Tá an phostáil seo mar chuid dár Scéim Tionscnaimh Taighde do 2024-2025. 

This post is part of our Research Initiation Scheme for 2024-2025. 

[ENGLISH TEXT ALTERNATES WITH IRISH TEXT BELOW]

Inis dom faoi d’aistear leis an Ghaeilge go dtí seo, conas a d’fhoghlaim tú í den chéad uair agus cén fáth gur phioc tú an Ghaeilge mar ábhar ollscoile? 

D’fhreastail mé ar mo bhunscoil áitiúil, mar sin thosaigh mé ag foghlaim na Gaeilge nuair a bhí mé ceithre bliana d’aois. Is dócha go bhfuil sé níos fusa teanga a fhoghlaim ar an bhealach sin, nuair a bhíonn tú óg bíonn tú in ann teanga a phiocadh suas go gasta agus ní bhíonn ort dua a chaitheamh lena foghlaim. D’fhreastail mé ar shruth na Gaeilge i gColáiste Chaitríona, Ard Mhacha ina dhiaidh sin, bhí mé in ann staidéar a dhéanamh ar ábhair trí mheán na Gaeilge agus chuidigh sin go mór liom mo chuid scileanna scríbhneoireachta a fhorbairt. Bhí mé iontach paiseanta faoin teanga agus d’éirigh go maith liom sa Ghaeilge ar scoil ach nuair a chríochnaigh mé ar an scoil ní raibh mé cinnte cén sórt post a ba mhaith liom.  

Tell me about your journey with the Irish language so far. How you first learned the language and why you chose Irish as a university subject? 

I attended my local Irish-medium primary school, which meant that I started learning Irish when I was four years old. I was the first in my family to learn Irish and it was seen as a bit of a risk sending me there as the school had just been established a year earlier, in 2003. But my mother is a teacher and she was very aware of the benefits of bilingualism and the effectiveness of immersive education. I think it was a lot easier for us to learn Irish as children as we were able to pick it up very quickly simply by interacting with our teachers.  

I then attended an Irish-medium stream in my secondary school and I was able to do most of my subjects in Irish. I think that writing essays in subjects like history in Irish really helped develop my writing skills. I have always loved the Irish language and it was definitely my favourite subject in school, especially when we started to study poetry. When I finished secondary school, I didn’t know what sort of job I wanted but I knew I wanted to do something with Irish. 

Cén t-ábhar dochtúireachta atá idir lámha agat agus cén fáth ar roghnaigh tú an t-ábhar sin? 

Tá mé ag caitheamh súil ar an dóigh a dtéann scríbhneoirí na Gaeilge i ngleic le ceisteanna a bhfuil stiogma agus náire ag baint leo. Bím ag plé leis na teicnící éagsúla a bhíonn in úsáid ag scríbhneoirí chun dul i ngleic le ceisteanna cigilteacha ar nós na gnéasachta agus an mheabhairghalar, mar shampla. Díríonn mo chuid taighde ar na straitéisí cosanta éagsúla a mbaintear úsáid astu chun dul i ngleic le hábhair a bheadh róchigilteach aghaidh a thabhairt go díreach orthu. 

Bhí suim agam i gcónaí san fhilíocht agus scríobh mé mo thráchtas bunchéime ar fhilíocht Greagóir Uí Dhúill agus thaitin an taighde go mór liom. Nuair a scríobh mé mo thráchtas máistreachta ar shaothar Dhairena Ní Chinnéide, d’éirigh mé níos muiníní mar thaighdeoir agus bhí a fhios agam go raibh mé ag iarraidh dochtúireacht a dhéanamh. Le linn na máistreachta, chuir mé suim sa smaoineamh go mbíonn feidhm theiripeach i gceist leis an fhilíocht in amanna, agus bhí mé ag iarraidh an cheist sin a chíoradh.  

What PhD topic are you working on and why did you choose this topic? 

My research looks at how Irish-language writers approach sensitive issues in their work that involve stigma and shame. I focus on the various strategies these writers employ in their work to deal with issues such as mental illness or sexuality, for example. This involves analysing works that use distancing strategies to tackle issues that would be too sensitive to discuss head on. 

I was always interested in poetry and I decided to write my undergraduate dissertation on the poetry of Gréagóir Ó Dúill. I really enjoyed the research and when I wrote my Masters dissertation on the poetry of Dairena Ní Chinnéide, I gained a lot of confidence as a researcher and I knew that I wanted to do a PhD. During that masters, I became interested in the therapeutic aspect of poetry and I wanted to do further research on that topic. 

Cad iad na téamaí is suimiúla faoi? 

Sílim gurb é an rud is suimiúla faoi ná an gá a bhíonn ann scaoileadh le rudaí a bhfuil náire agus stiogma ag baint leo. Is iomaí file a luann feidhm theiripeach na filíochta agus cuirim an-suim sna teicnící a mbaintear úsáid astu, ar nós meafair agus dramatis personae ón traidisiún, chun dul i ngleic leis na ceisteanna sin ar bhealach a chruthaíonn rud beag spás idir an file féin agus reacaire an dáin agus ar bhealach a bhfuil uilíochas ag baint leis.  

