Course Description
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Course Name
Cultural Heritage and the Irish Literary Tradition
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Host University
Maynooth University
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Location
Dublin, Ireland
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Area of Study
Celtic Studies, History, Literature
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Language Level
Taught In English
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Course Level Recommendations
Lower
ISA offers course level recommendations in an effort to facilitate the determination of course levels by credential evaluators.We advice each institution to have their own credentials evaluator make the final decision regrading course levels.
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ECTS Credits
5 -
Recommended U.S. Semester Credits2
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Recommended U.S. Quarter Units3
Hours & Credits
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Overview
Ireland has an extensive and diverse literary tradition in the vernacular which far exceeds its medieval European counterparts. The origins and development of writing, including Ogam script, and the influence of Christianity on our rich manuscript tradition will be explored. Many of the early manuscripts, including the Stowe Missal, the Book of Kells, the Book of Leinster and Lebor na hUidre, are among our most important national treasures. Students will visit the monastic setting, Clonmacnoise, associated with the famous manuscript, Lebor na hUidre, to envisage the context of manuscript creation. The practical aspect of manuscript production, illumination and writing will be introduced followed by a detailed study of their contents. Students will study the myths, sagas and legends in English translation in the context of the main Cycles of the pre-Norman period. Topics to be discussed include supernatural beings and the Otherworld, heroes and heroic literature, kings and sovereignty goddesses and outsider figures such as druids and the fíanna. The influence of this material on the later literary tradition will also be considered.
Teaching & Learning Methods:
- Lectures: 24 hoursAssessment:
- Continous Assessment: 100%
Course Disclaimer
Courses and course hours of instruction are subject to change.
Credits earned vary according to the policies of the students' home institutions. According to ISA policy and possible visa requirements, students must maintain full-time enrollment status, as determined by their home institutions, for the duration of the program.
ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits are converted to semester credits/quarter units differently among U.S. universities. Students should confirm the conversion scale used at their home university when determining credit transfer.
Please reference fall and spring course lists as not all courses are taught during both semesters.
Please note that some courses with locals have recommended prerequisite courses. It is the student's responsibility to consult any recommended prerequisites prior to enrolling in their course.