Season 3, Episode 8: Tackling Far-Right Appropriation of Celtic History featuring Adam Bierstedt

In this podcast, Nina Cnockaert-Guillou talks to Roan Runge about Queerness in Celtic Studies. Roan explains their doctoral research on medieval Irish literature using Queer and Trans theory. They also discuss what it is like to be Queer in the field of medieval Irish studies and Celtic Studies, how students react to Queer readings of medieval Irish literature and what steps we can take to ensure the field is open and welcoming both to people who identify as Queer and/or LGBTQ+, and to Queer readings.  Content warnings: From 0:45:00 to 0:47:45: transphobia  From 0:59:30 to 1:01:12: transphobic attitudes and politics Registration for the 2024 Celtic Students Conference (30 May - 1 June) is now open! This year’s conference will be a hybrid event. Guests are warmly invited to attend in-person presentations at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale, in Brest, or to attend online if they prefer. Please complete the registration form in your language of choice at the following ⁠link⁠. At the top of the registration form is a link to the Eventbrite payment form. Please note that you have until the 15th May to register for in-person attendance. Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org Links to initiatives, organisations and people mentioned in the episode: Bad Gays (podcast and recent book by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller; https://badgayspod.com) Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity – Jose Esteban Miñoz (2009) Emmet Taylor’s blog post: ‘Pride Month: Medieval Ireland’ (Celtic Students blog: https://celticstudents.blogspot.com/2021/06/pride-month-medieval-ireland.html) Stiofán Ó Briain and Eoin McEvoy, ‘LADTA+ na Gaeilge’ (Celtic Students Podcast, https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/episodes/LADTA-na-Gaeilge-eht2jd) Roan’s PhD thesis (currently under embargo; https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.106567) ‘species capacities’ is from Hayward, Eva, ‘Spider city sex’, Women & Performance: a journal of feminist theory 20.3 (2010), 225–51, at p. 234. Tom Peete Cross, Motif-Index of Early Irish Literature (Bloomington, IN, 1952; repr. 1969); see also the Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index (ATU Index) Poem on ‘Fintan and the Hawk of Achill’, ed. and trans. Roan Runge (https://www.ambf.co.uk/fintan) Aided Echach mac Maireda (open access translation: Standish Hayes OʼGrady, Silva Gadelica vol. 2 (1892), pp. 265–9 https://archive.org/details/silvagadelicaix00gragoog/page/264/mode/2up) (recent translation: Ranke de Vries, Two texts on Loch nEchach: De causis torchi Corc' Óche and Aided Echach maic Maireda, Irish Texts Society 65 (2012)) ICCS Utrecht (https://celticstudiescongress.sites.uu.nl) One from the Vaults (podcast, https://soundcloud.com/onefromthevaultspodcast) Story of the Abbot of Drimnagh (translation: Tadhg Ó Siocháin, The case of the abbot of Drimnagh: a medieval Irish story of sex-change, Cork Studies in Celtic Literatures 2 (2017); reviewed by Roan in Celtica 32 (2020), pp. 274–9) Alicia Spencer-Hall and Blake Gutt (eds.), Trans and Genderqueer Subjects in Medieval Hagiography (2021) Medieval Feminist Forum (2019), issue 55 vol. 1, ‘Visions of Medieval Trans Feminism’ Susan Stryker, ‘My Words to Victor Frankenstein above the Village of Chamounix: Performing Transgender Rage’, GLQ (1994), vol. 1, nb. 3, pp. 237–254. Sandy Stone, ‘The Empire Strikes Back: A Posttranssexual Manifesto’ (1987). First published: Kristina Straub and Julia Epstein (eds.), Body Guards: The Cultural Politics of Gender Ambiguity (1991). Sarah Sheehan and Ann Dooley (eds.), Constructing gender in medieval Ireland (2013) Phillip Bernhardt-House, ‘The motif of sex metamorphosis in insular Celtic literatures and folklore’, Béascna 3 (2006), pp. 54–64. Phillip Bernhardt-House, ‘The werewolf as queer, the queer as werewolf, and queer werewolves’, in: Noreen Giffney and Myra Herd (eds), Queering the non-human (2008), pp. 159–183. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

