29 & 30 October - Scél lem dúib: Gerard Murphy's Early Irish Lyrics Revisited

Department of Early and Medieval Irish

Professor John Carey, University College Cork
Professor Emerita Susan Crane, Columbia University, New York
Professor Emerita Máire Herbert, University College Cork
Professor Maeve Callan, Simpson College, Iowa
Professor Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha, National University of Ireland, Galway
Professor Thomas Owen Clancy, University of Glasgow Associate
Professor Emeritus Daniel Melia, University of California, Berkeley Associate
Professor Paul Siewers, Bucknell University, Pennsylvania Dr Geraldine Parsons, University of Glasgow
Dr Kevin Murray, University College Cork
Professor Emeritus Seán Ó Coileáin, University College Cork
Professor Emeritus Séamus Mac Mathúna, University of Ulster
Dr Brian Frykenberg, Cumann na Gaeilge, Boston

29-30 October, 2021 [Friday from 12.15pm to 6pm and Saturday from 12pm to 5pm]; Cavanagh Pharmacy Building LG 51 and the Aula Maxima (for limited numbers)

The aim of this symposium is to draw attention to one of the treasures of early Irish literature, that is early Irish lyric poetry. This poetry, along with medieval Welsh poetry, constitutes the earliest vernacular literature in Europe (excluding the Classics) but the voices in these texts are rarely heard. The speakers will consider a selection of these lyrics in turn and will take into account text, context, translations, the various voices speaking in these poems and the themes that are found in the corpus.

Themes and topics will include the reception of Murphy's edition of Early Irish Lyrics during the course of the last 65 years, the monastic figure living with his cat Pangur Bán, St Colum Cille on his 1,500th birthday, St Íte and the infant Christ, the Caillech Bérri or the Old Woman of Beara, the thwarted lovers Liadain and Cuirithir, nature poetry, vision poetry, pit-falls when translating medieval texts, poems from Agallamh na Seanórach or the Colloquy of the Ancients and the Finn Cycle, love poetry, lament, otherworld poems and Suibne Geilt or Mad Sweeney. The symposium will conclude with readings of a selection from the anthology in the original Old Irish side-by-side with readings of Modern Irish or English versions of the poems. This particular session will also include some music and one or two other surprises.

College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences

Coláiste na nEalaíon, an Léinn Cheiltigh agus na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta

College Office, Room G31 ,Ground Floor, Block B, O'Rahilly Building, UCC