Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Trinity Menu Trinity Search



You are here Courses > Postgraduate

Diploma in Old Irish

Aims

This course is intended to provide graduates in related disciplines with a solid grounding in Old Irish language and literature.

A course handbook is available here.

Duration

The course lasts for the two semesters of one academic year beginning in September, and requires full-time study. Candidates are assessed by an examination consisting of two three-hour papers.

Applications

  • Applications are normally accepted only from persons with a good honors degree in a cognate subject such as Modern Irish or another Celtic language, medieval languages, literature or history, archaeology.
  • Applications for admission must be made through Trinity College's Application system by 30 June of the year in which admission is sought.
  • Students will be admitted every second year. The next round of applications will be for 2025/26.

Coursework

The course will consist of six contact hours per week, as follows:

  • Introduction to Old Irish (2 hours)
  • Tutorials in Old Irish (2 hours)
  • Old Irish literature, including readings in lyrical verse (1 hour)
  • Old Irish glosses and saga literature (1 hour)

A Handbook for the PG Diploma (PDF) is available here.