Why Irish?

These striking essays and detailed case studies by internationally renowned scholars examine the contributions of Irish language and literature to the Humanities. Providing a variety of close textual readings, broad ranging essays and appraisals of their disciplines, the authors demonstrate the value and potential of studying Irish at university level and suggest future challenges and research agendas. For both academic specialists and general readers, this volume offers not only illuminating close readings of medieval tales (Tochmarc Etaine/The Wooing of Etain) and Alan Tirley's contemporary novels (Meirscrf na Treibbe, Stiall Fhial Feolaand An Fear Dana), but important surveys of the contemporary state of the language, a critique of the 20th-century revival project, a rationale for Government policy and the international promotion of Irish. Topics include Irish bardic poetry, the contemporary Irish novel, medieval Irish prose-tales, Indo-European linguistics, comparative literature, language maintenance, socio-linguistics, and the Irish language in American Universities.