Ciaran Mac Murchaidh
Ciaran Mac Murchaidh was born in Co. Fermanagh and was educated at Mullanaskea Primary School and thereafter at St Michael's College, Enniskillen. He received his university education in Maynooth, attending both the National University of Ireland and the Pontifical University there. The Head of the Department of Modern Irish at the time, Professor Padraig O Fiannachta MRIA, had a significant influence on him throughout his time there. He was awarded an honours degree in Celtic Studies in 1986...See more
Ciaran Mac Murchaidh was born in Co. Fermanagh and was educated at Mullanaskea Primary School and thereafter at St Michael's College, Enniskillen. He received his university education in Maynooth, attending both the National University of Ireland and the Pontifical University there. The Head of the Department of Modern Irish at the time, Professor Padraig O Fiannachta MRIA, had a significant influence on him throughout his time there. He was awarded an honours degree in Celtic Studies in 1986 and was conferred with an MA in Modern Irish in 1987. Following this, he went on to receive an honours degree in Divinity (BD) in 1990, a Diploma in Pastoral Studies in 1991, and the Higher Diploma in Education in 1993. He was conferred with the degree of PhD in 2004 for a thesis on the sermons of Bishop Seamas O Gallchoir, Bishop of Raphoe and, thereafter, of Kildare. He worked in NUI, Maynooth as a tutor and part-time lecturer between the years 1986 and 1998, while also teaching Irish, English, German and Religion in Colaiste Chilliain, Clondalkin for a time. He was a lecturer in the Department of Irish at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra from 1998 to 2010, when he was appointed as Dean of Research & Humanities. He left St Patrick's College in November 2013 to take up the position of Head of School in Fiontar, Dublin City University.His primary interest is in the Irish language and its devotional and religious literature during the 18th century but he also has a keen interest in Irish grammar and the teaching of the language. Essays and reviews by him have appeared in various journals. He has recorded several programmes about Irish language and literature for RTE, BBC Ulster, Raidio na Gaeltachta and Raidio na Life. In 2012, the Four Courts Press published Irish and English: essays on the Irish linguistic and cultural frontier, 1600-1900 (Four Courts Press, 2012), a collection of essays that examine the interface between the Irish and English languages in Ireland from 1600 to 1900. He co-edited this work with his colleague, Professor James Kelly (Department of History, St. Patrick's College). He also co-edited Hearing Heaney: the sixth Seamus Heaney lectures (Four Courts Press, 2015), with Eugene McNulty.His anthology of religious poetry, Lon Anama (Cois Life, 2005), was shortlisted for Gradam Ui Shuilleabhain/Book of the Year in 2006 and he won that award in 2009 for his book, Filiocht Ghra na Gaeilge (Cois Life, 2008). He is Secretary of Coiste Leann na Gaeilge, Litriocht na Gaeilge agus na gCultur Ceilteach in the Royal Irish Academy.His highly successful guide to Irish grammar, Cruinnscriobh na Gaeilge, is now in its fifth edition (Cois Life, 2013). See less