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Disappearing Text Project receives funding

12 Dec 2023

The central focus of this project is on the premier Finn Cycle text, Acallam na Senórach 'The Dialogue of the Ancients'

A shared Gaelic-language linguistic and cultural heritage binds together citizens in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Within this heritage, the medieval literary cycle known as the Fenian or Finn Cycle (in Gaelic fianaigheacht) occupies a central position in the articulation of Gaelic identities. The main fianaigheacht text (of over 8,000 lines) — Acallam na Senórach — stands at the forefront of this cycle. Recent research has shown that this narrative complex may not be as amenable to critical editing as was once thought and that the Acallam may in fact be a ‘disappearing text’, an ephemeron which when subjected to closer editorial scrutiny may dissolve into several related, though individual, narratives.

The Acallam is central to studies of place, memory and identities in a Gaelic context; however, such studies require agreed texts to properly contextualise, interpret and analyse source materials. Current editing software cannot deal properly with the Acallam because of the intricate nature of the editing process involved. In collaboration with colleagues from the School of Computer Science and Information Technology at UCC, this project will design bespoke software to deal with these complexities. This software will be utilised in the central part of ‘The Disappearing Text’ project, the attempt to establish a critical text. By varying the parameters used, it is hoped that the software will facilitate exploration of several different editorial approaches simultaneously to create a usable critical edition of Acallam na Senórach which retains scholarly confidence.

The Disappearing Text

Roinn na Sean- agus na Meán-Ghaeilge

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