Hearing Voices: The History of Psychiatry in Ireland

This monumental work by one of Ireland's leading clinical psychiatrists encompasses every psychiatric development, from the Middle Ages to the present day, including an examination of the far-reaching social and political effects. From the "Glenn of Lunatics", said to cure mental illness, to the overloaded asylums (with more beds for the mentally ill than any other country in the world) of later centuries, Ireland has had an extensive and oftentimes unsettled history in the practice and reception of psychiatry. Kelly's definitive work examines Ireland's unique relationship with conceptions of mental health throughout the centuries, delving into each medical breakthrough and every terrible abuse of authority-both political and domestic-for those deemed to be "hearing voices". Through fascinating archival records, Kelly writes a crisp and accessible history, evaluating everything from individual cases to the seismic effects of the First World War, and considering the attitudes that guided treatments, spanning Brehon Law to the now-emergent emphasis on human rights. Hearing Voices is a marvel that affords incredible insight into Ireland's social and medical history, while providing powerful observations on our current treatment of mental health in Ireland.