In this episode, Kensa Broadhurst speaks with Ed Rowe, actor, writer, director and Cornish-speaker, about the Cornish and Cornwall in film and television and the importance of telling authentic stories about Cornwall and its people. Host: Kensa Broadhurst Guest: Ed Rowe Language: Cornish and English Links to people and productions mentioned in the episode: Ed is on Twitter: @Kernow_King The website https://paloresproductions.co.uk/ gives information about the short film ‘Mab Hudel’ and the ‘Cornish Caretakers’ production for schools. The Radio 4 Comedy Programme ‘Wosson Cornwall’ was broadcast earlier in 2023. Actors included Ed and Dawn French. It was produced by Simon Nicholls. Episodes available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001l982/episodes/player Four short films in Cornish are available on BBC iPlayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0dv4crx/cornish-shorts Mark Jenkin’s feature films are ‘Bait’ and ‘Enys Men’. Mark is on Twitter @Mark_Jenkin ‘Long Way Back’ (2022) was written and directed by Brett Harvey. His brother Simon is Artistic Director of o-region, an Associate Artist at Hall for Cornwall and had a long association with Kneehigh Theatre. In 2022 his show ‘Pride and Prejudice Sort of’ was the recipient of the Oliver Award for Best New Comedy. Emma Rice was artistic director of Kneehigh Theatre, before becoming artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe between 2016 – 18, before founding her own theatre company: Wise Children. Tom Jackson Greaves is a choreographer from Cornwall. More information on his work can be found here: https://www.tom-jackson-greaves.com/bio/index.php We would be grateful if you could share your feedback with us on your experience of the Association, the Celtic Students Conference, the Blog and/or the Podcast by clicking the following link: bit.ly/3VHaCFp Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy”, Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), freemusicarchive.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

The 11th annual Celtic Students Conference will take place online and in the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, in Brittany in France, from the 30th of May to the 1st of June 2024.  We accept papers from current students and recent graduates on any aspect of Celtic Studies, as well as any topic associated with any of the Celtic languages, peoples, literatures, histories, and cultures. Conference papers should be between 15-20 minutes in length. We welcome papers in English and in any of the Celtic languages. Abstracts of up to 200 words should be submitted at https://linktr.ee/celticstudentsconference by December 10th 2023. For more information, please go to the Celtic Students Blog or contact us at [email protected]. Ceol | Ceòl | Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy”, Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), freemusicarchive.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

GA: San eipeasóid seo, labhraíonn Stiofán Ó Briain le Nathaniel Harrington - file, scríbhneoir, agus taighdeoir a chríochnaigh dochtúireacht sa litríocht chomparáideach in Ollscoil Toronto anuraidh. Pléann siad suim Nathaniel sna teangacha Ceilteacha, a spéiseanna taighde, agus a chuid scríbhneoireachta cruthaithí, idir fhilíocht agus phrós. Is eipeasóid dhátheangach é seo i nGaeilge na hÉireann agus i nGaeilge na hAlban. GÀ: Anns an eapasod seo, tha Stiofán Ó Briain a’ bruidhinn ri Nathaniel Harrington - bàrd, sgrìobhadair, agus neach-rannsachaidh a chuir crìoch ri ollamhachd ann an litreachas coimeasach aig Oilthigh Thoronto an-uiridh. Tha iad a’ dèanamh còmhradh mu dheidhinn ùidh Nathaneil sna cànanan Ceilteach, a chuid rannsachaidh, agus an sgrìobhadh cruthachail a th' aige, a’ bhàrdachd agus an rosg araon. 'S e eapasod dà-chànanach a th’ anns an eapasod seo ann an Gàidhlig na h-Èireann agus ann an Gàidhlig na h-Alba. EN: In this episode, Stiofán Ó Briain speaks with Nathaniel Harrington - poet, writer and researcher who completed his PhD in comparative literature in the University of Toronto last year. They discuss Nathaniel’s interest in the Celtic languages, his research interests, and his creative writing, both poetry and prose. This is a bilingual episode in Irish and in Scottish Gaelic.  Óstach | Neach-aoigheachd | Host: Stiofán Ó Briain Aoi | Aoigh | Guest: Nathaniel Harrington Teanga | Cànan | Language: Gaeilge na hÉireann agus Gàidhlig na hAlba Naisc | Ceanglaichean | Links: Suíomh | Làrach-lín Nathaniel  Aotrom-laigheachan - Nathaniel Harrington Proceedings of the Association of Celtic Students: Vols VIII & IX Sna Fir - Micheál Ó Conghaile Táin Bó Cuailgne - Darach Ó Scolaí Sraith na Teamhrach (Conaire Mór, Tuatha Dé Danann, Éadaoin) - Diarmuid Johnson An Tromdhámh, Mé Suibhne - Feargal Ó Béarra An Dosan - Norma Nic Leòid Cailèideascop - Daibhidh Eyre Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach - Tim Armstrong Tinte na Farraige Duibhe (Tim Armstrong) - Eoin P. Ó Murchú Dysgu Byw - Sarah Reynolds Melog - Mihangel Morgan Hen Ieithoedd Diflanedig - Mihangel Morgan Madame Lazare - Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin Makaronik - Dave Duggan Filíocht | Bàrdachd Shomhairle MacGill-Eain GA: Ba mhór againn dá bhféadfá do chuid aiseolais a roinnt linn ar do thaithí ar an gCumann, ar Chomhdháil Mhic Léinn na Ceiltise, ar an mBlag agus ar an bPodchraoladh tríd an bhfoirm aiseolais seo: bit.ly/3VHaCFp GÀ: Bhitheamaid nur comain nam b' urrainn dhuibh bhur beachdan a leigeil thugainn mu dheidhinn a' Chomainn, a' Cho-labhairt, am Blog agus am Pod-chraoladh le bhith a' lìonadh an fhoirm seo: bit.ly/3VHaCFp EN: We would be grateful if you could share your feedback with us on your experience of the Association, the Celtic Students Conference, the Blog and/or the Podcast by clicking the following link: bit.ly/3VHaCFp Ceol | Ceòl | Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy”, Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), freemusicarchive.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

