Allen, Nicholas
TR 9:35 AM
Park Hall 139
ENGL4680: Modern Irish Literature
Professor Allen
TR 9.35-10.50 AM
Rm 139
Description
We will read broadly in modern Irish literature from the late twentieth-century to the present, in a range of genres, including short-stories, novels and poetry. Writers include Sally Rooney, Anna Burns, Mike McCormack, John McGahern, Seamus Heaney, Eavan Boland, and many others.
In response to our readings and conversations in class this course will offer wide scope for you to undertake diverse creative and research projects, which may be submitted towards your final grade.
The syllabus includes a number of research days in which you will be able to read, work on your projects, or talk with me individually, as is your preference.
Meeting
My email is the easiest way to reach me outside class, na@uga.edu.
You are welcome to schedule a virtual meeting, or in person, through Winnie Smith, wsmith78@uga.edu. My office is in the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, 1260 Sth Lumpkin Street.
Public health updates will be shared closer to the beginning of the semester. Meantime, please do everything you can to keep our community safe.
Grading
Final grade given on end of term assignment based on class reading and research. Creative projects also considered.
You are reminded to follow all appropriate UGA policies regarding plagiarism and any other relevant issues.
Texts
The course texts you’ll need to get are listed below. There are also weeks where we will be reading poems and short stories, which I have provided online links for. If you have a difficulty finding any texts please let me know. You may want to order some early if you like physical copies.
Anna Burns, Milkman
Sue Divin, Guard Your Heart
Mike McCormack, Solar Bones
John McGahern, Memoir
Sally Rooney, Normal People
Class schedule
Tuesday Jan 11
Introduction
Thursday Jan 13
Library visit
Tuesday Jan 18
Eavan Boland, ‘That the Science of Cartography is Limited’; Derek Mahon, ‘The Mayo Tao’; Eiléan Ni Chuilleanáin, ‘Crossing the Loire’
Thursday Jan 20
Moya Cannon, ‘Taom’; Michael Longley, ‘Remembering Carrigskeewaun’; Paul Muldoon, ‘Promises, Promises’
Tuesday Jan 25
John McGahern, Memoir
Thursday Jan 27
John McGahern, Memoir
Tuesday Feb 1
Seamus Heaney, ‘North’; ‘Exposure’, from Opened Ground (poems will be supplied)
Thursday Feb 3
Seamus Heaney, ‘Casualty; ‘Mossbawn: Two Poems in Dedication’, from Opened Ground (poems will be supplied)
Tuesday Feb 8
Sue Divin, Guard Your Heart
Thursday Feb 10
Sue Divin, Guard Your Heart
Tuesday Feb 15
Good Vibrations - film
Thursday Feb 17
Good Vibrations - film
Tuesday Feb 22
Anna Burns, Milkman
Thursday Feb 24
Anna Burns Milkman
Tuesday Mar 1
Anna Burns, Milkman
Thursday Mar 3
Reading day; no class
SPRING BREAK
No class, March 7-11
Tuesday Mar 15
Sinead Morrissey, ‘The Millihelen’; ‘The Mayfly’; ‘My Life According to You’, from On Balance (poems will be supplied)
Thursday Mar 17
St Patrick’s day party
Tuesday Mar 22
Tim Robinson, excerpts from Stones of Aran (to be supplied): watch Tim Robinson: Connemara (film)
Thursday Mar 24
Robert Macfarlane, 'On Tory Island'; images from Norman Ackroyd (to be supplied)
Tuesday Mar 29
Mike McCormack, Solar Bones
Thursday Mar 31
Mike McCormack, Solar Bones
Tuesday April 5
Mike McCormack, Solar Bones
Thursday April 7
William Trevor, ‘The Woman of the House’
Tuesday Apr 12
Louise Kennedy, ‘You and Him’
Thursday Apr 14
Sally Rooney, Normal People
Tuesday Apr 19
Sally Rooney, Normal People
Thursday Apr 21
Sally Rooney, Normal People
Tuesday Apr 26
Closing discussions and review
Thursday Apr 28
Closing discussions and review
Tuesday May 3
Writing and research day; no class