Dr Siobhán Barrett

    Early Irish (Sean-Ghaeilge), Arts and Humanities Institute, School of Celtic Studies

    Post Doctoral Researcher

    Biography

    I came to Maynooth as an undergraduate mature student and completed my BA in Nua-Ghaeilge and Celtic Studies in 2013. I received a Maynooth University, John and Pat Hume Award to fund my PhD A Study of the Lexicon of the Poems of Blathmac, Son of Cú Brettan.  In 2014 I received Irish Research Council funding for the final 3 years of my PhD. In 2018 I was appointed Research Assistant on an Irish Research Council funded project supervised by Principal Investigator, Dr Deborah Hayden, Medieval Irish medicine in its north-western European context: a case study of two unpublished texts (MIMNEC). In 2020 I received Irish Research Council Postdoctoral funding for my project A triad of medical glossaries. In November 2022 I began working as Postdoctoral Researcher on the project LEIGHEAS: Language, Education and Medical Learning in the Premodern Gaelic World, along with Principal Investigator, Dr Deborah Hayden.

    Research Interests

    Early Irish Language. Early Irish Religious poetry.
    Medieval Irish medical texts, herbal remedies and plant names.

    Research Projects

    Title Role Description Start date End date Amount
    MIMNEC Research Assistant 01/09/2018 31/08/2020
    A Triad of Medical Glossaries Post Doctoral Researcher For this project I will transcribe and translate three fifteenth-century medical texts preserved in Dublin, NLI Manuscript G11 (folios 98–102). The first one is an Irish medical glossary listing 316 Latin plant names, alphabetically, followed by Irish equivalents. The second text called 'Cidh pro co' lists 63 ingredients with possible alternatives to be used if an ingredient is not available. These kinds of 'quid pro quo' wordlists are common in other European vernacular medical traditions. The third text lists 30 ingredients in Irish, each accompanied by a clarification in Irish as to what variety of a particular plant is the appropriate one to use in a remedy. Glossaries or synonymies, were used to match Latin plant names found in medical texts with their corresponding Irish plant names. These synonymies are found in other European vernaculars for use in conjuction with herbal remedies. The Irish texts of this kind have been neglected heretofore. Many of the plant names listed here do not appear in eDIL (Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language), and when they do, it is often unclear what plant is being referred to. The Latin plant names in the glossary are pre-Linnaean categorisation but many of the Latin headwords are also found in medieval English and Welsh glossaries, which will help to translate the Irish words. A translation of these glossaries will be a resource for scholars with an interest in language and medical history. 01/10/2020 30/09/2022

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2019 Stifter, David; Barrett, Siobhán (2019) 'Blathmac’s stanzas 260–303 on Judgement Day'. Celtica, . [Full-Text]
    2019 Siobhan Barrett (2019) 'The Concept of 'Célmaine' in Blathmac’s Second Poem'. Peritia, 30 :11-30. [Full-Text]
    2019 Siobhan Barrett (2019) 'The king of Dál nAraidi’s salve'. Eriu, LXIX :171-178. [Full-Text]

    Other Journal

    Year Publication
    2021 Siobhan Barrett (2021) 'A glimpse at glossaria' Kelten, 89 . [Full-Text]
    2016 Barrett, S (2016) 'The Poems of Blathmac, 8th Century Poetry in the 21st Century' New Perspectives: Postgraduate Symposium for the Humanities - Reflections, 1 (1) :53-64. [Link]

    Conference Contribution

    Year Publication
    2019 Deborah Hayden and Siobhán Barrett (2019) Medieval Manuscripts Meet Modern Science: A Workshop on Theory and Practice Herbal remedies in a medieval Irish medical compendium: context and challenges University of Nottingham, .
    2019 Siobhan Barrett (2019) Tionól The categorisation of recipes in medieval Irish medical manuscripts Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, .
    2019 Siobhan Barrett (2019) The XVIth International Congress of Celtic Studies Remedies for disorders of the ear in a medieval Irish medical compendium Bangor University, .
    2016 Siobhan Barrett (2016) Tionól Blathmac’s Fragmentary Quatrains Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, .
    2016 Siobhan Barrett (2016) New Perspectives Symposium The poems of Blathmac; 8th century poetry in the 21st century Maynooth, .
    2016 Siobhan Barrett (2016) Irish Conference of Medievalists Célmoine in the Second Blathmac Poem Maynooth, .
    2015 Siobhan Barrett (2015) Maynooth Colloquium The Poems of Blathmac Maynooth, .
    2015 Siobhan Barrett (2015) Irish Conference of Medievalists Keening in the Poems of Blathmac UCD, .

    Blog

    Year Publication
    2022 Siobhán Barrett (2022) Herbal remedies in a medieval Irish remedy book: context and challenges. BLOG [Link]

    Book Chapter

    Year Publication
    2016 M. Hand, G. Knight, T. Halpin, S. Flynn and S. Barrett (2016) 'Sliabh na Caillí' In: Loughcrew Cairns, Sliabh na Caillí, A Visitor’s Guide. Oldcastle : Wordpress.
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2023) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Honors and Awards

    Date Title Awarding Body
    01/10/2020 Postdoctoral Fellowship IRC GOIPD/2020/341 Irish Research Council
    01/09/2014 Postgraduate Scholarship Programme (Reference No GOIPG/2014/448) Irish Research Council
    01/09/2013 John and Pat Hume Doctoral Award Maynooth University

    Teaching Interests

    I have worked as an occasional lecturer and tutor in the Department of Early Irish, Maynooth University. 

    I have taught modules on Early Irish Language and Literature.
    • SG 208 - Old Irish 2
    • SG 307 - Old Irish 3
    • SG 292 - Sean-Ghaeilge 2
    • SG341 - Readings from Early Irish Literature 1
    • SG342 - Readings from Early Irish Literature 2