This paper is predicated on an argument for presenting the Irish short story as a statutory recommendation within the A Level English syllabus in Northern Ireland (and also, perhaps, in syllabi set by Examination Boards in other parts of the United Kingdom). Employing a carefully considered literary-critical perspective, the paper offers a…

In evaluating some of Heaney's prose writings about the art of poetry -- what I have called his 'Poetics' -- the paper explores how those ideas could enhance the teaching of poetry in the upper post-primary schools. The paper is divided into four closely interconnected sections. The first section evaluates Heaney's thoughts about the potential…

This paper argues that there is scope for considerable change and improvement in the way in which Poetry is taught at Key Stage Two in Northern Ireland. In making this case for significant improvement, the paper has three interconnected parts. In the first part, a range of critical ideas highlight the richness of poetry as a literary genre.…