Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Today we are talking to Prof. Ruairí Ó hUiginn who is the Director of the School of Celtic Studies at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. He tells us about the long history of the School, starting with the growing interest in Celtic Studies in the nineteenth century, to the foundation of DIAS in 1940 and all the way to the School’s present activities. Thanks for listening!
Episode recorded on 03.04.2025.
Full list of people and topics mentioned available on: https://www.dias.ie/series/ni-hansae/
‘The Training of Cú Chulainn and the Death of His Son Connla’ (Foghlaim Con Culainn 7 Oidheadh Chonnlaoich mhic Con gCulainn)
Somhairle Mac Domhnaill (Duanaire Finn; The Book of the O’Conor Don)
Kuno Meyer (1858–1919)
Johann Kaspar Zeuss (1806–1856)
Revue Celtique; Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie
John O’Donovan (1806–1861)
Eugene O’Curry (1794–1862)
Conradh na Gaeilge / The Gaelic League (1893)
Heinrich Zimmer (1851–1910)
Holger Pedersen (1867–1953)
Carl Marstrander (1883–1965)
Robin Flower (1881–1946)
An Claidheamh Soluis; Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge
The School of Irish Learning (1903)
T. F. O’Rahilly (1882–1953)
Osborn Bergin (1873–1950)
Tomás Ó Máille (1880–1938)
Eoin MacNeill (1867–1945)
Douglas Hyde (1860–1949)
John Strachan (1862–1907)
Rudolf Thurneysen (1857–1940)
M. A. O’Brien (1896–1962): https://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=180
Seosamh Ó Néill / Joseph O’Neill (1878–1953): https://www.dib.ie/biography/oneill-joseph-james-seosamh-o-neill-a6931
Ériu: https://www.ria.ie/publishing-house/journals/eriu-2/
Institute for Advanced Studies Act (1940)
W. O. Ernst Windisch (1844–1918): https://www.dib.ie/biography/windisch-wilhelm-oscar-ernst-a9085
Whitley Stokes (1763–1845): https://www.dib.ie/biography/stokes-whitley-a8334
R. I. Best (1872–1959): https://www.dib.ie/biography/best-richard-irvine-a0635
D. A. Binchy (1899–1989): https://www.dib.ie/biography/binchy-daniel-anthony-a0659; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
James Carney (1914–1989): https://www.dib.ie/biography/carney-james-patrick-a1490; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
David Greene (1915–1981): https://www.dib.ie/biography/greene-david-william-a3606; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
Cecile O’Rahilly (1894–1980): https://www.dib.ie/biography/orahilly-ni-rathaille-o-rathaille-cecile-sisile-a6428; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
Táin Bó Cúailnge ‘The Cattle-Raid of Cooley’
Alice Stopford-Green (1847–1929): https://www.dib.ie/biography/green-alice-sophia-amelia-stopford-a3602
Maura Power (1887–1916): https://www.dib.ie/biography/power-jennie-wyse-a7454#co-subject-A
Annie Power (1889–1963): https://www.dib.ie/biography/power-ann-nancy-wyse-a7459
Mary Hutton (1862–1953): https://www.dib.ie/biography/hutton-mary-ann-a9771
Eleanor Knott (1886–1975): https://www.dib.ie/biography/knott-philippa-marie-eleanor-a4599
Tomás de Bhaldraithe: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-cois-fhairrge-co-galway-a-phonetic-study/
Brian Ó Cuív: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-west-muskerry-co-cork-a-phonetic-study/
Seán de Búrca: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-tourmakeady-co-mayo-a-phonemic-study/
Éamonn Mhac an Fhailigh: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-erris-co-mayo-a-phonemic-study/
Heinrich Wagner: https://shop.dias.ie/product/linguistic-atlas-and-survey-of-irish-dialects/
Lebor na hUidre; The Book of Leinster; The Book of Ballymote; The Book of Lecan (see on ISOS)
OG(H)AM project (D. Stifter & K. Forsyth): ogham.glasgow.ac.uk
Codices Hibernenses Eximii book series on manuscripts, e.g. Lebor hUidre, Book of Ballymote, Book of Uí Mhaine (https://shop.ria.ie/pages/contributor/ruairi-o-huiginn)
The School’s projects and publications:
Celtica: https://www.dias.ie/celt/celtica/
Annual conference (Tionól): https://www.dias.ie/celt/celt-conferences/celt-tionol/
Statutory Lectures & other Celtic Studies lectures (YouTube): youtube.com/watch?v=A7SCUtU_zmk&list=PLt_XradIp-myd7wGw1N3rnBiS-b-Suene
DIAS Bookshop: https://shop.dias.ie/
Irish Script on Screen (ISOS): https://www.isos.dias.ie/
Bibliography of Irish Linguistics and Literature (BILL): https://bill.celt.dias.ie/
Electronic Dictionary of Irish Language (eDIL): https://dil.ie/
Ogham in 3D: https://ogham.celt.dias.ie/menu.php?lang=en
Follow the School of Celtic Studies on social media:
BlueSky: @scs-dias.bsky.social
Instagram: @scs.dias
Website: https://www.dias.ie/celt/
To be added to our mailing list, contact eibhlin@celt.dias.ie
Copyright details: Sound and music mixed and mastered by Robert Scuta. Jingle produced by Silvan van der Zwaag of Studio Galassasa; the Irish fragment of Annie Uí Annluain is taken from the DIAS Glór recordings, with thanks to Dr Andrea Palandri. Logo designed by Nina Cnockaert-Guillou.
Production team: Dr Nina Cnockaert-Guillou, Dr Viktoriia Krivoshchekova, Robert Scuta.
