Clíona Ní Ríordáin

Clíona Ní Ríordáin holds the Thomas J. and Kathleen M. O’Donnell Chair in Irish Language and Literature at the University of Notre Dame. Prior to this, she taught Irish literature and translation studies at the Sorbonne Nouvelle (2003–2023). She is an expert in contemporary Irish poetry, translation studies, and sociolinguistics, with a focus on bilingual and cross-cultural literary analysis.

Education includes a doctorate from the University of Lyon Lumière, post-graduate degrees from Sorbonne, Sorbonne Nouvelle, and University College Cork, and an undergraduate degree from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

Her research explores sociological and linguistic dimensions of Irish literature, including the impact of educational policies on poetic movements and the role of translation in cultural exchange. Notable works include English Language Poets in University College Cork (2020) and her translation of Maylis Besserie’s novel, Yell, Sam, If You Still Can (2022), which earned recognition as a Financial Times Book of the Year. She also co-edited Plus loin encore (2023), a tribute to poet Gerry Murphy.

Professional affiliations include appointment by the Irish government to the strategy committee of the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris. Her work bridges academic critique with practical translation, emphasizing preservation and innovation in Irish literary traditions.