irish and celtic studies research institute - University of Ulster

IRISH AND CELTIC STUDIES 

RESEARCH INSTITUTE 

ANNUAL REPORT 

1 August 2006 – 31 July 2007



ANNUAL REPORT 

(1 AUGUST 2006 - 31 JULY 2007) 

CONTENTS 

Page No 

1. Foreword from the Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) 3 

2. Foreword from the Director of the Research Institute 4 

3. Research Institute Members 7 

4. Highlights 2006/07 9 

5. Research Students 12 

6. Research Publications 14 

7. Research Funding 21 

8. Indicators of Esteem 22 

1



ANNUAL REPORT 

1 August 2006 – 31 July 2007

1. Foreword by the Pro Vice Chancellor 

(Research and Innovation) 

I am delighted to welcome readers to our annual 

reports from University of Ulster Research Institutes. 

We have had an excellent year marked by great 

achievements in recruiting superb researchers to 

academic and research posts, attracting external 

income and completing work that has led to highly 

prestigious papers, books and other outputs. There 

has been a very strong flow of research findings as 

new disclosures to our Office of Innovation. These 

are being managed as promising new intellectual 

property and that Office also ensures that the 

expertise of our staff is accessed by external 

organisations through consultancy contracts. Overall our Institutes provide high 

quality research environments that are strongly supportive of research. Our 

achievements point to improved research capacity and capability amongst the 

University’s staff – the best possible training environments for our increasing 

number of research students. We are very proud of every student who graduates 

with a doctoral degree and delighted that our statistics for successful completion 

rank very highly in UK national comparisons. 

This past year was marked by final preparations for the forthcoming UK Research 

Assessment Exercise (RAE). The work to be submitted for RAE has been underway 

since 2001, so some of it is detailed in the current Annual Reports. The University 

is proud of the quality of its RAE submission and looks forward confidently to the 

announcement of outcomes at the end of 2008. 

The enhanced research performance of recent years is in line with that planned 

for in our Strategy and Action Plan for Research, Research Training and Innovation, 

entitled SUPPORTIVe 1 . Developed through comprehensive, university-wide 

consultation, SUPPORTIVe articulates our commitment to ensuring that research 

at the University of Ulster fully supports our goals summarized as ‘excellence, 

innovation and regional engagement’. 

I commend this report to you as a demonstration that University of Ulster 

research ranks proudly amongst UK institutions; documents, analyses and shapes 

the modern Northern Ireland and attracts international recognition and awards. 

Professor Bernie Hannigan 

Pro Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) 

1 

http://research.ulster.ac.uk/office/supportive.pdf 

3

2. Foreword by the 

Research Institute Director 

It is a great pleasure to present this annual report. 

The Institute has been involved in a broad range 

of research activities throughout a very successful 

year which was marked by a number of significant 

accomplishments and events. Maximum effort was 

put into the publication of high quality research works 

and the preparation and development of collaborative 

research projects. The research outputs listed in the 

report, and the many indicators of esteem noted for 

staff, are testimony to the commitment and hard work 

of members of the institute in successfully carrying 

out their plans. The high quality of the research 

culture will be of importance for the forthcoming 

Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) of 2008. This 

has been the primary focus of our endeavours during 

the year and our submission is already at an advanced stage of preparation and 

will be completed and forwarded to the RAE team by the end of 2007. 

One of the most important events of the year was the completion and online 

publication of the Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language (eDIL). This 

AHRC-funded project applied innovative electronic methodologies to the Royal 

Irish Academy’s monumental Dictionary of the Irish Language based on Old and 

Middle Irish materials and constitutes a milestone publication in Irish and Celtic 

Studies which will be invaluable to scholars and students of Early and Middle Irish 

and medieval Irish scholarship in general. The Dictionary was officially launched by 

Professor Monsignor Pádraig Ó Fiannachta, MRIA, in Academy House, Dublin on 

27 June 2007 at an event attended by a large gathering of distinguished scholars 

and guests. Addresses on the history and progress of the project were delivered 

by Professor Toner, Director of the project, and by Professor Mac Mathúna, 

Director of the Institute. Dr Fomin gave a short presentation on the functionality 

of the web-site and also delivered a lecture on eDIL at the XIII International 

Celtic Congress held in Bonn between 23rd and 27th July 2007. Congratulations 

to Professor Toner and the team, Dr Fomin, Dr Bondarenko and Dr Torma. An 

application has now been made to the AHRC for further substantial funding to 

carry out research on a supplement to the Dictionary. 

Important international conferences and colloquia were held during the course 

of the year, a number of which are linked to ongoing collaborative research 

projects. The Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica was 

held in Moscow State University and the Russian Academy of Sciences from 14-17 

September 2006. It was attended by scholars and students from various Western 

and Central European countries including Russia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ireland, 

Sweden, Germany and Austria, as well as the United States. 41 papers were 

delivered on topics ranging from Indo-European Philology to Celtomania and 

Slavomania in the eighteenth century and Modern Celtic languages, literature and 

folklore. The Proceedings of the First International Colloquium of the Societas – 

Paralells between Celtic and Slavic - which was held at Coleraine between 21 and 

23 June 2005 were launched by Dr Fomin at the Moscow conference. 

In June 2007, a very successful conference took place based on a research project 

led by Professor Mac Mathúna and Dr Fomin on paradigm shift in early Ireland and 

early India – ‘The Sacred topology of Early Ireland and Early India’. The project was 

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funded by the British Academy and the Conference was attended by colleagues 

from our partner institution in the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, and by 

colleagues from JNU, New Delhi. Conference was officially opened by Lord Rana, 

Consul General of India in Northern Ireland, who also launched a new Indo-Irish 

Literary and Philological Society, brainchild of Professors Mac Mathúna and Welch 

of Ulster and Professor Kapoor of JNU. After the conference workshops were 

held between UU and JNU staff on a forthcoming Irish-Indian Anthology of writing 

which is to be published in 2009/10. Thanks to Toni Patton, the Secretary of the 

Institute, for excellent administrative assistance under difficult circumstances. 

Other conferences included the very successful Éigse Cholm Cille on ‘The Flight 

of the Earls’ which was held on 2-3 March 2007 at the Magee campus to mark 

the four hundredth anniversary of this cataclysmic event in Irish history. I should 

say here in passing that the use of the word ‘Flight’ to describe this event is not 

in fact appropriate as it was the intention of those who left at the time to return 

with assistance from continental allies. In any case, the Éigse was addressed by a 

distinguished panel of speakers convened by Dr Éamonn Ó Ciardha. The chair of 

conference was Professor Ó Corráin. Dr Smith, who convened the 2005 Éigse 

on the writings of Professor Monsignor Breandán Ó Doibhlin, was Acting Head 

of Irish at the Magee campus while Professor Ó Corráin was on study leave, also 

made an important contribution.The Proceedings of the previous Éigse on the 

work of Monsignor Ó Doibhlin were successfully launched at the conference. 

An interdisciplinary conference, in partnership with UCD and supported by 

Iomairt Cholm Cille and the Government of Nova Scotia, was held on the 

Belfast campus in April 2007 on ‘Bho chuan gu cuan: Scottish Gaelic in Canada’. 

The convenor was RCUK Fellow Iain Mac a’ Phearsain. The world premiere of 

Ìompaireachd nan Gaedheal (‘The Empire of the Gaels’) on Scottish Gaels in 

Canada, scripted and presented by Iain, took place at the conference and was a 

truly excellent piece of work. Congratulations to Iain on a great achievement. A 

number of members of the Institute also attended and delivered lectures at the 

International Congress for Celtic Studies held in Bonn between 23 and 27 July. 

Congratulations to Professor Ó Corráin who was appointed to the Committee 

of Congress. 

In addition to the Institute’s very successful research seminar series, it also 

hosted two Visiting Scholars from UCD, Professors Séamas Ó Catháin and 

Seosamh Watson, both of whom delivered a series of lectures and were involved 

in developing collaborative research projects with members of the Institute. 

