For significant periods, the majority of Irish emigrants were women. This volume begins with an introduction which explores the connections between women's studies and Irish studies, and includes a women's history reinterpretation of the myths of the Wild Geese. Five chapters on the 19th century look at the motivations and work experiences of women emigrants to the United States, emigration schemes involving Irish pauper women, the experiences of Catholic and Protestant Irish women in Liverpool, and at female-headed households.