This episode is a recording of the Association of Celtic Students’ recent roundtable discussion at the International Congress of Celtic Studies in Utrecht in the Netherlands. The current Chair, Nina Cnockaert-Guillou, describes the history and activities of the Association of Celtic Students and hosts a discussion with other members of the Association; Stiofán Ó Briain, Kensa Broadhurst, Freya Smith and Emmet Taylor. They discuss the place of the Association in Celtic Studies, the use and promotion of the modern Celtic languages, the challenges faced by the Association and by students and early-career researchers, and what they hope to see the Association do in the future. This episode is introduced by Stiofán Ó Briain, Podcast and Social Media Officer of the Association. This episode was recorded in July 2023 at the International Congress of Celtic Studies. Host: Nina Cnockaert-Guillou Guests: Stiofán Ó Briain, Kensa Broadhurst, Freya Smith, Emmet Taylor Language: English Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org Links to initiatives, organisations and people mentioned in the episode: Celtic Students Blog Contribute to the Blog Proceedings of the Association of Celtic Students: Vols. VIII & IX CARANTES We would be grateful if you could share your feedback with us on your experience of the Association of Celtic Students, the Celtic Students Conference, the Blog and/or the Podcast by clicking the following link: bit.ly/3VHaCFp --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

This episode features one of the papers presented at the 2023 Celtic Students Conference in Glasgow. Rachel Martin (PhD student at Harvard University) discusses the use of Celtic Languages in video games, namely the Assassin’s Creed series of games created by Ubisoft. The paper reflects on the portrayal of ancient and modern Celtic languages in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and the differences between the handling of Celtic languages and other languages in the game. Rachel is also one of the editors of the Celtic Students Blog and is an active member in the Association of Celtic Students. This episode is introduced by Stiofán Ó Briain, Podcast and Social Media Officer of the Association. This episode was recorded in March 2023 at the Celtic Students Conference. Host: Stiofán Ó Briain Guests: Rachel Martin Language: English Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org Links to initiatives, organisations and people mentioned in the episode: Celtic Students Blog Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - Gunnar and Brigid’s Wedding We would be grateful if you could share your feedback with us on your experience of the Association of Celtic Students, the Celtic Students Conference, the Blog and/or the Podcast by clicking the following link: bit.ly/3VHaCFp --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

This episode of the Celtic Students Podcast was mainly recorded at the Celtic Students Conference 2023, which took place between March 30 and April 1 at the University of Glasgow. It features a number of interviews carried out by Alexandra Philbin and Nina Cnockaert-Guillou with Conference attendees and organisers. The participants all speak about how much they enjoyed the Conference and what the highlight was for them. The episode also contains short clips from the paper that Alexandra and Nina delivered at the Conference, titled ‘10,000 plays and counting: challenges and opportunities for the Celtic Students Podcast’. In this paper, they reflected on the success of the podcast to date and how this can be continued in the years ahead. This episode was recorded in April 2023.  Hosts: Alexandra Philbin and Nina Cnockaert-Guillou Guests:  Máire McCafferty Pól Ó Sniadhaigh Colin McGarry Matthew Needham Mylene Berkhout Allard Nieuwesteeg Seumas Dòmhnallach Dara de Poire Piero Andrés Fagandini Elorrieta Emmet Taylor Erin McNulty Languages: English, Irish and Spanish Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