The Institute was happy to welcome a number of new staff to the subject area: 

Nóilín Nic Bhloscaidh was appointed to a lectureship at the Belfast campus. She 

joins Dr Art Hughes, who continues to play a central role in the teaching and 

development of Irish on the campus and in the city in general, and Dr Nioclás 

Mac Cathmhaoil, another recently appointed lecturer. Máire Nic Cathmhaoil 

transferred from Belfast to take up a lectureship at the Magee campus. 

Recently appointed lecturers at Coleraine, Dr Fionntán de Brún and Dr Iwan 

Wmffre, are settling in very well and making important contributions to the 

work of the Institute and the subject. Dr de Brún’s Belfast and the Irish Language 

(Dublin, Four Courts Press 2006) was launched by Professor Breandán Ó 

Buachalla in Dublin in 2006, and a very fine exhibition on Irish in Belfast in the 

Ulster Museum was organized by Dr de Brún and his colleague, Dr Phoenix. Dr 

Wmffre’s research on Welsh and Breton language and place-names has added a 

new scholarly dimension to the work of the Institute. Dr Caoimhín Ó Dónaill, 

Language Technologist in the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, 

not only teaches in the subject area of Irish and Celtic, he also researches and 

5

publishes in the field of CALL. Dr Ó Dónaill’s edition of the Medieval Irish text 

Talland Étair was published in 2005 in the prestigious Maynooth Medieval Irish 

Texts Series. 

The Institute is also fortunate to have as a member Dr Frank Sewell, Lecturer 

in English, who carries out research in Modern Irish prose and poetry and has 

published a number of perceptive works which demonstrate his wide and detailed 

knowledge of many aspects of modern and contemporary European and world 

literature. Dr Sewell, who is also a creative writer and translator, organized the 

very successful Many Voices Literary Literary Festival. 

Professor Máiréad Nic Craith, Director of the Academy for Irish Cultural Heritages, 

works closely with the Institute in the area of language policy and planning. A 

distinguished scholar, she has published a number of quality works during the 

course of the year and organized international conferences on subjects relevant 

to our mission (see AICH Annual Report). 

We were very sorry to lose this year a long-standing and highly esteemed 

member of staff in Irish and Celtic Studies, Dr Diarmaid Ó Doibhlin. Diarmaid 

made an outstanding contribution to the development and success of Irish at the 

University and we wish him a very happy and productive retirement. Hilary Lavelle, 

Vera Furness Fellow on the Modern Irish Concise Dictionary, also left to take up a 

translating position with the European Commission in Luxemburg. Dr Marcas Mac 

Coinnigh left in September 2006 to take up a post-doctoral IRCHSS Fellowship, at 

University College Cork. We wish both of them well for the future. 

Research students continue to play a central role in the Institute and we have 

a very vibrant research student body who are well-integrated into the subject 

area, supporting teaching, giving research seminars, and making other important 

contributions to the research environment. Students are working on a wide range 

of subjects, from food and drink as depicted in early Irish tales to macaronic 

writing in Modern Irish. Congratulations to Proinsias Mac Cionnaith, Gearóid Ó 

Domagáin and Frank Ó Broin who passed their transfer PhD transfer vivas and to 

Máire Nic Cathmhaoil (Mary McCaul) and Christopher Markey who successfully 

completed their doctorates during the course of the year. 

We look forward with confidence to future developments and challenges and 

wish all our staff, students and colleagues a very successful year to come. 

Professor Séamus Mac Mathúna, MRIA 

Director of Irish and Celtic Studies Research Institute 

Surname Forename Title Position 

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3. Research Institute Members 

Core Members 

Surname Forename Title Position 

Bondarenko Grigory Dr Assistant Editor (eDil) 

Borsje Jacqueline Dr Lecturer in Traditional Medieval Irish and European 

Cultures 

de Brún Fionntán Dr Lecturer in Modern Irish Literature 

Fomin Maxim Dr Research Fellow 

Hughes Arthur John Dr Senior Lecturer in Irish 

Lavelle Hilary Miss Research Assistant: Linking Dictionaries and 

Texts/Collins Modern Irish Dictionary 

Mac Coinnigh Marcas Dr Research Officer 

Mac Mathúna Séamus Professor Professor of Irish and Director Celtic Studies 

Research Institute 

Mac a’Phearsain Iain Mr Academic Fellow: Scottish Gaelic 

McCaul Máire Dr Lecturer in Irish 

Nic Bhloscaidh Nóilín Ms Lecturer in Irish 

Ó Corráin Ailbhe Professor Professor of Modern Irish Studies 

Ó Dónaill Caoimhín Dr Lecturer in Irish 

Ó Mianáin Pádraig Dr Academic Fellow: Modern Irish Language and 

Lexicography 

Ó Murchú Micheál A Mr Senior Lecturer in Irish 

Sewell Frank Dr Lecturer in English and Researcher in Modern Irish 

Smith Peter Dr Lecturer in Irish 

Toner Gregory Professor Professor of Irish Language and Literature 

Wmffre Iwan Dr Lecturer in Brittonic and Celtic Studies 

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Associate Members 

Surname Forename Title Specialisation 

Mikhailova Tatyana Professor Celto-Slavica, Early Irish and Celtic Studies, Folklore 

Nic Mhaoláin Máire Ms Modern Irish Lexicography 

Ó Dochartaigh Pól Professor Modern Irish and Scottish Gaelic literature 

(of German) 

Ó Duibhín Ciarán Dr Modern Irish Lexicography 

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4. Highlights 2006/07 

Research Seminars 2006/07 

The research seminar series continued in 2006/07 with a range of excellent papers by distinguished Celticists. Besides 

being most enjoyable social occasions, the seminars, together with our conferences, and the active participation of 

staff, visiting scholars and research students, contribute greatly to maintaining and developing a strong research ethos 

and culture in the Institute. 

‘Holy fairs, Satire and Dialect: An Eighteenth-Century Semi-Phonetic Scottish Gaelic Text’. 

Robby Ó Maolalaigh (Glasgow), Friday 27 October 2006, in the Courtroom, Coleraine, at 11.00am. 

‘Fate in Early Irish texts: Aspects of Development’ 

Jacqueline Borsje, (Ulster and Amsterdam), Tuesday 21 November 2006, at Magee 

‘Powerful Words of St. Patrick: Curse, Blessing and Spell’. 

Jacqueline Borsje (Ulster and Amsterdam), Wednesday 21 February 2007, in the Courtroom, Coleraine, at 2.00pm. 

‘Sláintí Óil na hÉireann’ 

Séamas Ó Catháin (UCD) Thursday 27 March 2007, in LT12, Coleraine, at 4.15pm. 

‘The Formation of an Irish Folklorist: The Case of James Hamilton Delargy’ 

Séamas Ó Catháin (UCD) Friday 29 March 2007, in the New Lecture Theatre, Belfast Campus, at 7.30pm. 

‘Sanskrit Language Direct Method 1’ 

Dr Santosh Shukla (Jawaharlal Nehru Univeristy, New Dehli) Thursday 24 May 2007, in the Courtroom, Coleraine, 

at 2.00-5.00pm. 

‘Sanskrit Linguistics’ 

Professor Kapil Kapoor (Jawaharlal Nehru Univerisity, New Dehli) Monday 28 May 2007, in the Courtroom, Coleraine, 

at 10.00am. 

‘Sanskrit Language Direct Method 2’ 

Dr Santosh Shukla (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Dehli) Monday 28 May 2007, in the Courtroom, Coleraine, at 

11.00am. 

‘Celtic and Germanic Linguistic Contacts’ 

Tatyana Mikhailova (Moscow State University & Russian Academy of Sciences) Tuesday 29 May 2007, in the Courtroom, 

Coleraine, at 1.00pm. 

