Irish

Irish is one of Europe's oldest living languages, with a literary and oral tradition stretching back more than a thousand years and a contemporary revival that has gathered momentum across Ireland, North and South. It is a language intimately bound up with questions of identity, culture, and politics that continue to resonate deeply in Belfast and beyond, and studying it at degree level means engaging with those dimensions as well as with the language and its literature.

At Queen's University Belfast, this three-year full-time Irish degree is designed to develop a sophisticated grasp of modern Irish language and culture. You will build fluency in the language alongside a broad understanding of Irish culture and society, engaging with Irish-language film studies, human rights in contemporary literature, Celtic mythology, and Scottish Gaelic, as well as the growth of Gaelic identity more broadly. The programme also includes opportunities for tailored work placements within the vibrant Irish-language sector, giving you direct professional experience in contexts where the language is used professionally.

The entry tariff is 136 points.

Graduates from Irish programmes at Queen's are well placed for careers in the expanding Irish-language sector, including broadcasting, education, translation, cultural organisations, journalism, and community development roles across Ireland. The Irish language has a particularly significant presence in public sector and broadcasting roles in both Northern Ireland and the Republic, and graduates with genuine linguistic and cultural depth are valued across these contexts. Teaching is a common destination, both in Irish-medium education and as a subject in mainstream schools.

Postgraduate study in Irish, Celtic studies, linguistics, or translation is a natural continuation for those who wish to develop specialist expertise or pursue academic careers.