Irish Studies
A fresh perspective on the history and culture of a fascinating island. On a visit to the campus by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, described the Centre for Irish Studies at St Mary’s as ‘an acknowledged leader in the field of Irish Studies’.
Level 1
In the first year of the module you are introduced to the four main strands that make up the degree programme: History, Literature, Media and Language. In each case no previous knowledge is assumed, so that if, for example, you have not studied English at ‘A’ level this is not a disadvantage.
Through a combination of lectures, DVDs, primary texts and most of all discussion, the history module will analyse important events such as the 1798 rebellion and the Famine as well as the experience of migration. Well-known figures such as Cromwell and Robert Emmet will appear alongside the voices of ordinary Irish people.
The Introduction to Irish literature module will consider a wide range of writing from the last 20 years, including autobiographical work reflecting on growing up Irish in London. You will also study Roddy Doyle’s ‘The Deportees’.
The Media and Popular Culture in Ireland module investigates the way in which visual images of Irishness have been central to the history and politics of the nation since the 19th Century. Beginning with the Victorian press, the course also looks at painting and sculpture, the GAA, Irish dancing costumes, film, St Patrick’s day parades and mural painting in Belfast.
The final Level 1 module is in the Irish language, and will introduce you to the basics through informal conversation classes.
Levels 2 and 3
You will build on the knowledge gained in Level 1 through two further History modules, one in each year, which will take you through the War of Independence and the foundation of the Irish state in 1921 right up the present day. Similarly two literature modules will cover Irish writing from the late 19th Century to date.
The vibrant period of the Irish Literary Revival will be a major focus in Level 2, with special attention paid to the way writing interacted with major political events like the rebellion of 1916. Other modules in Level 2 include ’Researching Diaspora’ and ‘Religion and Ireland’. In Level 3 the focus will change to how literature has responded to the huge changes in Ireland over the last 20 years.
Similarly Telling the Troubles will examine three decades of violence in Northern Ireland through the way the conflict was reported in the news media.
Another option will allow you to work on a supervised research topic of your choice, with past students electing to consider topics such as the future of the GAA, the history of Ellis Island and Irish music in London in the 1960s.
