Irish and History

Irish and history is a combination of particular depth and significance at Queen's University Belfast, located in a city and a region where language, culture, and history are deeply and sometimes painfully intertwined. Irish is one of the oldest living languages in Europe, with a literary tradition stretching back more than a thousand years and a contemporary presence that reflects both the resilience of the language community and the ongoing debates about identity, culture, and politics in Ireland, North and South. Studying it alongside history provides a rich context in which language, culture, and events illuminate each other.

At Queen's, this three-year full-time degree provides intensive tuition in the Irish language, with three to four hours of language instruction each week, alongside a wide range of modules relating to Irish culture and society including the short story, poetry, Gaelic identity, mythology, and Scottish Gaelic. In history, you will choose from a wide range of modules spanning a long chronological period from ancient history through to the contemporary history of the late twentieth century, including the particular histories of Ireland and its relationships with Britain, Europe, and the wider world. The combination develops both linguistic proficiency and historical depth in ways that are mutually reinforcing.

Graduates from Irish and history programmes at Queen's are well placed for careers in education, the civil service, broadcasting, journalism, heritage, cultural policy, archiving, and community development in both Northern Ireland and the Republic. The Irish language has particular relevance in public sector roles, broadcasting, and cultural organisations across Ireland. Postgraduate study in Irish, Celtic studies, history, or related fields is a natural continuation for those who wish to develop specialist expertise or pursue academic careers.