Language & Literature

Our correspondent today is Katie Marini:

Today was our last day of class at Queen’s University. Professor Gordon McCoy, who discussed the Irish language movement in Northern Ireland, gave our first lecture. We then had our lecture with Dr. Eamonn Hughes, who discussed Irish literature. The professors gave us an overview on how language and literature reflects a culture’s identity in all aspects of society, socially, politically, and economically. After listening and analyzing both lectures, we able to not only learn about the Gaelic culture and how it has evolved over time, but have also broadened by understanding of Irish history, which is expressed through Irish literature.

We started off the lecture with Professor Gordon McCoy. He discussed how throughout the 1950s, people had to learn Irish in Catholic schools until the age of sixteen. However, the Irish language and culture became politicized - because to the Unionists, Gaelic was a source of anti-British rule. After having an hour lunch break, we returned back to Queen’s University where we commenced our second lecture with Dr. Eamonn Hughes, who discussed Irish literature and how each poet expressed his or her views, whether political or personal, through their poetry. He discussed different Irish poets such as John Hewitt, Louis MacNeice, Seamus Heaney, Michael Longley, Derek Mahon, Medbh McGuckian, Paul Muldoon, Sinead Morrissey, and Alan Gillis. Not only did he give background information on each poet, but he also explained the overall meaning of his or her pieces of poetry and how all the poets seem to be interconnected.

After listening to both lectures, we learned things we were all unaware of before going to class. For example, we had no idea how difficult it was to preserve the Gaelic language. Dr. McCoy discussed how Irish schools had openly taught Irish for free because many Catholics did not have enough money in West Belfast to afford that kind of an education. When the schools were first opened, authorities did not recognize the schools as legitimate. In fact, Irish-speaking schools were not recognized until 1985. We later learned that most authorities were against the Irish language and Irish speakers because it was the language of the prisoners; therefore, it became the language of the Republicans and those who expressed anti-British rule. Professor McCoy ended his speech by stating that conflicts nowadays are fought through the language and culture as opposed to guns and violence. In fact, the troubles of 1968-98 revived the Irish language because people used it to talk about events of the Troubles.

After class, we made our way home where we were given two hours to catch up on any unfinished homework. We then had classes with Ms. Duarte and Mr. Bizga, who gave us quizzes on both “Reading in the Dark” and “Leading through Conflict”. After class, we made our way down to the kitchen to prepare for dinner, which consisted of stuffed peppers, mashed potatoes, noodles, and salad. Once our stomachs had settled, a couple of the girls decided to go up to the “Roast”, which is a nearby coffee shop, to get some coffee before we headed off to bed. Overall, it was a successful day !!