Folk devils and flower power: constructing the hippie counter-culture in Ireland, 1967–72

Abstract

This article examines the social construction of the hippie counter-culture in Ireland during the period 1967–72. It outlines three main phases in this construction: namely, sensitisation, mobilisation and diversification. International developments sensitised the Irish press to align the hippies with drug abuse, violence and murder. The emergence of a commune on Dorinish Island, County Mayo sparked the mobilisation of interest groups such as the Irish Countrywomen’s Association who attempted to frame the hippies as folk devils. The hippies, however, diversified social knowledge by effectively offering resistance to hostile reactions. The final section considers the extent to which the counter-culture in Ireland may be regarded as distinctive. It argues that the absence of direct mobilisation by the Catholic Church and the presence of colonial discourses emerge as noteworthy features. Overall, this article makes important empirical contributions to the history of the counter-culture by offering new insights on its manifestation in an Irish context. It also contributes conceptual insights into how folk devils are constructed from various vantage points and rooted in specific historical contexts.