What are the most interesting aspects of your research? 

I think the most interesting thing about my research is that although the themes that I am looking at may have a certain amount of stigma or shame attached that aims to silence people, this can make it all the more necessary for individuals to voice their experiences. Many Irish-language poets have said that poetry is a way to deal with intense emotions and sensitive issues. My research looks at how these poets distance themselves from the material of the poems using strategies such as metaphor, dramatis personae from the Irish tradition and pen names. 

Cad iad na codanna is deacra faoi d’obair dhochtúireachta? 

Bíonn ort a bheith ag obair as do stuaim féin. Éiríonn sé uaigneach in amanna ach tá an t-ádh orainn in Ollscoil na Banríona go bhfuil oifigí againn agus gur féidir linn dul isteach agus a bheith ag obair san oifig le mic léinn dochtúireachta eile. Mar sin, sílim go bhfuil sé tábhachtach iarracht a dhéanamh bualadh le daoine eile atá i mbun dochtúireachta. Tuigeann muid uilig na dúshláin a bhaineann le PhD agus cuidíonn muid le chéile.  

What are the biggest challenges associated with doctoral research? 

You have to be able to work under your own steam to a certain extent, and it can be lonely at times. We are lucky in QUB in that we have offices and we can go in and be around other PhD students while we work. Therefore, I think that it is important to make an effort to meet other PhD students as we understand each others’ struggles and we can help each other. 

Cad é do phlean agus an chéim dochtúireachta bainte amach agat? 

Níl mé cinnte go fóill. Bainim sult as a bheith ag teagasc agus ba bhreá liom níos mó teagaisc a dhéanamh amach anseo. Is cinnte gur mhaith liom a bheith ag obair trí mheán na Gaeilge. Níl mórán taistil déanta agam, chuaigh mé díreach ón scoil chun na hollscoile agus tá mé go fóill anseo, ba bhreá liom blaiseadh den saol a fháil áit éigin eile.  

What is your plan for after you complete your doctorate? 

I’m not sure yet. I enjoy teaching and I would love to teach more when I finish my PhD. I definitely want to work through the medium of Irish as well. I haven’t travelled much, as I came straight from school to Queen’s and I’m still here, I think I would like to experience living somewhere different for a little while.  

Cén moladh a bheadh agat do scoláire Ghaeilge ar mhaith leis/léi dochtúireacht a dhéanamh sa Ghaeilge? 

Mholfainn ábhar a roghnú a bhfuil an-suim agat ann. Tá obair mhór i gceist le tráchtas dochtúireachta agus éiríonn sé deacair in amanna. Mar sin, sílim gur gá duit a bheith paiseanta faoin ábhar. Bhí suim agam san fhilíocht ó bhí mé ar scoil agus sílim go bhfuil tábhacht agus cumhacht ar leith leis. Bíonn filí in ann ceisteanna casta agus mothúcháin dhoimhne a chíoradh taobh istigh d’fhíorbheagán focal, agus téann an fhilíocht i bhfeidhm orm ar bhealach nach dtéann an prós ná meán ar bith eile. Mar sin, ní bhím in amhras faoin fhiúntas a bhaineann le taighde a dhéanamh ar an fhilíocht.  

What is your advice to Irish-language scholars who might be interested in pursuing doctoral research? 

I would definitely advise choosing a topic that you are very interested in. There is a lot of work involved in writing a PhD thesis and it is difficult at times. Therefore, I think that you need to be very passionate about your subject. It is also vital to recognise the importance of your research. Poetry is very important to me, Irish-language poetry in particular has a profound impact on me, it enriches my life and, thankfully, I have never doubted the importance of researching it.  

Agallamh le Josh Mac Coitir, mac léinn i mbliain na céime atá ag déanamh staidéir ar an Ghaeilge agus ar an Chaidreamh Idirnáisiúnta. 

Interview by Josh Cotter, final-year undergraduate in Irish and International Relations 

Editor’s note: Katie McNamee is a third-year PhD student working under the supervision of Dr Síobhra Aiken and Professor Mícheál Ó Mainnín. Her thesis is provisionally entitled ‘Stigma, Alienation and Distancing Strategies in Irish-Language Literature’. Her doctoral studies have been funded through a Northern Bridge studentship. Katie previously undertook a BA in Irish in 2021 at QUB, followed by an MRes in Arts and Humanities. 

Nóta ón eagarthóir: Tá Katie Nic Con Midhe sa tríú bliain dá taighde dochtúireachta faoi stiúir an Dochtúra Síobhra Aiken agus an Ollaimh Mícheál Ó Mainnín. Is é teideal a tráchtais ná ‘Stiogma, Coimhthíos agus Tinneas: Straitéisí Cosanta i Litríocht na Gaeilge’. Tá an taighde dochtúireachta seo maoinithe ag Cuibhreannas Dhroichead an Tuaiscirt. Bhain Katie BA amach sa Ghaeilge in Ollscoil na Banríona sa bhliain 2021 agus thug faoi mháistreacht sa taighde ina dhiaidh sin.