All lectures will be conducted in English. Applicants for the M.Phil. must have a good Honours degree (2.1 or higher) in Irish or a cognate subject (e.g. History, Archaeology, Linguistics). To study Early Irish on the MPhil in Medieval Irish, a solid grounding in Old Irish is essential, as demonstrated by achieving 50% or higher in the Diploma in Old Irish or an equivalent qualification. To study Classical Modern Irish on the M.Phil. in Medieval Irish, a solid working knowledge of Modern Irish is essential.
All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet
Band B (Standard Entry)
English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page
The M.Phil. in Medieval Irish aims to give you the knowledge of language, literature, metrics and palaeography you need to edit and translate a medieval Irish text from the original manuscripts. Students focus either on the Early Irish period (600–1200) or the Classical Modern Irish period (1200–1650). It is not possible to take a combination of Early Irish and Classical Modern Irish modules. Modules in Classical Modern Irish will normally be offered every year. Modules in Early Irish are offered in alternate years with the Diploma in Old Irish: M.Phil. modules in Early Irish will next be available in 2028/29. Is This Course For Me? Are you fascinated by the Irish language and how it has evolved over time? Are you curious to discover more about Early Irish saga or Bardic poetry? Would you like to know how to read an Irish manuscript with confidence and translate its contents? Do you want to make a contribution to our understanding of Medieval Ireland, its language and literature? If so, this course could be for you. Contact us to find out more.