Today we are talking to Prof. Ruairí Ó hUiginn who is the Director of the School of Celtic Studies at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. He tells us about the long history of the School, starting with the growing interest in Celtic Studies in the nineteenth century, to the foundation of DIAS in 1940 and all the way to the School’s present activities. Thanks for listening!
Episode recorded on 03.04.2025.
Full list of people and topics mentioned available on: https://www.dias.ie/series/ni-hansae/
‘The Training of Cú Chulainn and the Death of His Son Connla’ (Foghlaim Con Culainn 7 Oidheadh Chonnlaoich mhic Con gCulainn)
Somhairle Mac Domhnaill (Duanaire Finn; The Book of the O’Conor Don)
Kuno Meyer (1858–1919)
Johann Kaspar Zeuss (1806–1856)
Revue Celtique; Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie
John O’Donovan (1806–1861)
Eugene O’Curry (1794–1862)
Conradh na Gaeilge / The Gaelic League (1893)
Heinrich Zimmer (1851–1910)
Holger Pedersen (1867–1953)
Carl Marstrander (1883–1965)
Robin Flower (1881–1946)
An Claidheamh Soluis; Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge
The School of Irish Learning (1903)
T. F. O’Rahilly (1882–1953)
Osborn Bergin (1873–1950)
Tomás Ó Máille (1880–1938)
Eoin MacNeill (1867–1945)
Douglas Hyde (1860–1949)
John Strachan (1862–1907)
Rudolf Thurneysen (1857–1940)
M. A. O’Brien (1896–1962): https://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=180
Seosamh Ó Néill / Joseph O’Neill (1878–1953): https://www.dib.ie/biography/oneill-joseph-james-seosamh-o-neill-a6931
Ériu: https://www.ria.ie/publishing-house/journals/eriu-2/
Institute for Advanced Studies Act (1940)
W. O. Ernst Windisch (1844–1918): https://www.dib.ie/biography/windisch-wilhelm-oscar-ernst-a9085
Whitley Stokes (1763–1845): https://www.dib.ie/biography/stokes-whitley-a8334
R. I. Best (1872–1959): https://www.dib.ie/biography/best-richard-irvine-a0635
D. A. Binchy (1899–1989): https://www.dib.ie/biography/binchy-daniel-anthony-a0659; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
James Carney (1914–1989): https://www.dib.ie/biography/carney-james-patrick-a1490; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
David Greene (1915–1981): https://www.dib.ie/biography/greene-david-william-a3606; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
Cecile O’Rahilly (1894–1980): https://www.dib.ie/biography/orahilly-ni-rathaille-o-rathaille-cecile-sisile-a6428; https://bill.celt.dias.ie/vol4/index2.html
Táin Bó Cúailnge ‘The Cattle-Raid of Cooley’
Alice Stopford-Green (1847–1929): https://www.dib.ie/biography/green-alice-sophia-amelia-stopford-a3602
Maura Power (1887–1916): https://www.dib.ie/biography/power-jennie-wyse-a7454#co-subject-A
Annie Power (1889–1963): https://www.dib.ie/biography/power-ann-nancy-wyse-a7459
Mary Hutton (1862–1953): https://www.dib.ie/biography/hutton-mary-ann-a9771
Eleanor Knott (1886–1975): https://www.dib.ie/biography/knott-philippa-marie-eleanor-a4599
Tomás de Bhaldraithe: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-cois-fhairrge-co-galway-a-phonetic-study/
Brian Ó Cuív: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-west-muskerry-co-cork-a-phonetic-study/
Seán de Búrca: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-tourmakeady-co-mayo-a-phonemic-study/
Éamonn Mhac an Fhailigh: https://shop.dias.ie/product/the-irish-of-erris-co-mayo-a-phonemic-study/
Heinrich Wagner: https://shop.dias.ie/product/linguistic-atlas-and-survey-of-irish-dialects/
Lebor na hUidre; The Book of Leinster; The Book of Ballymote; The Book of Lecan (see on ISOS)
OG(H)AM project (D. Stifter & K. Forsyth): ogham.glasgow.ac.uk
Codices Hibernenses Eximii book series on manuscripts, e.g. Lebor hUidre, Book of Ballymote, Book of Uí Mhaine (https://shop.ria.ie/pages/contributor/ruairi-o-huiginn)
The School’s projects and publications:
Celtica: https://www.dias.ie/celt/celtica/
Annual conference (Tionól): https://www.dias.ie/celt/celt-conferences/celt-tionol/
Statutory Lectures & other Celtic Studies lectures (YouTube): youtube.com/watch?v=A7SCUtU_zmk&list=PLt_XradIp-myd7wGw1N3rnBiS-b-Suene
DIAS Bookshop: https://shop.dias.ie/
Irish Script on Screen (ISOS): https://www.isos.dias.ie/
Bibliography of Irish Linguistics and Literature (BILL): https://bill.celt.dias.ie/
Electronic Dictionary of Irish Language (eDIL): https://dil.ie/
Ogham in 3D: https://ogham.celt.dias.ie/menu.php?lang=en
Follow the School of Celtic Studies on social media:
BlueSky: @scs-dias.bsky.social
Instagram: @scs.dias
Website: https://www.dias.ie/celt/
To be added to our mailing list, contact eibhlin@celt.dias.ie
Copyright details: Sound and music mixed and mastered by Robert Scuta. Jingle produced by Silvan van der Zwaag of Studio Galassasa; the Irish fragment of Annie Uí Annluain is taken from the DIAS Glór recordings, with thanks to Dr Andrea Palandri. Logo designed by Nina Cnockaert-Guillou.
Production team: Dr Nina Cnockaert-Guillou, Dr Viktoriia Krivoshchekova, Robert Scuta.