In this episode, Alexandra Philbin talks to Stiofán Ó Briain (Teaching Fellow and PhD Student, University College Dublin) and Erin McNulty (PhD Student, University of Glasgow) about the Association of Celtic Students’ annual conference. Stiofán, who was Conference Chair for the Celtic Students Conference in 2020 and 2021, reflects on his experiences of the conference as an attendee and then as Chair. Erin, Conference Chair for the 2023 Celtic Students Conference, tells us about what we can expect at the upcoming conference, which will take place at the University of Glasgow and online between March 30 and April 1, 2023. Both encourage students and recent graduates to apply to present a paper at the Conference. This can be done by clicking on the following link and submitting an abstract by November 1, 2022:  https://linktr.ee/celticstudentsconference. For those who would like to submit a poster for the 2023 Conference, please email the Conference team at [email protected]. This episode was recorded in September 2022. Host: Alexandra Philbin Guests: Stiofán Ó Briain and Erin McNulty Language: English Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org Links to initiatives, organisations and people mentioned in the episode: Call for Papers and Abstract Submission UCD School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore University of Glasgow  Proceedings of the Association of Celtic Students of Ireland and Britain: Vol. VII (Edinburgh, 2019) An Comunn Oiseanach Committee Roles of the Association of Celtic Students Celtic Students Conference Schedule 2020 Celtic Students Conference Schedule 2021 Wonder If you would like to submit a poster for the 2023 Conference or have any questions about the Conference, please contact the Association at [email protected] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

In this episode, Nina Cnockaert-Guillou talks to Llewelyn Hopwood, a DPhil student at the University of Oxford, about his doctoral research, which focuses on ‘Sound and Control’ in medieval Welsh poetry during the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr period (c. 1300–1600). Llewelyn first explains how he got the idea for such an innovative research project and talks about Celtic Studies in Oxford. He then discusses sound studies and his own research in more detail, and treats us with a few readings from medieval Welsh poems! This episode was recorded in August 2022. Host: Nina Cnockaert-Guillou Guest: Llewelyn Hopwood Languages: English, with poetry readings in Welsh Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org Poems, songs and films referenced by Llewelyn: Dafydd ap Gwilym ‘Trafferth Mewn Tafarn’ ll. 31–46, ed. and trans. Dafydd Johnston Lewys Glyn Cothi, ‘Marwnad Phelpod ap Rhys’ ll. 1–2, 49–52, ed. Dafydd Johnston, trans. Llewelyn Hopwood Ieuan ap Rhydderch, ‘Awdl i Fair’ ll. 65–68, ed. R. Iestyn Daniel, trans. Llewelyn Hopwood Iolo Goch, ‘Dychan i’r Gwyddelyn’ ll. 91, 32, 86, ed. and trans. Dafydd Johnston For the translations of the above extracts, please visit our blog  Blackkklansman (2018) Sorry to bother you (2018) Alvin Lucier, I Am Sitting in a Room (1969) Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18, Joia! (2019) Voicing the Verse / Y Gerdd ar Gân (2010) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message

Content Warning: This episode contains long discussions of fascism, white supremacy, racism, antisemitism, and hate speech, with brief references to sexual assault, harassment within the field, and harassment within the academy more broadly. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode, Emmet Taylor speaks with Adam Bierstedt about the relationship between fascism and white supremacy and Celtic Studies, focusing on the 'Celtic Films' situation which garnered brief international media attention in the summer of 2021. Adam provides insights and suggestions from his field of Norse Studies to how Celtic Studies can best approach these situations in the future. This episode is in English. This episode was recorded in June 2022. Host: Emmet Taylor, University College Cork Guest: Adam Bierstedt Language: English Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org. Links to Adam's works and to scholars discussed in the episode: @sagathain on Twitter ludohistory on Twitch Ludohistory on YouTube Adam's playthrough of Gods Will Fall, a game 'based' on Celtic history and archeology Dr. Mary Rambaran-Olm (Dr. MRO) Dr. Erik Wade --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/celticstudents/message