ENG10130 Contemporary Irish Writing

Academic Year 2022/2023

What distinguishes contemporary Irish writing? What are its chief thematic preoccupations and formal innovations? Who are its leading authors, what are their chosen subjects and who were their influences? How are contemporary Irish literary works received by their readers, nationally and internationally, and how can the ongoing diversity in literary texts, and in readers’ reactions, be studied, and interpreted? Is contemporary writing defined by its relevance, its artistry, or its socio-political concerns? How do writers compose and structure their works?

This module will introduce readers to a range of contemporary Irish writings, spanning non-fiction, the novel, short stories and poetry, closely examining the choice of theme, the significance of form, and the nature of the works' impact. In analysing the depiction of contemporary Irish urban and rural society in contemporary fiction, we will engage with ongoing debates concerning the function and importance of literary representation in the context of social crisis and change. The interrogation of irishness and identity in the course texts will be examined as will writers' preoccupation with the transnational and the global.

Workshop discussions, supporting the core lectures, will also examine how these contemporary writings have been received to date by readers and critics, and trace the ongoing processes whereby the reputations of texts and their writers are formed and shaped. Each workshop will also incorporate formal exercises designed to ensure that first year students acquire the necessary skills for studying English: writing and close-reading; note-taking, research, and referencing; and effective use of electronic resources such as online journals, dedicated websites, reviews in news media.

Required Reading: Barry, Kevin. That Old Country Music. 2020.
Bryce, Colette. The M Pages. Picador Poetry, 2020.
Clifton, Harry. Herod’s Dispensations. Bloodaxe, 2019.
Dabiri, Emma. Don’t Touch My Hair. Penguin, 2019.
Enright, Anne. Actress. Jonathan Cape, 2020.



These five texts are available for purchase at a reduced price in the campus bookshop and can be posted out. They are also available as e-books, in most bookshops, or can be borrowed from your local library.