Sean- agus Meán-Ghaeilge
A Student Guide to Celtic Civilisation at UCC

1. A History of the subject
2. Aim of the subject
3. Teaching programme
      3.1 First Year Programme
      3.2 Second Year Programme Joint Honours/Minor Course
      3.3 Third Year Programme
4. Postgraduate courses
5. Additional courses offered
6. Assessment for visiting students
7. Background reading for Celtic Civilisation

1. History of the Subject
UCC was the first university institution to offer a course in Celtic Civilisation. Introduced by Early and Medieval Irish as a First Year subject in the mid-1980s, the number of students taking Celtic Civilisation has grown steadily to the present average of about 180 First Year students. The subject was subsequently made available as a Minor in Second and Third Years and, in 1998-9, coincidental with the introduction of modularisation, Celtic Civilisation also became a Joint Honours subject in the University BA programme. From the beginning, the subject has attracted a large number of external students, and the number continues to increase.

2. Aim of the Subject
Celtic Civilisation is designed to enable students to view the culture of early Ireland within its European context. The subject traces the history of the Celtic peoples from their central European homeland, and shows how their civilisation extended eastward and westward, from Asia Minor to Ireland. Thus, the focus is on Ireland's affinities with the outside world, its European inheritance in prehistoric times, and the manner in which Ireland itself influenced European culture in the early Christian period. Celtic literature, mythology, languages, learning, and the Celtic saints are particular topics of study. Those taking courses in cognate subjects such as Irish history, archaeology, folklore, or Irish language and literature find that Celtic Civilisation complements their studies in these areas.
Celtic Civilisation is designed to be a pleasurable as well as an interesting learning experience. Audio-visual methods are used extensively, linking well-known physical manifestations of Celtic culture such as stone sculptures, gold ornaments, and illuminated manuscripts, with study of the story-telling and supernatural beliefs of the Celtic peoples. Hand-out materials are used extensively in class to direct students to the primary sources. There is a tutorial system, and ample opportunity for individual staff-student contact. Like all Arts subjects, Celtic Civilisation enables the student to acquire facility in analysis and presentation of material through class essays.
In sum, the subject extends student perspectives by presenting Irish civilisation in its international as well as in its national dimensions. Thus it assists students, not merely to understand the past, but also to deal with a present world in which association between Ireland and Europe grows continually closer.

3. Teaching Programme
3.1 First Year Programme
CC1001 (divided into the following components): The Celts (CC1111), Celtic Literature (CC1113) and Celtic Religion and Mythology (CC1112). UCC First Arts Students must take all 3 components: a, b, c. Visiting Students may choose one or all (timetable permitting).
a. The Celts: This unit examines the emergence of the Celts as a separate people, and the story of their progress and social history on the Continent, in Britain and in Ireland. READING LIST
b. Celtic Literature: The largest and most important component is Early and Medieval Irish literature. Its epic tales are studied in translation. READING LIST
c. Celtic Religion and Mythology: The evidence from the Continent and from Britain is explored, along with the Irish evidence. READING LIST
Main texts: J. Koch, ed. The Celtic Heroic Age; N. Chadwick, The Celts (Penguin); J. Gantz, Early Irish Myths and Sagas (Penguin); P. Mac Cana, Celtic Mythology (Hamlyn)
Tutorials: One hour per week to be arranged at the beginning of Autumn Term. Visiting students who are only at UCC for the Spring Term should attend at whatever time best suits their individual schedules.
Assessment: Year's Work (i.e. one class-essay per unit): 20%; Written Examination: 80%.
Visiting Students see #6 (below).

3.2 Second Year Programme
Minor course (2 modules) and Joint subject (6 modules) from CC2001-2007.
CC2001 The Celtic Contribution to Medieval Europe : A survey of the (mainly Irish) Celtic influence on the development of medieval European culture. Evidence from medieval Irish and continental sources will be studied. READING LIST
CC2002 Celtic Saints: A survey of the nature of medieval Celtic Christianity, using the evidence of its saints.
CC2003 Early Celtic Lyric Poetry: Selected texts representative of the poetry of early Ireland and Wales are studied in translation. READING LIST
CC2006 Learning and Society in the Celtic Countries: A survey of the written sources concerned with the institutions of Church and State. All material will be studied in translation. READING LIST
CC2007 The Celtic Languages: An examination of the emergence of the Celtic languages, and of the main developments undergone by them in the ancient and medieval periods. READING LIST
CC2008 Early Irish Spirituality: A survey of religious belief and experience in early Ireland as reflected in medieval literature.READING LIST
Assessment: Year's Work: 20%; Written Examination: 80%.
Visiting Students see #6 (below).

