Centre for Irish Studies Newsletter

 Nuachtlitir Ionad an Léinn Éireannaigh                          Issue 7                Winter 2008

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COVER STORIES

• Focal ón Stiúrthóir
• Launch of The Given Note
• Irish Music Studies Diploma Graduation

Focal ón Stiúrthóir

Sea, tá an clog curtha siar agus uair an chloig de dhoircheacht curtha leis an lá ach tá na réalta fós ag taitneamh os ár gcionn in Ionad an Léinn Éireannaigh i lár an dúluachair anama is eacnamaíochta!

Fuaireamar dea-scéal ag tús an tsamhraidh go raibh comhaltachtaí taighde bronnta ag an IRCHSS ar thriúr macléinn PhD dár gcuid, Margaret Brehony, David Doyle, agus Sara Hanafin, agus tá Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh tar éis comhaltachtaí dochtúireachta a bhronnadh anois ar thriúr eile atá ag tosnú amach ar a gcuid taighde i mbliana.

Is í Debora Biancheri an chéad mhacléinn riamh de chuid an Ionaid a bhain amach Comhaltacht an Bhantiarna Gregory, an scoláireacht is gradamúla dá bhfuil ar fáil san Ollscoil anseo, a mbíonn dianchomórtas idirnáisiúnta ann chuige gach aon bhliain. Chomh maith leis sin, bronnadh ceann de Chomhaltachtaí Dochtúireachta na Gaillimhe ar Verena Commins agus Comhaltacht CONNECT ar Claire Lyons. Tá cur síos ar an obair atá ar siúl ag Debora, Verena agus Claire san eagrán seo den nuachtlitir is guímid gach rath orthu ina gcuid taighde.

A special word of welcome for the first students ever to enrol in the new BA CONNECT with Irish Studies, a major new initiative for the University and one of the most exciting developments in the short history of the Centre for Irish Studies. The first intake of students is remarkable for the fact that everyone who was offered a place on the programme accepted the offer, an unprecedented experience, apparently for the University. That the students are drawn from all parts of Ireland, from Cork to Donegal, is also a major endorsement of the programme. We wish our first cohort of undergraduate students every success.

Cuirimid fáilte chomh maith roimh mhicléinn ó Choláistí Union agus Hobart and Smith atá ag druidim le deireadh a dtréimhse in Éirinn faoi seo, agus le micléinn an MA sa Léann Éireannach, an rang is mó dá raibh againn le blianta fada, a bhfuil an-obair déanta acu cheana féin is iad á bhféachaint féin leis an dream a chuaigh rompu. Tá triúr ó rang na bliana seo caite ag gabháil do thaighde PhD anois in OÉ Gaillimh, Debora Biancheri, Katie O’Driscoll, agus Ayla Zachary.

Cuirimid fáilte chomh maith roimh bheirt scoláire idirnáisiúnta a bhfuil tréimhse ghearr á caitheamh acu inár measc -  J’aime Morrison, saineolaí ar chúrsaí rince ó California State University, agus Laura O’Connor ó Ollscoile California, Irvine, a bhfuil taighde á dhéanamh aici ar fhilí Innti agus ar Mhichael Davitt go speisialta. Gné an-tábhachtach den obair atá ar siúl againn anseo is ea na comhráití a chuirimid ar bun le scoláirí cuarta a chuireann go mór le saol acadúil agus le saol sóisialta an Ionaid.

Finally, we are grateful to Jenny McCarthy for her assistance in compiling this edition of the newsletter.

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Launch of “The Given Note”           

A major study on the relationship of traditional Irish music and song to modern Irish poetry "The Given Note": Traditional Music and Modern Irish Poetry was launched in the Centre for Irish Studies on 1 October, 2008. Written by Seán Crosson, a former student of the Centre, it combines an innovative analysis of theoretical work in music and literary studies with an informative overview of the historical relationship between poetry and music (including the related song tradition) in Ireland.

Speaking at the event Dr Louis de Paor, Director of the Centre described his delight in presenting the first published book by the first graduate of the Centre for Irish Studies to the reading public, outlining how it was a measure of the success of Dr. Crosson’s PhD project that it had life not only as a dissertation, but also as a published work of some significance. Dr. de Paor stressed the importance of the interdisciplinary nature of the book, describing how traditional music had, until the publication of “The Given Note", been under theorised in Irish Studies, while also pointing to the significance of Dr. Crosson’s engagement with poetry in English and Irish.

Dr Crosson, who has taught courses on Poetry and Music with the Centre for Irish Studies and the English Department in NUI Galway, and is now based at the Huston School of Film and Digital Media, N.U.I Galway, said: “Music and Poetry have had an ancient and rich relationship, a relationship that continues to resonate in the work of contemporary Irish poets.  Traditional music continues to provide an important resource for poets, as well as bringing their work to audiences that may not otherwise have engaged with it.”

“The Given Note” is published by British publisher Cambridge Scholar’s Publishing, and includes a foreword by acclaimed sean-nós singer and NUI Galway academic Lillis Ó Laoire, who describes the book as a “pioneering work … sure to herald other studies in this rich field of inquiry, and provides an exemplary model which leads the way with confident assurance”.

Please follow link to Galway Advertiser http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/3065

Pictured at the launch of “The Given Note”: Traditional Music and Modern Irish Poetry are from left: Dr. Sean Crosson and Dr. Louis de Paor.

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Irish Music Studies Diploma Graduation

We would like to congratulate Colm Dwyer, Saidhbh Gavin, John Finnerty, Déirdre O’Gorman, Des Bluett, Michael Lydon and Nora Maloney who graduated in October 2008, with a Diploma in Irish Music Studies.  As part of the Continuing Education stream at NUIG, this diploma provided an integrated interdisciplinary introduction to the ways in which music and literature have contributed to the creation of identity both in Ireland and for communities abroad.  Returning to education while in full time employment is a huge challenge, but all of the students undertook their studies with enthusiasm, and deserve a bualadh bos on the completion of this phase of their adult learning. 

Pictured at the graduation ceremony are from left Colm Dwyer, Méabh Ní Fhuartháin (Coordinator), Saidhbh Gavin, John Finnerty, Déirdre O’Gorman, PJ Curtis (Instructor), Dr Louis de Paor (Academic Director), Des Bluett, Michael Lydon. *Nora Maloney graduated but is absent.

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This online newsletter is published by the Centre for Irish Studies.  Any views, comments, or suggestions are welcome and should be forwarded to Nessa Cronin, Editor at nessa.croninnuigalway.ie or Samantha Williams, Technical Editor at samantha.williamsnuigalway.ie

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