Irish Studies BA (Hons)

As a modern European nation with a fascinating although often turbulent past, Ireland represents an ideal prism for the study of history, literature, and politics. The role of Ireland as an emerging independent nation, as well as part of a broader matrix of British and global history is explored. Its outstanding contribution to English literature in writers such as Wilde, Beckett, Joyce and Yeats also feature as part of this absorbing degree. Students can also look to study the causes of the troubles in Northern Ireland and reasons why its peace process acts as a template for other conflicts across the globe. The interdisciplinary nature of this programme facilitates an interesting and rewarding engagement with the true personality of Ireland and its peoples. The aim of this programme is to set aside the simplified and stereotypical view of Ireland and its peoples and to focus instead on the diversity and plurality that inform Irish identity.