St. Patrick’s Day

Gaelic in medieval Scotland

SIR JOHN RHYS MEMORIAL LECTURE

Gaelic in medieval Scotland: advent and expansion

Professor Thomas Clancy, University of Glasgow

Wednesday, 4 March 2009 5.30pm – 6.30pm

followed by a drinks reception The British Academy, 10 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH

Free Admittance

Early 7th century records show that the Gaelic language and people were confined to the region of Argyll, yet, by the 12th century, most parts of what is now Scotland (and indeed parts of northern England) either had or had had communities of Gaelic speakers. This vast expansion of the language happened during one of the least well-evidenced times in Scotland’s history, and the timing and mechanisms of this expansion have been much theorised and debated. The primary evidence illuminating these processes is that of toponyms, and, as such, place-names form the bedrock of this lecture’s investigation. This lecture will review the evidence for Gaelic’s arrival and expansion in the various different regions of Scotland in the Middle Ages, examining in particular a number of different nodes of controversy, where paradigms have been shifting over recent years, including the advent of Gaelic in northern Britain; the dominance of Gaelic in the kingdom of Alba; and Gaelic in the south-west, the Western Isles, and the far north. What will emerge is a much more complex, nuanced series of interlocking episodes in Scotland’s linguistic history.

About the speaker

Professor Thomas Clancy is Chair of Celtic at the University of Glasgow. His research interests include the development of Christianity in early medieval Scotland, the poetry of early medieval Scotland, medieval Gaelic narrative, especially Christian literature, Scottish place-names and saints dedications, medieval Welsh narrative, and the northern Britons. He contributed to the preparation of Celtic Culture: An Encyclopedia (2006).

Sir John Rhys Memorial Lecture

In 1924 a fund was given to the Academy for the promotion of Welsh and other studies to commemorate the services of the Rt Hon Sir John Rhys, Professor of Celtic, Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, and a Fellow of the British Academy. Sir John himself was the subject of the inaugural lecture in this biennial series, given by J Morris-Jones in 1925.

Merry Christmas

Remembering all our friends, first of all some of them who are now in the Glory. We will never forget how they put seeds of love in our life. Happy Christmas.

I sowed the seeds of love
I sowed them in the spring
I gathered them up in the morning so clear
When the small birds so sweetly sing
When the small birds so sweetly sing

The gardener was standing by
I asked him to choose for me
He chose for me the violet, the lily and the pink
But those I refused all three
But those I refused all three

The violet I did not like
Because it bloomed so soon
The lily and the pink I really over-think
So I thought I would wait till June
So I thought I would wait till June

In June there was a red rose bud
That is the flower for me
I often times have plucked that red rose bud
Till I gained the willow tree
Till I gained the willow tree

The willow tree will twist
The willow tree will twine
I often have wished I was in the young man’s arms
Who once had the arms of mine
Who once had the arms of mine

I sowed the seeds of love
I sowed them in the spring
I gathered them up in the morning so soon
When the small birds so sweetly sing
When the small birds so sweetly sing

[Loreena McKennitt, Seeds of Love]

St. Patrick’s Day. A non-conventional post

A small gift for St. Patrick’s Day: a traditional Irish song, Raglan Road, performed by the beautiful voice of Loreena McKennitt and another excellent version performed by Mark Knopfler. Raglan Road was composed in 1946 by Peter Kavanagh and set to the traditional 17th century air Fáinne Geal an Lae.

Dedicated to all our friends and all people they love. And to all our students, reminding that social research doesn’t exist if we don’t love – a bit, at least – the people crossing our time.

Per il giorno di San Patrizio, un piccolo dono: una canzone tradizionale irlandese (Raglan Road) nella straordinaria esecuzione di Loreena McKennitt e nella versione di Mark Knopfler. Raglan Road fu composta nel 1946 da Peter Kavanagh, sull’aria tradizionale Fáinne Geal an Lae, del XVII secolo.

Dedicato a tutti i nostri amici e a ciò che amano. E alle/ai nostre/i studentesse/studenti: per non dimenticare mai che la ricerca sociale non esiste se non si amano, almeno un po’, le persone che attraversano il nostro tempo.