3.3 Third Year Programme
Minor course (2 modules) and Joint subject (6 modules) from CC3001-3007.
CC3001 The Mabinogi: An examination of the Welsh tales designated the Mabinogi, considered both as vehicles of Celtic tradition and as works of literature. READING LIST
CC3002 Ireland and Wales: This course examines the medieval contacts between Ireland and Wales. READING LIST
CC3003 Ireland and Scotland: This course examines the early political and ecclesiastical interchange between Ireland and Scotland. READING LIST
CC3004 Themes in Celtic Literature: A special study, with close textual analysis, of otherworld, voyage, and vision tales; or of historical themes in Irish literary compositions. READING LIST
CC3005 Early Irish (Double Module): Study of the basic rules of Old Irish grammar and syntax. READING LIST
CC3006 Irish Historical Tales: An introduction to medieval Irish literary compositions about characters and events of the early historical era. READING LIST
CC3007 The Finn Cycle: An examination of the extensive body of tradition concerning Finn mac Cumaill and his warriors. READING LIST
Assessment: Year's Work: 20 %; Written Examination: 80%.
Visiting Students see #6 (below).

4. Postgraduate Courses
We offer the following post-graduate courses in the areas of Early Irish and Celtic Studies: MA (course work and minor thesis), MPhil (thesis) and PhD (thesis). Postgraduate modules on offer include CC6001: Old Irish, CC6003: Early Irish Text, CC6004: Medieval Welsh, CC6005: Research Seminar, CC6006: Special Topic and CC6007: Research Presentation.

5. Additional courses offered
In addition to our courses in Celtic Civilisation, we also teach Old Irish language and literature courses as part of the BA programme in Nua-Ghaeilge (Modern Irish). These courses are in second year GA2031 (READING LIST), GA2032 (READING LIST) and in third year GA3031 (READING LIST), GA3032 (READING LIST). Subject to student interest, it also offers an Introduction to Middle Welsh, taught by Dr. J. Carey.

6. Assessment for Visiting Students
How visiting students are assessed depends on whether or not they will be at UCC for the second semester. If you are only here for the first semester, your entire grade will be based on the coursework (in-class essay or test) which forms part of the grade for other students. If you are here for the entire year, or for the second semester, you will be examined and graded in exactly the same way as regular UCC students, sitting a final examination at the end of the year. It is important that you do not make arrangements for your return home before finding out when the final examinations will take place: the examinations period is late May – early June, with exact dates available nearer to the time. Conflicting travel arrangements are not an acceptable excuse for non-attendance at examinations.

Marks at UCC
The grading system at UCC operates differently to those with which visiting students may be familiar; American students, especially, often find their marks alarmingly low. Don’t panic! The International Students Office, and your home institution, are well aware of these differences, and will convert your grade into its counterpart for your school record.
To give you a general idea of what your UCC marks translate into in American terms, the following table may be useful:

7. Background Reading for Celtic Civilisation
Many students, especially those who have never taken courses in Celtic Civilisation before, ask whether there are books which it would be useful for them to read. Supplementary reading will be recommended for every course you take; if you want something further, though, any of the books in the following list can be recommended as a source of general information.
F.J. Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings
Nora Chadwick, The Celts
Myles Dillon, Early Irish Literature
Myles Dillon, The Cycles of the Kings
Robin Flower, The Irish Tradition
Jeffrey Gantz, Early Irish Myths and Sagas
K. Hughes and A. Hamlin, The Modern Traveller to the Early Irish Church
Gwyn and Thomas Jones, The Mabinogion
Thomas Kinsella, The Táin
John Koch, ed., The Celtic Heroic Age
Proinsias Mac Cana, Celtic Mythology
Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin, An Introduction to Early Irish Literature
T.G.E. Powell, The Celts
Alwyn and Brinley Rees, Celtic Heritage