Undergraduate Course: The Gaelic Autobiography (CELT10050)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Taught in Gaelic? | Yes |
| Summary | This course studies a range of Gaelic autobiographies, written by authors born between the 1870s and the 1940s, and considers their functions and purposes. In many respects these texts are better understood as social documentaries rather than as accounts of the individual authors' lives. These Scottish texts will be compared with the counterpart 'Gaeltacht autobiographies' from Ireland published from the 1920s onwards, which have achieved a greater degree of fame and notoriety. |
| Course description |
1. Introduction: the nature of Gaelic autobiographies
2. Aonghas Mac¿Ill¿Fhialain, Saoghal an Treobhaiche (excerpts)
3. Saoghal Bana-mharaiche (Isbeil Anna NicAonghuis) (excerpts)
4. Aonghas Caimbeul, A¿ Suathadh ri Iomadh Rubha (excerpts)
5. War autobiographies: Murchadh Moireach, Dòmhnall Iain MacDhòmhnaill, Pòl Mac a¿ Bhreatunnaich
6. Autobiographies of the post-war generation
7. The Irish Gaeltacht autobiographies compared
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students must have a good reading knowledge of Scottish Gaelic. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- By the end of this course, students should be able:
¿ to discuss the principal characteristics of Gaelic autobiographical writing
¿ to distinguish the political and cultural assumptions of the Scottish and Irish Gaelic autobiographies
¿ to outline the function of autobiography for its Gaelic readership
¿ to discuss the principal themes, issues, events and social practices described in the texts considered
¿ to assess linguistic features of the texts considered, including dialect aspects and the effect of orality and literacy
- By the end of the course, students will develop a range of critical and technical skills to allow them to evaluate these texts in line with the learning outcome 1.
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Reading List
Bateman, Meg (2007). 'The Autobiography in Scottish Gaelic', in The Edinburgh History of Scottish Literature, Vol. 3
- Modern Transformations: New Identities (from 1918), ed. by Ian Brown, 225-30. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Caimbeul, Aonghas (1973). A¿ Suathadh ri Iomadh Rubha. Glasgow: Gairm.
Chaimbeul, Ealasaid (1982). Air Mo Chuairt. Stornoway: Acair.
Ferguson, Calum (2004). A Life of Soolivan: Based on the Recollections of John MacLeod, Gael, Traveller, Rebel, Convict and Raconteur. Edinburgh: Birlinn.
Laennec, Christine (2003). ¿The Story of Whose Life? Aonghas Caimbeul¿s Suathadh ri Iomadh Rubha¿. Scottish Gaelic Studies, 21 (2003), 81-90.
Lindsay, Kenneth, and MacNeill, Morag, eds (2009). Mas math mo chuimhne: Reflection of the Gaels. Inverness: Clì Gàidhlig.
Mac a¿ Bhreatunnaich, Pòl (1987). Air Druim an Eich Sgiathaich. Stornoway: Acair.
Mac a¿ Phearsain, Seonaidh Ailig (2011). Steall à Iomadh Lòn. Inverness: CLÀR.
MacDhòmhnaill, Dòmhnall Iain (2004 [1974)]. Fo Sgàil a¿ Swastika/Under the Shadow of the Swastika. Stornoway: Acair.
MacFhearghuis, Calum, ed. (1983). Suileabhain: Sgeulachdan à eachdraidh-beatha Iain MhicLeòid (1889-1956). Glasgow: Gairm.
MacCalmain, Tòmas M. (2011). Mo Là Gu Seo: Eachdraidh mo Bheatha, ed. by Dòmhnall E. Meek. Edinburgh: Scottish Gaelic Texts Society.
Mac Conghail, Muiris. The Blaskets: People and Literature. Dublin: Country House.
MacDonald, Finlay J. (1982). Crowdie and Cream. London: Macdonald.
Mac Gabhann, Micí (1962). Rotha Mór an tSaoil. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
MacGillEathain, Dòmhnall Iain (1988). Buth Ailig. Teangue, Isle of Skye: Clò Ostaig.
MacGowan, Michael (1962). The Hard Road to Klondike, trans. by Valentin Iremonger. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Mac¿Ill¿Fhialain, Aonghas (1972). Saoghal an Treobhaiche. Inverness: Club Leabhar.
MacLellan, Angus (1962). The Furrow Behind Me: The Autobiography of a Hebridean Crofter, trans. by John Lorne Campbell. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
MacMhathain, Murchadh. Cailleach an Déacoin, ed. by Fionnlagh MacLeòid. Inverness: Clò-beag.
Moireach, Murchadh (1970). Luach na Saorsa. Glasgow: Gairm.
NicDho¿mhnaill, Flo¿raidh (2009). Còco is Crùbagan/Cocoa and Crabs: A Hebridean Childhood. Kershader: Islands Book Trust.
NicNèill, Catrìona (1992). Mo Bhrògan Ùra. Glasgow: Gairm.
Ó Criomhthain, Tomás (1929). An t-Oileánach. Dublin: Talbot Press.
O Crohan, Tomas (1937). The Islandman, trans, by Robin Flower. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ó Grianna, Seamus (1942). Nuair a Bhí Mé Óg. Dublin: Talbot Press.
Ó Grianna, Seamus (2000). When I Was Young, trans. by A. J. Hughes. Dublin : A & A Farmar.
Ó Súilleabháin, Muiris. Fiche Blian ag Fás. Dublin: Talbot Press.
O¿Sullivan, Maurice (1933). Twenty Years A-Growing. New York: Viking Press.
Sayers, Peig (1939). Peig. Dublin: Talbot Press.
Sayers, Peig (1973). Peig: The Autobiography of Peig Sayers of the Great Blasket Island, trans. by Bryan MacMahon. Dublin: Talbot Press.
Watson, Seòsamh, ed. (2007). Saoghal Bana-mharaiche: Cunntas Beul-Aithris mu Bheatha Muinntir an Iasgaich ann am Machair Rois. Ceann Drochaid: Clann Tuirc.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Robert Dunbar
Tel: (0131 6)50 3621
Email: Rob.Dunbar@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Vivien MacNish Porter
Tel: (0131 6)50 3528
Email: vivien.macnish-porter@ed.ac.uk |
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