Visiting Scholars 2006/07 

• Professor Séamas Ó Catháin, University College Dublin 

• Professor Seosamh Watson, University College Dublin 

Conferences organised by the Institute 

• Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica 

14-17 September 2006, Moscow State University 

• Ninth Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica 

21-24 September 2006, University of Helsinki 

• Aspects of Celtic Hagiography 

Moscow 2006 

9

• Many Voices Literary Festival 

February 2007, Coleraine (2005-2007) 

• Éigse Cholm Chille 

2-4 March 2007, Magee (2003-2007) 

• Bho Chuan gu cuan: Scottish Gaelic in Canada 

26-27 April 2007, Belfast 

• Sacred Topology in Early Ireland and India 

20-22 May 2007, Coleraine 

Further comment on conferences (see also Director’s Introduction) 

The principal organiser of the Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica which was held in Moscow in 

September 2006 was Associate Institute member Professor Tatyana Mikhailova. The opening ceremony was addressed 

by the President of the Society, Professor Mac Mathúna, and by the Secretary, Dr Fomin. The Colloquium was also 

attended by Professor Ó Corráin, Dr Bondarenko and Dr Borsje, all of whom delivered papers. 

A number of staff who attended the Celto-Slavica Colloquium in Moscow proceeded from there to the Ninth 

Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica, held in Helsinki. This well-established symposium was also very successful 

and was addressed by many international scholars of Celtic Studies. 

Dr Grigory Bondarenko organised a very successful conference in Moscow on ‘Aspects of Celtic Hagiography’. He 

also chaired many of the sessions. 

Dr Frank Sewell continued his organisation of the very successful Many Voices Literary Festival which was addressed 

by a number of distinguished creative writers including Dr Sewell and Professor Welch. 

The subject of this year’s Éigse Cholm Chille was ‘The Flight of the Earls’. In addition to other high profile speakers, 

Dr Diarmaid Ó Doibhlin, Dr Nollaig Ó Muraile, and Dr Antaine Ó Donnaile, all formerly of Irish Studies at UU, gave 

papers. The lectures were of a uniformly very high standard and overall the Éigse was a great success. The Proceedings 

of the 2006 Éigse on the writings of Monsignor Professor Breandán Ó Doibhlin were launched after the opening 

lecture by Dr Brian Lacey, formerly a Lecturer at the Magee Campus. 

The conference Bho Chuan gu Cuan: Scottish Gaelic in Canada was a very successful academic and community-based 

interdiscipinary event with papers from noted scholars in the field of Scottish Gaelic studies on both sides of the 

Atlantic. As noted in the Director’s Introduction, the world premiere of the film, Ìompaireachd nan Gaidheal, written 

and presented by Iain Mac a’ Phearsain, took place at the beginning of the conference. Thanks to Iain, to Professor 

Seosamh Watson, one of the organizing committee, and to the supporting partner institutions - Colm Cille, University 

College Dublin, Government of Nova Scotia. 

The Celto-Indica project, which included the conference Sacred Topology in Early Ireland and India, as well as Workshops 

on an Anthology of Indo-Irish work in language, literature, history and folklore, took place on the Coleraine Campus 

between 20 and 29 May 2007. Both the Conference and the workshops were most successful and work is ongoing 

on both fronts. 

Forthcoming Conferences 

• The Flight of the Earls (Letterkenny, 17-19 August 2007) 

• EUROCALL (September 2007) 

• Celtic Cosmology and the Power of Words (14-16 February 2008) 

• Third International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica (Dubrovnik, September 2008) 

• Third Ulster Cycle Conference (22-25 June 2009) 

• Fourth International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica (Lodz, 2009) 

• Teangeolaíocht na Gaeilge (2009) 

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Major Lectures 

• Professors Mac Mathúna and Ó Corráin, Drs. Fomin, Bondarenko and Borsje all addressed the Second 

International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica. 

• Professor Ó Corráin delivered a keynote address on Verbal Aspect in Irish at the Second Colloquium on 

Language Typology in a Diachronic Perspective, Gothenburg. 

• Professor Ó Corráin was one of the keynote speakers at the Cultural Identities and National-Borders 

Conference, Centre for European Research, Gotheburg. 

• Dr Borsje delivered a keynote address on the topic ‘Saints and spells in early medieval Ireland’ at the Ninth 

Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica on 22 September 2006. Papers were also delivered by Drs Fomin, 

Bondarenko and Wmffre. 

• Professor Mac Mathúna delivered an invited paper to an international conference on ‘India and Ireland: 

Colonialism, Nationalism, and Modernity’, at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in January 2007. 

Book Launches 

• Parallels between Celtic and Slavic: Proceedings of the First Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica was launched 

by Dr Fomin at the Second Colloquium of the Societas held in Moscow between 14th and 17th September 

2006. 

• Dr Fionntán de Brún’s Belfast and the Irish Language (Dublin, Four Courts Press 2006) was launched by 

Professor Breandán Ó Buachalla in Dublin in 2006. 

• Prof Gregory Toner’s monograph on the early Irish Tale Togail Bruidne Da Choca was successfully launched 

by Irish Texts Society in Dublin on 17 February 2007. 

• eDIL: electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language web-site was officially launched at the Royal Irish Academy 

in Dublin on 27 June 2007. 

New Appointments and Farewells 

• Ms Nóilín Nic Bhloscaidh was appointed as Irish lecturer in Belfast, February 2007 

• Dr Marcas Mac Coinnigh left in September 2006 to take up a post-doctoral IRCHSS Fellowship, at University 

College Cork. 

• Miss Hilary Lavelle left in February 2007 to take up a translating position within the European Commission in 

Luxemburg. 

• The farewell presentation to Dr Diarmaid Ó Doibhlin was held in the Bannview on 14 February 2007. He 

will be greatly missed. 

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5. Current Research Students 

Congratulations to Christopher Markey and Mary McCaul on the successful completion of 

their PhD theses in 2006/07. 

Name 

Title of Project 

Grant Source 

Country of Origin 

Coll, Rosemary 

Aspects of the Verb in 17th Century Irish Texts 

Vice-Chancellor’s Research Studentship (VCRS) 

Republic of Ireland 

Name 


Grant Source 


Dummigan, Gary 

The changes occurring in the Irish language in Gaeltacht areas 


Northern Ireland 

Name 


Grant Source 


Mac Cathmhaoil, Nioclás 

Muiris Ó Gormáin: scríobhaí agus scoláire 



Name 


Grant Source 


Mac Cionnaith, Proinsias 

Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill: a thematic analysis of a modern Irish poet 



Name 


Grant Source 


McGrath, Caroline 

The symbolism of food and drink in early Irish tradition 

Magee College Award 


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Name 


Grant Source 


Moore, Sharon 

Early attachments and identification processes in the poetry of Séamus Heaney 

and Michael Hartnett 



Name 


Grant Source 


o’Broin, Frank 

Lambert McKenna S.J. and his contribution to Irish and Celtic studies 

Magee College Award 


Name 


Grant Source 


o’Neill, Malachy 

An Leabhar Eoghanach: Staidéar Anaíliseach ar an Téacs Móide Réamhrá, Aistriúchán 

agus Nótai Eagarthóireachta 

DEL 


Name 


Grant Source 


ward, Angela 

An Traidisiún Scéalaíochta i bParóiste Mhíobhuí, larthuaisceart Thír Chonaill 



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6. Research Publications 

Bondarenko 

‘Hiberno-Rossica: “Knowledge in the Clouds” in Old Irish and Old Russian’, Parellels between Celtic and Slavic: 

Studia Celtica 1. Eds. S. Mac Mathúna , M. Fomin. Research Institute for Irish and Celtic Studies, University of Ulster, 

Coleraine: The Stationery Office, 2006. 185-200. 

‘Conn Cétchathach and the image of ideal kingship in Early Medieval Ireland’, in Studia Celtica Fennica 3. Helsinki, 

2007 15-30. 

Everyday Life of the Ancient Celts (In Russian: Povsednevnaya zhizn’ drevnih kel’tov ). Moscow: Molodaya Gvardiya, 

2007. 394 pp. 

