Julian Girdham

Thinking, Writing, Reading, Teaching

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researchED Dublin 2022 Programme

September 17, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Teaching

Here is the programme for researchED Dublin (The Return) on Saturday 24th September. Lots of hard choices to make. Attendees will receive the paper version on registration.

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September 17, 2022 /Julian Girdham
ResearchED
English Teaching, Teaching
Comment

R.F. Foster's 'On Seamus Heaney'

September 13, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books, English Teaching, Poetry

Roy Foster’s overview of the life and career of Seamus Heaney is careful, balanced, and skilful, covering a lot of ground in a relatively short book.

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September 13, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Seamus Heaney
Books, English Teaching, Poetry
Comment

Tyrant: Shakespeare on Power, by Stephen Greenblatt

September 04, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, Books

Stephen Greenblatt’s analysis of 7 of Shakespeare’s plays which depict tyranny has become all the more dismayingly relevant since its first publication in 2018.

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September 04, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Shakespeare, Books
Comment

researchED Dublin presentations

September 02, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Teaching

A preview of the presentations at researchED Dublin on Saturday 24th September at St Columba’s College. After the keynotes, they are in alphabetical order; the timetable will be released closer to the time.

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September 02, 2022 /Julian Girdham
ResearchED
Teaching
Comment

On Claire Keegan and Fintan O'Toole

July 05, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books

Claire Keegan and Fintan O’Toole have written two superb books, which approach the same idea from utterly different angles.

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July 05, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Claire Keegan, Small Things Like These
Books
1 Comment

Recommendation Round-Up

June 26, 2022 by Julian Girdham

Some brief book-recommendations: these were in The Fortnightly in the first six months of 2022, but I didn’t get around comment on them extensively for my main book page.

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June 26, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Comment

On Reading More

June 22, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books

Thoughts on reading, and on reading more, occasioned by Ian Leslie’s Ruffian Substack: Nine Ways to Read: ideas for reading more and better books.

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June 22, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Reading
Books
Comment

CBI Pride Reading Guide

June 21, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books

Children’s Books Ireland have produced a handy and helpful selection of ‘100 great reads for ages 0-18’ to mark Pride Month 2022.

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June 21, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Books
Comment

English teaching vacancy

June 13, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

Details of English teaching vacancies for 2022-23.

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June 13, 2022 /Julian Girdham
English Teaching
Comment

Alex Quigley's 'Closing the Writing Gap'

June 10, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Teaching, English Teaching, Books

Alex Quigley’s Closing the Writing Gap joins its predecessors on vocabulary and writing to form one of the very best resources around for teachers of all disciplines.

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June 10, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Teaching, English Teaching, Books
Comment

Leaving Certificate English 2022, Paper 2

June 09, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

Observations on English Paper 2 of the 2022 Leaving Certificate

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June 09, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Leaving Certificate
English Teaching
1 Comment

Leaving Certificate English 2022, Paper 1

June 08, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

A review of the first English paper in the 2022 Leaving Certificate.

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June 08, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Leaving Certificate
English Teaching
2 Comments

On Professional Development for Teachers in Irish Schools

June 07, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Teaching

Some considerations on CPD in post-primary schools in Ireland.

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June 07, 2022 /Julian Girdham
English Teaching, Teaching
3 Comments

Leaving Cert Exam Tips

May 31, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

A fuller version of some ‘tips’ from today’s Irish Times.

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May 31, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Leaving Certificate
English Teaching
Comment

Zoe Enser's 'Bringing Forth the Bard'

May 25, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching, Books

Zoe Enser’s Bringing Forth the Bard is a valuable guide for both novice and experienced teachers of Shakespeare.

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May 25, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Shakespeare, English Teaching, Books
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Bernardine Evaristo's 'Manifesto'

May 20, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books, Fiction

Bernardine Evaristo’s autobiographical account traces her personal, sexual and creative journeys on the way to her recent artistic success and her ‘established and unswayable’ character.

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May 20, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Books, Fiction
Comment

An Cailín Ciúin | The Quiet Girl

May 14, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books

Colm Bairéad’s superb version of Claire Keegan’s ‘Foster’ is beautifully done.

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May 14, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Claire Keegan, Film
Books
1 Comment

researchED Dublin: the return

May 11, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Teaching

researchED Dublin returns on Saturday 24th September. Grab your ticket while you can from the evening of Thursday 12th May.

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May 11, 2022 /Julian Girdham
ResearchED
Teaching
Comment

An English Meet, 2022

May 05, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

An account of the English Meet on Thursday 5th May 2022 at St Columba’s College, with the presentation and relevant links.

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May 05, 2022 /Julian Girdham
English Meet
English Teaching
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English Teaching vacancy

April 30, 2022 by Julian Girdham

We’re hiring: English teaching vacancy for 2022-23 and perhaps beyond.

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April 30, 2022 /Julian Girdham
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