How the body has shaped Irish history

Dr  Ian Miller’s A History of Ireland in Ten Body Parts is a fascinating exploration of Irish history from a unique and (literally) visceral perspective. Miller delves into the physical body as a way to understand the cultural, social, and medical histories of Ireland. The resulting volume presents a gripping version of history, is beautifully illustrated, and is well worth a read. It would make an excellent gift for any doctor or historian.

Miller’s fundamental mission is an intriguing one: To look at Irish history not through major events or key figures, but through the body, by focusing on body parts that reveal the deeper story of Ireland over centuries. This approach makes for a fascinating and thought-provoking read, offering fresh insights into how history shapes the very core of human experience.

Structure

At its heart (as it were), the book is structured around 10 distinct body parts, each of which Miller uses as a lens to examine different periods and aspects of Irish history. The body parts include the skull, hands, stomach, and ears. Each chapter offers a thematic focus that connects historical events, medical discoveries, cultural beliefs, and social changes in Ireland. This structure invites us to rethink the significance of the human body in shaping national identity and historical narratives. The book is also simply very interesting to read: Accessible, informed, and fluently written.

There is plenty here to fascinate both doctors and historians. In the chapter on ‘Brains’, for example, Miller discusses lobotomy, which was the single greatest mistake in the history of psychiatry, both in Ireland and elsewhere. In the chapter on ‘Skulls and Heads’, Miller takes us back to the 19th Century when phrenology – a now-discredited pseudoscience that claimed the shape of one’s skull could determine personality traits – was widely practised. The images in this section are especially arresting.

In these and other chapters, Miller brings an impressive depth of knowledge to the text, providing detailed insights into how the body has been understood, examined, and treated over time. Each body part also serves as a window into cultural beliefs, political struggles, and identity formation in Ireland. In a particularly poignant chapter on ‘Stomachs’, Miller traces the legacy of hunger in Irish history, focusing on the Great Famine of the 1840s.

Miller is very well placed to write this book. He is Senior Lecturer in Medical History at Ulster University in Northern Ireland and author of seven medical history books on topics including the force-feeding of hunger strikers and how the Irish diet changed following the Great Famine. Miller’s work has featured in several RTÉ, BBC, and Disney+ shows.

Humanising history

One of the outstanding features of A History of Ireland in Ten Body Parts is its ability to humanise history. By focusing on the body, Miller brings an intimate touch to stories that might otherwise seem distant or abstract. We are constantly reminded that history is lived through the flesh, through pain, hunger, illness, and ultimately, death.

Miller’s writing is accessible and engaging, weaving together academic insights with storytelling to capture our imaginations. His attention to detail, combined with his ability to link medical history to broader cultural and political narratives, ensures that the book will appeal to medics, history buffs, and general readers alike.

Overall, Miller’s skilful blend of medical history and broader social themes makes A History of Ireland in Ten Body Parts an essential read for anyone who is interested in understanding how the body, in all its forms, has shaped the history of Ireland. It is also a vivid reminder that the human body is not just a biological entity, but a powerful symbol and site of historical experience.

Brendan Kelly is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin and author of The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care (Open access: www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mono/10.4324/9781003378495/modern-psychiatrist-guide-contemporary-practice-brendan-kelly)