‘Muirchú moccu Machthéni: the Coming of Christianity and the Origins of Sainthood in Early Ireland’ (In Russian: 

‘Muirchú moccu Machthéni: khristianizatsiya Irlandii i proiskhozhdeniye natsional’noy svyatosti’), Odysseus. 2006. 

Forthcoming 

‘King and Exile in Airne Fíngein (‘Fíngen’s Vigil’): Power and Pursuit in Earl Irish’, Études Celtiques, 2008. 

Borsje 

‘The ‘terror of the night’ and the Morrígain: Shifting faces of the supernatural’, Proceedings of the Seventh 

Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica. Ed. Mícheál Ó Flaithearta. Uppsala: Studia Celtica Upsaliensia 6, Acta 

Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2007. 71-98. 

‘Úath mac Imomain und andere Schreckgespenster - Phantastische Kreationen oder traditionelle Elemente des 

irischen mittelalterlichen Erbes’, Kelten-Einfälle an der Donau. Akten des Vierten Symposiums deutschsprachiger 

Keltologinnen und Keltologen. Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse 

Denkschriften, 345. Band. Hg. Helmut Birkhan. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 

2007. 51-65. 

‘Fled Bricrenn and tales of terror’, Peritia 19 (2005 [2007]), 173-192. 

‘Human sacrifice in medieval Irish literature’, The Strange World of Human Sacrifice. Ed. J.N.Bremmer. Leuven: 

Peeters, 2007. 31-54. 

‘Het mensenoffer als literair motief in het middeleeuwse Ierland. Deel 2’ In-Nuachta 22. 2007. 18-21. 

‘Bodb’, Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Ed. John T. Koch. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio, 2006. 220-221. 

Forthcoming 

‘Demonising the enemy: a study of Congal Cáech’, Proceedings of the Eighth Symposium of Societas Celtologica 

Nordica, Studia Celtica Upsaliensia, Volume 7. Eds. Jan Erik Rekdal and Ailbhe Ó Corráin. University of Uppsala: Acta 

Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2007. 21-38. 

‘Druids, Deer and ‘Words of Power’: Coming to Terms with Evil in Medieval Ireland’,Coping with Evil in Religion and 

Culture. Case Studies, Currents of Encounter 35. Eds. Nelly van Doorn-Harder and Lourens Minnema. Amsterdam, 

New York: Rodopi, 2008 25-49. (short version) 

‘Druids, Deer and “Words of Power”: Coming to Terms with Evil in Medieval Ireland’, Approaches to Religion and 

Mythology in Celtic Studies. Eds. Katja Ritari and Alexandra Bergholm. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008. 122- 

149. (long version) 

14

‘Monotheistic to a Certain Extent. The “Good Neighbours” of God in Ireland’, The Boundaries of Monotheism. 

Interdisciplinary Explorations into the Foundations of Biblically Based Monotheism, Studies in Theology and Religion 

13. Eds. M. de Haardt and A.-M. Korte. Leiden: Brill, 2008. 53-80. 

‘Supernatural Threats to Kings: Exploration of a Motif in Ulster Cycle and Other Medieval Irish Tales’, Ulidia 2. Eds. 

Ruairí Ó hUiginn et al. 

de Brún 

Belfast and the Irish Language. Dublin: Four Courts Press 2006. 216pp. 

‘The Fadgies: ‘an Irish-speaking colony’ in nineteenth-century Belfast’ in Belfast and the Irish Language. 2006. 101- 

13. 

‘Kango’ short story published in Nuascéalta. Cló Iar-Chonnachta, 2006. 

Review of Seán Ó Ríordáin’s Eireaball Spideoige (1952) [Foinse 01/10/2006 p.20] In special supplement in Foinse on 

the ten best books in Irish. 

Forthcoming 

‘We want no Gothic revival: gnéithe den Ghotachas in athbheochan liteartha na Gaeilge’ Festchrift for Prof. Cathal 

Ó Háinle (TCD). 

‘Ulsteria: the fortunes of the Irish language under old Stormont’, The Dark North: Essays on Turbulent Times in 

Twentieth-Century Ulster. Eds. E. Phoenix and A. Harrison. Four Courts Press. 

Fomin 

eDIL: an electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language (Royal Irish Academy, 2007) www.dil.ie 

‘Classifications of Kings in Early Ireland and India’, Studia Celtica Fennica IV - Yearbook of the Finnish Society for 

Celtic Studies. University of Helsinki, 2007. 31-46. 

Parallels between Celtic and Slavic: Studia Celto-Slavica I, Eds. S. Mac Mathuna, M. Fomin. Research Institute for Irish 

and Celtic Studies, University of Ulster, Coleraine: The Stationery Office, 2006. 

‘Russian and Western Celticists on similarities between Early Irish and Early Indian Traditions’, Parallels between 

Celtic and Slavic: Studia Celto-Slavica I. Eds. S. Mac Mathuna and M. Fomin. Research Institute for Irish and Celtic 

Studies, University of Ulster, Coleraine: The Stationery Office, 2006. 217-238. 

‘Celebrating Easter in Early Ireland. Account of Religious Conversion in Vita Sancti Patricii’, First International 

Conference of the SIEF working group on The Ritual Year in association with the Department of Maltese, University 

of Malta, Junior College, Msida, Malta. Proceedings. Malta: PEG Ltd, 2006. 241-256. 

‘Digitising a Dictionary of Medieval Irish: the eDIL Project’ (with G. Toner). Literary and Linguistic Computing, 2006 

21 (1), 83-90. 

Forthcoming 

‘Bríatharthecosc Con Culainn in the context of early Irish wisdom-literature’, Proceedings of the Second 

International Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Tales. Eds. R. Ó hUiginn et al. Maynooth, 93-120, (d.o.p. April 2009). 

Sacred Topology and Religious Paradigm Shift in Early Ireland and Early India (Eds. M.Fomin, V. Vertogradova and S. 

Mac Mathúna), Journal of Indo-European Studies, Monograph Series (in preparation) 

‘Stories of religious conversion in Medieval Irish and Medieval Buddhist literature’, Sacred Topology in Ireland and 

India. 

15

Celto-Slavica in Moscow. Proceedings of the Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica held 

between 14-17 September 2006 at Moscow State University and Institute for Linguistics (Moscow) (Eds. M.Fomin, T. 

Mikhailova, S. Mac Mathúna and G. Bondarenko), Moscow: Moscow State University Publishers (at press) 

‘And his throne will be strengthened by the truth: images of a righteous ruler in Early Christian Ireland and Early 

Kiev Rus’ (in Russian), Celto-SLavica in Moscow (at press) 

Indo-Irish Anthology of Writing: A Reader in History, Literature and Mythology of Ireland and India (Coordinating 

Ed. R York; Eds. S. Mac Mathúna, R. Welch, K. Kapoor and S.Sareen; Assistant Eds. M.Fomin and E. Ó Ciardha.), New 

Delhi: Sahitya Academy Publishers (in preparation). 

Various entries, Indo-Irish Anthology of Writing. 

Celtic Literatures in the Twentieth Century, Eds. Séamus Mac Mathúna, Ailbhe Ó Corráin, Assistant Ed. Maxim 

Fomin. Moscow: Languages of Slavonic Culture, 2007. 279 pp. 

Hughes 

Leabhar Mór Bhriathra na Gaeilge: The Great Irish Verb Book, Clólann Bheann Mhadagáin. 2007. 

Mac a’Phearsain 

‘Ant-Aoigh’, Gath 7: translation into Gàidhlig of Albert Camus’ L’hôte. 2007. 

New Writing Scotland: The Association for Scottish Literary Studies, University of Glasgow: 2 poems in Gàidhlig 

with English translations. 2006. 

An Guth 4: 7 poems in Gàidhlig. Coiscéim, Baile Átha Cliath. 

