GKRMV190165 ECTSQ1EnglishMaster
Old Irish: Language and Culture 1
FaculteitFaculty of Humanities
NiveauMaster
Studiejaar2026-2027
Beschrijving
Course goals
- independently translate a short Old Irish prose text into English in a limited amount of time, using the research instrumentarium that has been developed in Old Irish scholarship
- analyse the grammar of that passage;
- answer questions regarding the contents and literary themes in early Irish tales;
- understand and apply theoretical approaches to early Irish literature in the analysis of a text;
- use their growing proficiency in Old Irish for subsequent course work in the RMA programme, including Paleogeography, research apprenticeships, and the RMA thesis.
Content
Old Irish is the Celtic language of Ireland between ca. 600 and 900 AD. It has an exceptionally rich and varied literature. The language is one of the most complicated languages in the world. It is the parent of the Modern Gaelic languages of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. This course offers an introduction to Old Irish grammar as well as a first survey of medieval Irish saga literature. Students will also translate short texts from the Táin BóCúailnge, ‘The cattle-raid of Cooley’.
The ability to read and analyse texts in Old Irish is an advanced academic skill that is crucial for conducting research in the field of Medieval Insular Studies, as well as related fields that engage with the history, literature and languages of the North Sea Area. Advanced skills in this domain provide a strong foundation for research apprenticeships and RMA thesis work and are a key asset when pursuing a PhD position upon graduation.
Old Irish I is one of the options for fulfilling the core curriculum requirement Reading and Interpreting Sources. It is designed for students of the North Sea Area track whose research interests lie in Medieval Ireland and who do not have proficiency in Old Irish. It is also appropriate for students in other tracks of the Ancient, Medieval or Renaissance tracks who wish to pursue research related to the Isles.
Note that this course is offered simultaneously at BA- and RMA-level. While learning the language and its literature is a shared course goal for students in both groups, the overriding aim for RMA students is to train them – in tandem with the RMA courses Old Irish II, Paleography, and Theoretical Approaches - to do independent academic research on texts composed in Old Irish. This translates to significant differences in other course goals, in testing, and in class preparation and attendance.
The ability to read and analyse texts in Old Irish is an advanced academic skill that is crucial for conducting research in the field of Medieval Insular Studies, as well as related fields that engage with the history, literature and languages of the North Sea Area. Advanced skills in this domain provide a strong foundation for research apprenticeships and RMA thesis work and are a key asset when pursuing a PhD position upon graduation.
Old Irish I is one of the options for fulfilling the core curriculum requirement Reading and Interpreting Sources. It is designed for students of the North Sea Area track whose research interests lie in Medieval Ireland and who do not have proficiency in Old Irish. It is also appropriate for students in other tracks of the Ancient, Medieval or Renaissance tracks who wish to pursue research related to the Isles.
Note that this course is offered simultaneously at BA- and RMA-level. While learning the language and its literature is a shared course goal for students in both groups, the overriding aim for RMA students is to train them – in tandem with the RMA courses Old Irish II, Paleography, and Theoretical Approaches - to do independent academic research on texts composed in Old Irish. This translates to significant differences in other course goals, in testing, and in class preparation and attendance.
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