The Irish alcohol industry has, at its core, always been particularly adept at marketing. From Whiskey to Guinness, sellers have used a variety of inventive advertisements to flog their wares to a thirsty public. Illustrating this is today's post about a strange encounter between Eugen Sandow, a Prussian born strongman and Murphy's Stout based in… Continue reading Sandow and Stout: An Irish Story
Since beginning my study of physical culture several years ago, I have been fascinated by  the extent of Irish physical culture. Part of the British Empire in the early twentieth century, Ireland was very much influenced by the broader spread of physical culture in Great Britain. So close were the two regions that the Irish… Continue reading Ireland’s First Bodybuilding Show
That stone had lain in that place as long as the oldest traditions in the village could remember. And from time immemorial it had been the custom of the young men of the village to test their strength by lifting it …[i] Liam O’Flaherty, 1937. Simply titled, ‘The Stone’, Liam O’Flaherty’s short Irish story from… Continue reading Informal acts of weightlifting in Ireland
Since beginning my study of physical culture several years ago, I have been fascinated by  the extent of Irish physical culture. Part of the British Empire in the early twentieth century, Ireland was very much influenced by the broader spread of physical culture in Great Britain. So close were the two regions that the Irish… Continue reading Ireland’s First Bodybuilding Show
The Irish alcohol industry has, at its core, always been particularly adept at marketing. From Whiskey to Guinness, sellers have used a variety of inventive advertisements to flog their wares to a thirsty public. Illustrating this is today's post about a strange encounter between Eugen Sandow, a Prussian born strongman and Murphy's Stout based in… Continue reading Sandow and Stout: An Irish Story
The following article comes from Ireland's Own in 1912. Published, one hopes, as a satirical piece, the anonymous author highlights the dangers of privileging physical culture over one's domestic duties. A decision that comes it seems, to the detriment of one's relationship. A reminder that even though it was leg day, you still need to cut the… Continue reading Physical Culture and Domestic Bliss – an Unlikely Pairing…
The Irish alcohol industry has, at its core, always been particularly adept at marketing. From Whiskey to Guinness, sellers have used a variety of inventive advertisements to flog their wares to a thirsty public. Illustrating this is today's post about a strange encounter between Eugen Sandow, a Prussian born strongman and Murphy's Stout based in… Continue reading Sandow and Stout: An Irish Story
Earlier this week, the Department of Health in conjunction with Ipsos MBRI launched the Healthy Ireland Survey, an all-encompassing report looking at weight management, diet, mental health and physical activity. Not since 2007 has a survey of this kind been attempted in the Republic of Ireland, and considering the (ahem) considerable changes in Irish society in the… Continue reading The State of Ireland’s Health
Interesting piece from yesterday's Irish Times about the growing obesity epidemic and how it affects Irish workplaces Fat is a workplace issue.
During the prime of his career, Eugen Sandow was known for having ‘the perfect physique’ and for being one of the foremost proponents of physical culture. Physical culture being broadly understood as the social movement concerned with health and strength that swept across Europe and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th… Continue reading The Sandow Story in Ireland