Iompaireachd nan Gaidheal, BBC Scotland/ Pelicula Films, 2007: Gàidhlig historical documentary written, researched 

and translated by Iain Mac a’Phearsain 

Forthcoming 

Displaced Poets: Migrant Writing from the Margins in a Scottish Gaelic Context – 1780-1930 [This work examines 

the Scottish Gaelic poetic record and enactments of emigration and immigration from the Scottish Highlands to 

Canada principally]. 

‘Sa Choille Ghruamaich: ceist cuideachd, cainnt is cèilidh (In the Gloomy Forest: a question of company, speech and 

ceilidh)’, in Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, 2008. 

Creative writing in Scottish Gaelic, poetry, to be published in the bilingual Irish/Scottish Gaelic annual anthology An 

Guth 5, 2008. 

Mac Mathúna 

‘The Irish Life of Saint Brendan: Textual History, Structure and Date’, The Brendan Legend: Texts and Versions, Eds. 

Glyn S. Burgess and Clara Strijbosch. Brill. Leiden: Boston 2006. 117-158. 

‘Remarks on Standardisation in Irish English, Irish and Welsh’, The Celtic Englishes IV: The Interface between English 

and the Celtic Languages. Ed. Hildegard L.C. Tristram. Universität Potsdam: Potsdam University Press, 2006. 114-129. 

Parallels between Celtic and Slavic: Studia Celto-Slavica I, Eds. S. Mac Mathuna, M. Fomin. Research Institute for Irish 

and Celtic Studies, University of Ulster, Coleraine: The Stationery Office, 2006. 

16

‘The History of Celtic Scholarship in Russia and the Soviet Union’, Parellels between Celtic and Slavic: Studia 

Celtica 1. Eds. S. Mac Mathúna and M. Fomin, Research Institute for Irish and Celtic Studies, University of Ulster, 


‘Bran mac Febail; Manannán mac Lir’, Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia, Ed. John T Koch. ABC-CLIO. Inc 

(2006), Vol. I, 238; Vol IV, 1244. 2006. 

On Definite Descriptions in Irish, Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow: 2007. 

Review of Ildánach Ildírech: A Festschrift for Proinsias Mac Cana, Eds. John Carey, John T. Koch and Pierre-Yves 

Lambert. Review in Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie, 55. 2007. 231-240. 

‘Professor Proinsias Mac Cana : An Obituary’ in Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie, 55. 2007. 202-207 

‘Judas in Medieval Irish Literature and Irish Folklore’, Proceedings of the Eighth Symposium of Societas Celtologica 

Nordica, Eds. Jan Erik Rekdal and Ailbhe Ó Corráin, Studia Celtica Upsaliensia Vol. 7, Acta Universitatis Upsanliensis, 

2007. 95-126. 

Celtic Literatures in the Twentieth Century, Eds. Séamus Mac Mathúna, Ailbhe Ó Corráin, Assistant Ed. Maxim 


Forthcoming 

Fil súil nglais: A Grey Eye Looks Back: A Festschrift in honour of Colm Ó Baoill. Eds. Kaarina Holla and Sharon 

Arbuthnot. Clann Tuirc. 

Border-Crossing; Mumming in Cross-Border and Cross-Community Contexts. Eds. Anthony D. Buckley, Críostóir 

Mac Cárthaigh, Séamas Ó Catháin and Séamus Mac Mathúna. Dundalgan Press. 

Proceedings of the Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica held between 14-17 September 2006 

at Moscow State University and Institute for Linguistics (Moscow) (Eds. M.Fomin, T. Mikhailova, S. Mac Mathúna and 

G. Bondarenko), Moscow: Moscow State University Publishers. 

Sacred Topology and Religious Paradigm Shift in Early Ireland and Early India (Eds. M.Fomin, V. Vertogradova and S. 

Mac Mathúna), Journal of Indo-European Studies, Monograph Series. 

Indo-Irish Anthology of Writing: A Reader in History, Literature and Mythology of Ireland and India. Eds. S. Mac 

Mathúna, R. Welch, K. Kapoor and S. Sareen; Coordinating Ed. R. York; Assistant Eds. M. Fomin and E. Ó Ciardha, New 

Delhi: Sahitya Academy Publishers. 

‘The University of Ulster’s English-Irish/ Irish-English Dictionary Project’, The History of the Irish Book, Volume 

Two: The Printed Book in Irish: 1567-2000. Eds. É. Ó Ciardha, F. Sewell, and A. Titley, Oxford: OUP, 2009. 

‘The Celto-Slavic Contribution to Irish and Celtic Studies’, History of the Irish Book. Volume Two: The Printed Book 

in Irish: 1567-2000. Eds. É. Ó Ciardha, F. Sewell, and A. Titley, Oxford: OUP, 2009. 

Studia Celto-Slavica II: A Bibliography of Celtic Studies in Slavic Countries (with Maxim Fomin). 

McCaul 

‘The historical and literary importance of ‘Cín Lae Uí Mhealláin’ as a source document for the period 1641 – 1647’. 

Seanchas Ard Mhacha, 2006. 

Co-author of ‘Teach Yourself Conversation – Irish Package’, Hodder Murray Publisher – Teach Yourself Series, 

December 2006. 

17

Ó Corráin 

‘On the After Perfect in Irish and Hiberno-English’, The Celtic Englishes IV: The Interface between English and the 

Celtic Languages. Ed. Hildegard L.C. Tristram. Universität Potsdam: Potsdam University Press, 2006, 152-72. 

‘On the Origins and Development of Periphrastic Perfects in Irish’, Proceedings of the Eighth Symposium of 

Societas Celtologica Nordica. Eds. Jan Erik Rekdal and Ailbhe Ó Corráin. Uppsala: Studia Celtica Upsaliensia, Acta 

Universitatis Upsanliensis, 2007. 187-207. 

‘Перфектные конструкции в островных кельтских языках’ (Perfect Constructions in Insular Celtic), Voprosy 

Jazikoznania , Linguistics Journal of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow:2007. 73- 88. 

Proceedings of the Eighth Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica, edited by Jan Erik Rekdal and Ailbhe Ó 

Corráin, Studia Celtica Upsaliensia Vol. 7, Acta Universitatis Upsanliensis, 2007. 284 pp. 

Celtic Literatures in the Twentieth Century, Eds. Séamus Mac Mathúna and Ailbhe Ó Corráin, Assistant Ed. Maxim 


Forthcoming 

‘On the Development of the Progressive and other Aspectual Formations in Irish and Insular Celtic’, Dialectologia 

et Geolinguistica. Ed. Astrid Van Hahn, de Gruyter. Berlin. 

‘The Evolution of Verbal Aspect in Insular Celtic’, Proceedings of the Second Colloquium on Language Typology in 

a Diachronic Perspective, May 2006, Eds. Folke Josephson, Ingmar Söhrman and John Benjamins. Amsterdam. 

‘Identity as a Cognitive Code: The Northern Irish Paradigm’, Cultural Identities and National Borders. Ed. Mats 

Andrén, Centre for European Research. Gothenburg University Press. 

‘On the Evolution of the Perfect in Irish’, Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium of Societas 

Celtologica Nordica. Eds. Folke Josephson and Mejerbergs Arkiv. Svensk Ordforskning, Gothenburg. 

A Languages Strategy for Northern Ireland, (with J. Gillespie and D. Johnston) Department of Education, Northern 

Ireland. 

‘The Scandinavian Contribution to Irish and Celtic Studies’, History of the Irish Book, Vol. 1. Eds. F. Sewell, E. Ó 

Ciardha et. Al. Oxford University Press. 

‘Séamus Ó Grianna’, Royal Irish Academy Dictionary of Irish Biography. Eds. Aidan Clarke et. al. Royal Irish 

Academy, Dublin. 

Ó Dónaill 

(with Marcas Mac Coinnigh) ‘The Use of CALL in Irish Language Teaching: The Way Forward?’ in CALL Computer 

Assisted Language Learning, An International Journal, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium, 2006. 

