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HIS42590

Academic Year 2024/2025

De Valera's Ireland (HIS42590)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Professor Diarmaid Ferriter
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.


This course will provide a thematic assessment of the political, social, economic and cultural history of the first fifty years of Irish independence in the 26 counties of the Irish Free State (which became a republic in 1949) and the extent to which there was a divergence between rhetoric and reality in the quest for an Irish identity after independence. It will examine the evolution of Irish political culture and the institutions of the independent state, neutrality during the Second World War and the southern Irish experience of health, welfare, religion, education, emigration, sport and popular culture, and feminism. The course will also explore the notion of “De Valera’s Ireland” as a distinct era of Irish history and a period stamped indelibly with the mark of the most dominant politician of twentieth century Ireland: Eamon de Valera. The course will focus closely on contemporary documents and the most up-to-date scholarship on these subjects.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to: (1) Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of southern Ireland from the 1920s to the 1970s and debates about de Valera and his legacy (2) Assess the historiography of this period of twentieth century Irish history; (3) Present aspects of the historical debate on Irish history orally and engage in discussions; (4) Be familiar with key documents and primary sources and how to analyse them; (5) Complete a comprehensive research paper based on original research.


Outlines of the main themes and historical debates as well as key primary sources from this period will be discussed in detail in the weekly two hour seminar, including contemporary newspaper reports, documents from Irish archives, published collections of speeches and published memoirs or books by participants in the period, letters and diaries, as well as the extensive range of books in the UCD Library. A selection of relevant source material will be posted on Blackboard each week. Students should consult this site regularly so that they will have the necessary information and material for participation in the seminars.



A small-group seminar based module, taught through a weekly 2 hour seminar, focusing on key historical events, debates and documents and involving debates, discussion, document analysis, presentations and a research paper.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:


On completion of this module, students should be able to: (1) Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of southern Ireland from the 1920s to the 1970s and debates about de Valera and his legacy (2) Assess the historiography of this period of twentieth century Irish history; (3) Present aspects of the historical debate on Irish history orally and engage in discussions; (4) Be familiar with key documents and primary sources and how to analyse them; (5) Complete a comprehensive research paper based on original research.





Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

95

Autonomous Student Learning

95

Seminar (or Webinar)

20

Total

210


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Seminars, discussions, presentations, document analysis and research paper.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Contribution to class discussions and short presentation based on their chosen topic for the end of semester research paper Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
40
No
Assignment(Including Essay): End of Semester Research Paper Week 14 Graded No
60
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 12:00 - 13:50