معرفی
Dr Aideen O'Leary is a Lecturer in Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies at the University of Aberdeen, where she is also the Director of the Research Centre for Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies, Programme Co-ordinator, and Race Equality Champion for the School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture. She holds a BA and MLitt from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from the University of Cambridge, and has previously taught at University College Cork and the University of Notre Dame, USA.
- BA, Trinity College Dublin
- MLitt, Trinity College Dublin
- PhD, University of Cambridge
Her research centers on the interactions between Celtic and Anglo-Saxon worlds and Latin literature, with a focus on medieval religious texts, apocrypha, and cultural perceptions. She explores topics such as the Irish apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, the figure of the Irish druid Mog Ruith, and foreign views of Ireland from antiquity to the 12th century. Her work bridges historical, linguistic, and literary approaches to early medieval Europe.
The selected publications reflect a strong trend in hagiography, apocryphal literature, and the transmission of religious ideas across cultural boundaries. Her research often examines how Latin texts were adapted in Irish and Anglo-Saxon contexts, and how religious identities were constructed through narrative and satire. She also investigates the role of satire and stereotypes in shaping intercultural perceptions.
- Royal Society of Edinburgh Arts & Humanities Small Grant (2015–16)
- British Academy/Leverhulme Trust Small Grant (2015–17)
- Carnegie Trust Research Incentive Grant (2016–17)
- Principal’s Excellence Fund, University of Aberdeen
- Santander Mobility Award
Dr O'Leary actively supervises PhD students and has secured multiple research grants for individual and collaborative projects. She has organized academic events such as the 'Subversions of Classical Learning' conference series and contributes to public engagement through festivals and lectures. She leads the MA in Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and teaches courses on Old English, Modern Irish, and medieval cultural history.
She is a key member of the Research Centre for Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and the Sir Herbert Grierson Centre for Textual Criticism and Comparative Literary History, and plays a leading role in promoting equality and diversity within her school.