‘Task-based language learning in a multimedia environment’, Technology and Third Level Language Teaching 

Conference (organised in conjunction with the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies 

Northern Ireland), University of Ulster, Coleraine, 17 May 2006. 

‘Task-based Learning’, Crossing Frontiers: languages and the international dimension (CILT Conference), Cardiff 

University, 6-7 July, 2006. 

‘The development of pronunciation exercises for Irish Language Learners for use within a Multimedia Language 

Laboratory’, EUROCALL 2006: Integrating CALL into Study Programmes, University of Granada, 4-7 September 2006. 

18

‘Technology enhanced pronunciation instruction’, CETL Symposium - Digital Language Labs: Exploring Good 

Practice, SOAS, University of London, 15 March 2007. 

Sewell 

Takahashi, Mutsuo. Beyond the hedge: new and selected poems. Trans. Frank Sewell, Mitsuko Ohno. Dublin: 

Dedalus, 2006. (see http://www.arcpublications.co.uk/biogs/sewell.htm) 

‘“Going Home to Russia”? Irish Writers and Russian Literature’ , Parallels Between Celtic and Slavic, Studia Celto- 

Slavica 1. Eds. S Mac Mathúna and M Fomin. Research Institute for Irish and Celtic Studies, University of Ulster, 


10 poems in the anthology Magnetic North: The Emerging Poets. Ed. John Brown. Belfast: Lagan Press, 2006. 301- 

315. 

Forthcoming 

Fuaim na hAbhann: Irish Poetry into the 21st-Century: a bilingual anthology (Indreabhan: Cló Iar-Chonnachta, 2009), 

to be published; a commissioned book, inc. translations by Frank Sewell and other writers; Eds. Éamonn Ó Ciardha, 

Frank Sewell and Alan Titley. The Oxford History of the Irish Book, Volume Two: The Printed Book in Irish: 1567- 

2000. Oxford: OUP, 2009. 

Smith 

Imarchaigh sund ar gach saidh, an Early Modern Irish synchronistic poem of 105 quatrains on the kings of Ireland, 

the Popes and Byzantine emperors. Peritia 2007. 

Three Historical Poems Ascribed to Gilla Cóemáin. Münster: Nodus Publikationen, 2007. 

Toner 

eDIL: an electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language (Royal Irish Academy, 2007) www.dil.ie 

Bruiden Da Choca. Irish Texts Society, 2007. 

‘Digitising a Dictionary of Medieval Irish: the eDIL Project’ (with M.Fomin). Literary and Linguistic Computing. 2006 

21 (1), 83-90. 

Wmffre 

‘Post-Roman Irish settlement in Wales: new insights from a recent study of Cardiganshire place-names’ , Ireland and 

Wales in the Middle Ages. Eds. Karen Jankulak and Jonathan Wooding. Dublin: Four Courts, 2007. 46–61. 

Review article of Sabine Heinz (2003, 2nd edn) Welsh Dictionaries in the Twentieth Century: a Critical Analysis, 

München: Lincom Europa, Journal of Celtic Studies vol.10. 2007. 121–37 

Review of Martin J. Ball & Briony Williams (2001) Welsh Phonetics, Lewiston, NY – Queenston, Ontario – Lampeter, 

Wales: Edwin Mellen, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie vol.55. 2007. 301–07. 

Review of Markku Filpulla & Juhani Klemola & Heli Pitkänen (eds) (2002) The Celtic Roots of English, Joensuu: 

University of Joensuu, Faculty of Humanities, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie vol.55. 2007. 308-14. 

‘An Béal Bocht: a critique of Irish nationalism, Irish-language literature and the people of the Gaeltatch?’, 

Proceedings of the Eighth Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica, Eds. Jan Erik Rekdal and Ailbhe Ó Corráin. 

19

Uppsala: Studia Celtica Upsaliensia Vol. 7, Acta Universitatis Upsanliensis, 2007. 275-84. 

‘Ideology and the learning of Celtic languages’, The Past in the Present: a Multidisciplinary Approach, Catania: Edit. 

Eds. Fabio Mugnaini, Pádraig Ó Héalaí and Tok Thompson. 2006. 235–57. 

‘Welsh personal names: a survey of their evolution through the ages’, Zunamen: Zeitschrift für Namenforschung 

vol.1. 2006. 147–74. 

Forthcoming 

Breton Orthographies and Dialects: the Twentieth-century Orthography War in Brittany, vols.1–2, Bern – Berlin 

– Bruxelles – Frankfurt-am-Main – New York – Oxford – Wien: Peter Lang (Series: Contemporary Studies in 

Descriptive Linguistics) [vol.1 ISBN 978–3–03911–364–4, vol.2 978–3–03911–365–1](820pp; an account of the 

Breton language orthographic war of the twentieth century). 2007. 

‘Das walisische Personennamensystem’, Europäische Personennamensysteme: Ein Handbuch (Lehr- und 

Handbücher zur Onomastik 2). Eds. Andrea Brendler and Silvio Brendler. Hamburg: Baar, (slightly curtailed version 

of 2006b) 2007. 816–34. 

Cyni’r Gwyddyl. Talybont: Y Lolfa (A translation into Welsh together with a critique of Flann O’Brien’s An Béal 

Bocht). 

‘Toponymy and upland land use in the Doethie valley area of Cardiganshire’, The Carmarthenshire Antiquary 

(memorial volume for Terry James). 

‘Old Welsh dialectal variations preserved in Welsh toponymy’, Journal of Celtic Studies vol.6. 

20

7. Research Funding 

Staff Name(s) Title of Award Funding Body Value 

Borsje The Power of Words in Medieval Ireland Netherlands Organisation for €600,000 

Scientific Research (NWO) 

Borsje Celtic Cosmology and the Power of The British Academy £5,000 

Words 

Mac Mathúna and Bho Chuan gu Cuan; Scottish Gaelic in Colmcille Eirinn’s Alba £2,000 

Mac a’Phearsain a Canadian Context – Conference 

Mac Mathúna Sacred Topology and Religious British Academy £3,000 

and Fomin 

Paradigm Shift in early Ireland 

and early India 

Ó Corráin (with A Languages Strategy for Department of Education, NI £33,394 

J. Gillespie) Northern Ireland 

Ó Corráin Studia Celtica Upsaliensia Vol. 7 Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis SKR25, 000 

Toner A supplement to the Electronic AHRC £807,220 

Dictionary of the Irish Language 

21

8. Indicators of Esteem 

Bondarenko 

Editorships 

• Member of the editorial boards of the refereed journals: Odysseus (Moscow), Volshebnaya Gora (Moscow) 

Research Supervision 

• Supervisor of a postgraduate student in Moscow (Institute of General History, Russian Academy of 

Sciences) 

Organisation of Conferences 

• Organiser of ‘Aspects of Celtic Hagiography’ (chaired sessions), Moscow 2006. 

Organisation of Forthcoming Conferences 

• Organiser of ‘Celtic Cosmology and the Power of Words’, international colloquium to be held in Coleraine, 

14-16 February 2008. 

Invited Lectures 

• Invited speaker at The Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica , Moscow, 2006 

• Organiser of a conference (‘Aspects of Celtic Hagiography’, chairing sessions) , Moscow, 2006, 

Borsje 

Membership of Committees/Boards 

• Member of the Alexander Carmichael Advisory Board, Celtic and Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh 

• Initiator and director of the interdisciplinary research project “The Power of Words in Traditional European 

Cultures”. 

• Corresponding Fellow (The Netherlands) of the Centre for the Study of Religion in Celtic Societies at 

Lampeter, University of Wales 

• Member of the Editorial Board of Yorkshire Celtic Studies 

• Member of the Consultative Committee for Peritia. Journal of the Medieval Academy of Ireland. 

