Emma Dymock (Celtic MA (Hons) (University of Edinburgh), MSc (University of Edinburgh), PhD (University of Edinburgh))

Tutor

  • Celtic and Scottish Studies

Contact details

Address

Street

50 George Square
Edinburgh

City
Post code
EH8 9LH

Background

Dr Emma Dymock is from Bathgate, West Lothian. She gained a First Class Honours in Celtic at the University of Edinburgh in 2003 and went on to complete an MSc in Celtic and Scottish Studies in 2004. She remained at Edinburgh University to undertake her PhD, under the supervision of Prof William Gillies and Dr Anja Gunderloch. She graduated in 2008 and remained in Celtic and Scottish Studies, tutoring and lecturing on a number of courses, including Celtic Civilisation 1A, Celtic Civilisation 1B, Introduction to Gaelic Language and Culture, Celtic Literature 2B, Postgraduate Research and Study Methods and the 20th Century Gaelic Poetry Honours course. She has also lectured in Scottish Literature.

Her primary research interest is modern Scottish Gaelic poetry; her PhD thesis is entitled 'The Quest for Identity in Sorley MacLean’s "An Cuilithionn": Journeying into Politics and Beyond’ and her research has focussed on the work of Sorley MacLean since her PhD. She has worked with the poet and scholar, Christopher Whyte, in preparing the collected poems of Sorley MacLean, published in 2011, and has also furthered the understanding and teaching of Sorley MacLean’s poetry in schools, with her work with the Association for Scottish Literary Studies. Emma Dymock’s research on 20th century Gaelic poetry has led her to explore the field of 20th century Scottish literature more widely, in particular the Scottish Renaissance poets and writers such as Hugh MacDiarmid, Sydney Goodsir Smith and Douglas Young. The intersections and friendships of the Gaelic and Scots literary figures has resulted in her ongoing editing of the Sorley MacLean-Douglas Young Correspondence. She has also attempted to bring the work of Douglas Young more firmly into focus, beginning with the publication of Naething Dauntit: The Collected Poems of Douglas Young, in 2016. This was the first time his collected poetry had been made available and forms the first in a projected series of publications by Emma Dymock, with Young’s Scots plays and his political writings to come in the future.

Emma Dymock’s other research interests include Scottish Gaelic drama and 20th Century Irish poetry. She is particularly interested in modern representations of myth, symbolism and socio-political contexts.

Qualifications

MA (Hons)   MSc   PhD

Fellow, Society of Antiquaries (Scotland)

Management Committee, Association for Scottish Literary Studies

Education Committee, Association for Scottish Literary Studies

General Council, Association for Scottish Literary Studies