Celtic Studies (PhD)—Léann Ceilteach
College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Celtic Studies,
School of Humanities, School of Languages, and School of Geography and Archaeology
Course overview
The MLitt in Celtic Studies/ Léann Ceilteach is a two-year, full-time (or four-year, part-time) postgraduate research programme assessed by a thesis of ca. 40,000 words.
The PhD in Celtic Studies is awarded for research involving close study of Celtic langauges and sources. While the primary focus may be on one Celtic language and tradition, the research usually entails some degree of comparative work, premissed on the fact of the Celts’ original linguistic unity and subsequent long-enduring shared social and cultural features. The sources utilised tend to be medieval, but particular topics may require the use of written sources of earlier or later date. In the case of certain topics, knowledge of the research methodologies of disciplines other than the core disciplines of Celtic languages and literatures, notably archaeology, history, and classics, may have to be attained. The structured PhD programme facilitates students in acquiring any necessary training in the cognate aspects of such disciplines, and adequate knowledge of medieval and modern languages that may be relevant for their research.
Programmes available
PhD, full-time
PhD, part-time
MLitt, full-time
MLitt, part-time
Entry requirements
Applicants for the above degrees must have a primary (or higher) degree in Irish or Celtic Studies with a Second Class Honours Grade 2, GPA 3.2, or an equivalent international qualification.
Admission to the MLitt and the PhD is at the discretion of the potential supervisor and the head of discipline. The Postgraduate Research Board for Celtic Studies will review and make recommendations to the College on applications, thesis-topics, and the membership of each student’s Graduate Research Committee.
Areas of interest
Research degrees usually involve close study of Celtic languages and literatures (e.g., Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic), but may encompass religion, history, archaeology, and the interface with the Latin and Germanic traditions of the Celtic-speaking regions. Postgraduate research usually entails some degree of comparative work, premissed on the fact of the Celts’ original linguistic unity and subsequent long-enduring shared social and cultural features. The sources utilised tend to be medieval, but some topics may require the use of written sources of earlier or later date. For certain topics, knowledge of research methodologies other than those associated with Celtic Studies may have to be attained. The Structured Doctoral Programme (cf. above) provides students with opportunities to acquire such training, and to learn non-Celtic languages (medieval and modern) that may be relevant for their research.
Researcher profiles
Prof. Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha ( http://www.nuigalway.ie/oldirish)
Dr. Conor Newman
( http://www.nuigalway.ie/archaeology/Staff/Staff_Conor_Newman/index_newman.html)
Dr. Kieran O’ Conor
( http://www.nuigalway.ie/archaeology/Staff/Staff_Kieran_Oconor/index/oconor.html)
Prof. John Waddell
( http://www.nuigalway.ie/archaeology/Staff/Staff_John_Waddell/index_waddell.html)
Prof. Dáibhí Ó Cróinín ( http://www.nuigalway.ie/history/ocroinin/index.html)
Prof. Michael Clarke ( http://www.nuigalway.ie/classics/research.html)
Dr. Mark Stansbury http://www.nuigalway.ie/classics/research.html)
Find out more
Prof. Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha
T +353 91 493 010
E mairin.nidhonnchadha@nuigalway.ie
www.nuigalway.ie/oldirish/
PAC code
Structured PhD (full-time) GYG11
PhD (full-time) GYB50
PhD (part-time) GYB51
MLitt (full-time) GYB52
MLitt (part-time) GYB53
Current project
Fees for this course
Current Students
Mona Jakob
PhD (Celtic Studies)/Léann Ceilteach
"I first came to Galway for my ERASMUS year in 2004/05 and during my time at NUIG I realised that I wanted to stay in the field of Celtic Studies. I decided, after I had finished my MA in Celtic Studies in Bonn, Germany, to come back to further my knowledge of Irish and Irish literature. For my MA thesis back in Germany, I wrote about the motif of the ’mad poet’ in medieval Irish literature, focusing on the story of Suibhne, the mad king/poet. I had always been fascinated by the intricacy of Irish and Welsh poetry and its metrics, so that I was delighted to be able to work on the ’Saltair na Rann’, a long Middle Irish poem of over 8000 lines, telling the story of the Old Testament. I am currently working on the rhyming patterns of this poem and will be mainly concerned with the metrics and any patterns of meaning or concepts related to certain words and names that might arise from the actual rhyming words. The support I got and am still getting is great and it is wonderful that, through the connection of Roinn na Gaeilge with the Moore Institute, the students have the opportunity to do interdisciplinary work, to meet students and scholars with different backgrounds (History, Archaeology, Classics) and to receive support that is additional to what they receive from their ’home department.”