• Member of the Board of the Dutch Association for the History of Religions (Nederlands Genootschap 

voor Godsdienstwetenschap); from 2008 as vice president 

Organisation of Conferences 

• 3-4 November 2006 ‘Social Cohesion and the Role of Religious Studies in Secondary Education’, Autumn 

Conference of the Dutch Association for the History of Religions, Kontakt der Kontinenten, Soesterberg 

Co-organiser and chair of three sessions 

22

Organisation of Forthcoming Conferences 

• Coleraine, 14-16 February 2008. 

Invited papers 

• ‘Druïden, herten en woorden met bovennatuurlijke kracht. Omgaan met het kwaad in middeleeuws Ierland’ 

Invited speaker, ‘Keltische beestenbende’, Keltisch Colloquium organised by the Stichting Van Hamel voor 

Keltische Studies, Utrecht University 

• ‘Miraculous Magic in Medieval Ireland: the epaid, ‘spell, charm’. Part 1’’, 2 June 2007 

Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Seminar at University College Dublin, Ireland. Invited lecture at the occasion of the 

400th anniversary year of the foundation of the Irish Franciscan College in Leuven – ‘The writing and 

transmission of Irish history’, 16 February 2007 

• ‘Performing supernatural arts through verbal power in medieval Ireland’ 

Invited speaker, ‘Textperformanzen im Mittelalter und der frühen Neuzeit’, N.W.O. & S.N.F. Symposium 

organised by the University of Amsterdam & the University of Zürich, Netherlands Institute for Advanced 

Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Wassenaar, 25 October 2006. 

• ‘Saints and spells in early medieval Ireland’ 

Key-note speaker (by invitation), The Ninth Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica, Helsinki, Finland, 

22 September 2006 

• ‘Miraculous Magic in Medieval Ireland’ 

Invited lecture at the Institute for Slavonic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 19 

September 2006 

• ‘Miraculous Magic in medieval Ireland: the epaid, ‘spell, charm’. Part 2’ 

Invited Speaker, The Second Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica, Moscow State University & the Institute 

for Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia, 15 September 2006 

Awards 

• VIDI Research grant (EUR 600,000) from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) for 

‘The Power of Words in Medieval Ireland’ (2007-2011) 

(Awarded in 2006) 

• Grants (in total: GBP 7,000) for research project ‘Celtic Cosmology and the Power of Words’ (British 

Academy Small Research Grant – GBP 5000; the Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute for the Study of Irish History 

and Civilization of University College Dublin – GBP 1000; and the University of Ulster – GBP 1000) 

(Awarded in 2007) 

de Brún 

Membership of Committees/Boards 

• Member of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund Committee (part of Screen N.Ireland) which is responsible 

for allocating the £12 million made available by the British and Irish governments as part of the Good 

Friday Agreement . 

(September 2004 – November 2006) 

• Member of the Department of Education ‘Project Board for the Review of Irish-medium Education’ 

(recommended by the Bain Report (2006). This group will be responsible for the review of Irish-medium 

education for the Minister. 

(February 2007 – May 2008) 

23

Commissions 

• Co-author with Dr Eamon Phoenix of ‘Oidhreacht Feirste’, an exhibition commissioned by Foras na Gaeilge 

of text and images on the history of the Irish language in Belfast from earliest times to the present day. 

The exhibition was launched on 13th October 2006 at a gala dinner hosted by the Deputy Lord Mayor 

of Belfast, Ruth Patterson, in Belfast City Hall as part of centenary celebrations. The exhibition was also 

produced as a commemorative booklet. 

(October 2006) 

• Commissioned by Bord na Leabhar na Gaeilge in to write a novel in Irish based around events in WW2. For 

publication in 2009-10. 

(December 2006) 


• Invited talk at Belfast International Film Festival screening of Mise Éire (1959) 

Fomin 

Membership of Committees 

• Secretary of Societas Celto-Slavica 

• Organiser and invited speaker, The Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica, Moscow 

State University and Institute for Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 13-17 September 2006 

• Member, organising committee, Conference on Celtic Cosmology, Coleraine, February 2007 

• Organiser of international Conference on Sacred Topology in Early Ireland and Early India, 20-22 May 2007 

• Principle Investigator of the project on Sacred Topology in Early Ireland and Early India, funded by the 

British Academy and Russian Academy of Sciences. 

Editorships 

• General Editor, Studia Celto-Slavica series 

• Editor, Parallels between Celtic and Slavic: Studia Celto-Slavica I, edited by Séamus Mac Mathúna and Maxim 

Fomin, Research Institute for Irish and Celtic Studies, University of Ulster, The Stationery Office, Coleraine, 

2006 (published September 2006) 

• Editor, Sacred Topology and Religious Paradigm Shift in Early Ireland and Early India (with V. Vertogradova 

and S. Mac Mathúna), Journal of Indo-European Studies, Monograph Series (in progress) 

• Editor, Celto-Slavica in Moscow. Proceedings of the Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto- 

Slavica held between 14-17 September 2006 at Moscow State University and Institute for Linguistics 

(Moscow) (with T. Mikhailova, S. Mac Mathúna and G. Bondarenko), Moscow: Moscow State University 

Publishers (in press) 

• Contributor and Assistant Editor, Indo-Irish Anthology of Writing, joint project between University of Ulster 

and Jawaharlal Nehru University (in progress) 

Research Project Roles 

• Adviser and collaborator to LDT (Linking Dictionaries and Texts) and CELT (Corpus of Electronic Texts) 

projects 

• Co-principal investigator of Celto-Indica research project funded by British Academy: Religious Paradigm 

Shift in early Celtic and early Indian civilisations 

24

Hughes 


• Member Irish National Committee of Atlas Linguaraum Europae project funded by 

UNESCO 

• Member of editorial panel of Journal of Celtic Linguistics 

• Chair of the McCracken Cultural Society in Belfast. 

Editorships 

• Irish-language reviews editor for journal Seanchas Ard Mhacha 


• Invited talk on the prospects for Irish-medium education at third level to national 

conference organised by Fiontar at Dublin City University. Paper published. 

Lavelle 


• Appointed Research Assistant on Linking Dictionary and Texts research project, 2005/06 

Awards 

• Awarded Vera Furness Research Assistantship to carry out research on Modern Irish Concise Dictionary 

Research Project, 2006/07 

• Awarded Vice-Chancellor’s Research Studentship to carry out doctoral research on Modern Irish 

lexicography, 2007 

Mac Coinnigh 

Awards 

• Awarded post-doctoral IRCHSS (Republic of Ireland) Fellowship 2006 to carry out research on Irish 

proverbs at University College Cork 

Mac Mathúna 

Honours 

• President Societas Celto-Slavica 

• President Indo-Irish Literary and Philological Society 

• Chair, Celtic Sudies Sub-Panel, Research Assessment Exercise 2008 

25


• Member Arts and Humanities Council’s Peer Review College 

• Member Léann na Gaeilge, National Committee for Irish, Royal Irish Academy 

• Member Organizing Committee, Celtic Cosmology Conference, University of Ulster, February 2008 

Membership of External Appointments Panels 

• Appointments Panel, Chair in Modern Irish, University College Cork, 2006 

• Appointments Panel, Professorship and Head of School, School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and 

Linguistics, University College Dublin, 2006 

• Assessor, Professorship, School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and Linguistics, University 

College Dublin, 2006 

• Assessor, Associate Professorship in School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and Linguistics, UCD, 2006 

• Assessor, Research Fellowship and Senior Research Fellowship Schemes, Irish Research Council for the 

Humanities and Social Sciences, 2003-06 

External Examiner Roles 

• Doctoral thesis in Early and Medieval Irish, University College, Cork, 2006 

• External Examiner, Early and Medieval Irish (including M.A. and Ph.D theses) University College Dublin, 

2006/07 

• External Examiner, Celtic Studies (including M.A. and Ph.D theses), University of Aberdeen, 2006/07 

• Master’s thesis, Department of Celtic, University of Glasgow, 2006 

Editorships 

• Editor, Studia Celto-Slavica 

• Editor-in-Chief, Concise Modern Irish Dictionary 

• Consultant Editor, Studia Celtica Upsaliensia, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis 

• Editorial Board, Foclóir na Nua-Ghaeilge, Royal Irish Academy 

• Editorial Board, Published Additions and Corrections to Dictionary of the Irish Language (RIA) 


• Editor-in-Chief, Concise Dictionary of Modern Irish 

• Co-principal Investigator, Celto-Slavica and Celto-Indica research projects 

• Director, Ulster Corpus of Written and Spoken Irish 

Invited Papers 

• Second International Colloquium of Societas Celto-Slavica, Moscow State University, 14-17 September, 2006 

• JNU, New Delhi 

Reviewer 

• Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 

• The Catholic Historical Review, Washington D.C. 

