Republicanism in the late 19th century and the 20th-century protests under British occupation during the Troubles. While Britain applied animality to Irish rebels as a measure of control, the Irish would strategically adopt animality as an illustration of their oppression. The episode also discusses some mid-20th century vegan activists and their response to civil rights injustices of the era.

Ireland has endured a number of colonialization attempts, including that of the Vikings, the Christians, and the Normans. However, British colonization in the 16th and 17th centuries was the most arresting and long lasting, dramatically manipulating property use, agricultural practices, and quality of life for humans and other animals alike. This episode explores the injection of industrialized “meat” and dairy production in the Irish colony and its implications for Irish wellbeing, culminating in the disastrous famines of the 1800s.

In this episode, I introduce a new Irish vegan ethic to acknowledge the entangled destiniesContinue reading

The coming of Christianity would significantly alter the role of Nonhuman Animals in early IrishContinue reading

Ancient Irish practices of animism blurred boundaries between humans, supernatural beings, and other animals. A “cattle” economy, much of Ireland’s superstructure reflected its economic reliance on “dairying” and “raiding.”

Dr. Wrenn’s full list of publications is available here. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4041-0015 Books Wrenn, C. L. ~2019.Continue reading