The transformation of Irish Literature through time; Modernism in Irish-language lit












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            * The transformation of Irish Literature through time; Modernism in Irish-language literat
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            Brian Ó Conchubhair, Associate Professor of Irish Language and Literature at the Universit

            (Indiana, US), shone light on the arguably ambigious nature of modernism in Irish-language
            and culture, in his visit to Charles University students this March. Renowned for his ador
            the technical aspects of the Irish Language, his latest research has seen him gradually pr

            intricate features of Irish literature and examine the correlation of historical events th
            these developments.
            In his oppening address he confessed that his invitation to Charles University to deliver 

            on modernism in Irish literature, compelled him to revisit the area after taking a brief i
            his analysis. Ó Conchubhair playfully teased lecturer Radvan Markus, from the Department o

            Literatures and Culture in the Faculty of Arts of CU, for his perseverance in ensuring the
            primarily revolved around the challenging and opaque personality of modernist Irish litera
            In order to analyze the distinctions in modernist Irish literature pro’s, Ó Conchubhair em

            necessity to track the developments in chronological format. His corroboration of the Iris
            becoming increasingly “successful, glamorous and hip” in nature endorsed the theory that t
            prosperous “pathway to a career in media” than there has been before.

            Ó Conchubhair explained that the Irish literary revival manifested itself in the late 19th
            early 20th century. By the time the revival reached the 1990’s, the establishment of an Ir
            channel, TG4, diffused a greater appreciation for the Irish arts and for the first time th

            literary works were more accessible to the Irish public and became a trendy phenomenon. 
            So what are the key features of modernist Irish literature? Ó Conchubhair broadly stated t
            Irish pro’s are usually delivered in a primitive and narrative form. He began by acknowled

            modernism in Irish literature is a “complex” and “non-linear” development. The Modernist m
            broke into Irish literature revealed the friction that exists between the “cosmopolitan in
            modernism and the “vernacular”  national bias that undercuts literature from post 19th  an

            modernism. He added that these vernacular works were “devoured by the masses” and led to t
            modernism being “unpopular not accidently but by intent”.
            He identifies Eoghan Ó Tuairisc and Pádraic O’Conaire as fundamental writers to the transi

            century realism to 20th century modernism in Irish literature. Their works published in th
            paved the way for future writers adaption of this alternative approach to writing. However
            highlighted that the rise in modernism prior to the 1950’s was often nonlinear in terms of

            and it is difficult to pinpoint where exactly the thematic and stylistic elements of moder
            developed.
            Diarmaid Ó Súilleabháin openly embraced the modernism approach in his literary works such 

            fein’ in the early 1960’s. His writing was seasoned with techniques such as the stream of 
            and interior montage. Such an exotic style for its time was eloquently captured in a quote
            O'Riordan in the Times August 12, 1972: “Is deacair Ó Súilleabháin a mholadh nó a cháinead

            é a thuiscint” (i gcló in Traidisiún Liteartha na nGael, 1979), which translates to “It is
            praise or critisize Ó Súilleabháin’s work as one cannot understand it.” This is an accurat
            the hesitation to the introduction of modernism in Irish literature.

            Ó Conchubhair concluded with an account of Mairtín Ó Cadhain’s literary breakthroughs.  He
            Cré na Cille for possessing a fractured narrative which leads to the text being rather imp
            readers. However, Ó Conchubhair argues that this abrupt tone was utterly compelling and th

            presentation should be praised for its era.
            Ó Conchubhair emphasized that modernism in Irish language literature can be probed and scr
            endlessly and it is an area he himself is often at the end of his tethers with. However, w

            after a riveting presentation from our welcomed guest, that the analyzing of modernism in 
            is as baffling as it is nourishing to the mind.


                                                                                                      
            Aoife Brady is an Irish International Law student on Erasmus in Charles University. She en
            students studying abroad. She also has a keen interest in travel and is looking to improve

                                                                                                      
            Department of Anglophone Literatures and Cultures, Centre for Irish Studies [ URL "http://
            of Notre Dame, USA). Prof. Ó Conchubhair is Associate Professor at the Department of Irish
            Athbheochan agus Smaointeoireacht na hEorpa (2009) presents a detailed intellectual histor
                                                                                                      
            Literature in Academia (2008), critical editions of Brian Merriman’s Cúirt an Mheán Oíche/
            of contemporary Irish language short stories Gearrscéalta Ár Linne (2006). His current res
            to minority languages.