Contributor 

• The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Cultures 

• The Encyclopaedia of Ireland 

• Dictionary of National Biography 

• History of the Irish Book 

• BBC Television, BBC Radio Ulster, Raidio na Gaeltachta, Sveriges Radio 

26

Consultant 

• Consultant, Irish Language, Oxford English Dictionary 

Visiting Professorships 

• JNU, New Delhi 

Mac a’Phearsain 


• Invited by BBC Scotland to script and present a Gaelic-language documentary on the North West 

Company’s fur trading Highland/Metis men and women and their conflict with the emigration 

schemes of Lord Selkirk. 

• Invited submission of book of original Scottish Gaelic poetry with Irish translations, Coiscéim, Dublin, 

2007 

McCaul 


• Member of Editorial Committee of Cumann Seanchais Ard Mhacha 

• Secretary of Foilseacháin Leath Choinn 


• Annual lecture on ‘Coláiste Bhríde agus an Ghaeilge in Ó Méith’ for Newry and Mourne District Council’s 

‘Seachtain na Gaeilge’, February 2005 

• Annual Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Memorial Lecture for Cumann Seanchais Ard Mhacha, 19 October 2005 

Ó Corráin 

Memberships 

• Vice-president, Societas Celtologica Nordica 

• Committee, International Congress of Celtic Studies 

• Management Board, RIA Digital Humanities Observatory 

• Irish Board, Atlas Linguarum Europae 

• International Colloquium for Celtic Texts and Contexts 

• Board, University Council for Modern Languages (Northern Ireland) 

• Board, Colmcille Program, University of Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

• Board, Éigse Cholm Cille 

External Examiner/Assessor Roles 

• External Examiner, National University of Ireland, University College Dublin (including M.A., M.Phil and 

PhD theses), 2004-2007 

• Celtic Studies Academic Censor, University of Oslo, 2005-2008 

• Appointment Panel, Lectureship in Irish, University College Dublin, 2006 

• External Assessor, Associate Professorship, University College Dublin, 2006 

• Appointment Panel, Lecturer in Celtic, Uppsala, 2007 

27

• Appointment Panel, Visiting Professorship in Irish, Oslo, 2006 

• Thematic Projects Grants, ROI, 2006-7 

Editorships 

• Editor, Studia Celtica Upsaliensia, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis 

• Editorial Board, Commentarius Rinuccinianus 


• Joint Editor-in-Chief, Concise Dictionary of Modern Irish 

• Joint Director, Ulster Corpus of Written and Spoken Irish 

• Joint Managing Director, A Languages Strategy for Northern Ireland 


• Centre for European Research, Gothenburg 

• Second Colloquium on Language Typology, Gothenburg 

• International Colloquium for Celtic Texts and Contexts, Oslo 

• Tenth Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica, Gothenburg 

• Celtic Studies Symposium, Uppsala 

• Celtic Texts and Contexts Symposium, Galway 

Contributor 

• National Dictionary of Irish Biography 

• History of the Irish Book 

Reviewer 

• Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 

• Studia Celtica 

Visiting Professorships 

• University of Uppsala 

Ó Dónaill 

Organisation of forthcoming conferences 

• Eurocall Conference, University of Ulster, 5-8 September 2007 (with other staff) 

Ó Mianáin 


• Member of An Coise Téarmaíochta (The National Terminology Committee) in Dublin 

• Member of An Fochoiste Ainmneacha Dílse (the Proper Name Sub-Committee) of An Coiste Téarmaíochta 

• Member of the Translation Advisory Board of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure 

28

• Member of the Linguistic Advisory Board of the new English-Irish Dictionary of Foras na Gaeilge 

Editorships 

• Editor-in-chief of Taighde agus Teagasc 6. A member of the editorial panel of Taighde agus Teagasc 1-5 


• Co-ordinating Editor Concise Dictionary of Modern Irish 

Ó Murchú 

Memberships of Committees 

• Chair of Examiners (Advanced Extension Award, A and AS Levels), Northern Ireland Council for 

Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment 

• Member of Consultative Translation Committee, Linguistic Diversity Branch, Northern Ireland Department 

of Culture, Arts and Leisure 

Sewell 

Memberships 

• Member of FLGA (Forum for Local Government and the Arts). 

• Member of organising committee of Many Voices, a festival of literary readings and workshops at UU 


• Co-editor of The Oxford History of the Irish Book project (ongoing), leading to The Oxford History of the 

Irish Book, Vol.2 (OUP) 


• ‘Meeting at the Crossroads: Irish Writers and Russian Literature’, at Ireland and Russia: history, the rule of 

law and the changing international system, a conference at NUI Maynooth, Ireland, 24-25 November 2006 

Readings 

• Poetry Reading (along with Cathal Ó Searcaigh) in Ballycastle, Many Voices Literary Festival, 21 February 

2007 

Media consultation roles 

• RTE Radio Series Scribhneoirí faoi Chaibidil – took part in a programme regarding the poetry of Cathal 

Ó Searcaigh. Programme produced by Cathal Póirtéir, hosted by Alan Titley; discussion featuring Pádraig de 

Paor and Frank Sewell; March 2007ith 

Memberships 

• 2003-present: Assistant Treasurer of Éigse Cholm Cille, a society whose objectives are the promotion of the 

study of Irish literature emanating from the North-West region and the cultivation of new writing in Irish 

29

Visiting Roles 

• Appointed Visiting Professor, University of Oslo 


• Invited to give concluding talk, at monthly Colloquium of Sprachwissenschaftliches Institut der Universität 

Bonn: “The Modern Irish novel, An Druma Mór, by Seosamh Mac Grianna”, December 2006 

• Invited to address the Annual Weekend Seminar of the Rhein Valley Irish Association (Alsace & Adjacent 

Areas of Germany & Switzerland) in the Vosges near Kaysersberg on three topics: ‘Medieval Irish Learned 

Poetry’, ‘The Irish Literary Tradition of County Fermanagh’ and ‘Seosamh Mac Grianna’s An Druma Mór 

and its Importance for Our Understanding of Irish Identity’. The other guest speaker was Nobel Prize- 

Winner, John Hume 

Contributor 

• Contributor on ‘Medieval Irish Learned Verse’ to The History of the Irish Book, Volume 1 (forthcoming) 

Toner 

Editorial Boards 

• Ainm: a journal of names studies, Queen’s University Belfast 

• Aiste, a journal of Scottish and Irish literature (Glasgow) 

• CELT (Corpus of Electronic Texts, UUC) 

Memberships 

• Member of Advisory Board for the Early Irish Glossaries Database, Cambridge (AHRC-funded project 

run by Paul Russell) 

• Committee member of Societas Celto-Slavica 

• Committee member of Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies Special Interest Group 

in Less-widely used, Lesser Taught Languages. 


• Director, eDiL (Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language: AHRC-funded project) 

• Director, Linking Dictionaries and Texts (In collaboration with University College Cork: Higher Education 

Authority, Republic of Ireland North-South Collaborative Research Programme) 

• Director, CETL (Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Applied Irish language research: funded by 

Department of Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland) 

Wmffre 


• ‘Irish and Bretons in early medieval Wales and Brittany’ 

Invited lecture at University College Cork, 21 March 2007 

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irish and celtic studies research institute - University of Ulster

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