Emil Trahan
Biography
Emil Trahan is a PhD candidate at the School of English, Irish, & Communication. His research interests include Masculinities, Irish language literature, Contemporary Irish literature, Spaces, Violence.
Project Title
Expression and Aggression: A comparative analysis of Violence, Masculinities and Space in Contemporary Irish and English-Language Irish fiction.
Project Description
This research study investigates the representation of violence, masculinities and space within selected works of contemporary Irish fiction. It analyses these central themes alongside narrative techniques employed in works by Roddy Doyle, Claire Keegan, Daithí Ó Muirí and Micheál Ó Conghaile. By comparing Irish and English language texts, this study argues that these examples of contemporary Irish fiction demonstrate how social and spatial practices shape and are shaped by violence in Irish fiction. While scholarship exists on either English- or Irish-language representations of these themes, this study addresses a gap in existing criticism by providing a cross-linguistic close reading of how contemporary Irish fiction represents the relationship between gender performance, violence, and space.
Supervisors
Dr. Sorcha De Brún, Dr. Christina Morin.
Presentations
- "Telling Your Story: Violence, Masculinities and Spaces in Roddy Doyle’s Smile (2017)" at Comhfhios 2026- Violence: Legacies of Conflict in Ireland, Boston College, 7th of February 2026.
- Ag Déanamh Aistriúcháin ar do Scéal: Comparáid idir Foréigean, Fireannacht agus Spás i Sna Fir le Micheál Ó Conghaile agus Smile le Roddy Doyle at IASIL 2026 - Translating Ireland, Pázmány Péter Catholic University (PPCU) Budapest, 9th of July 2026.
Professional Memberships
International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures.
Project Funding
IASIL Postgraduate Scholarship (2026), AHSS Postgraduate Travel Funding Award (2025, 2026).
Awards & Honours
- Irish Examiner Video Journalism Award (2019).
- SMEDIA award for "Best Radio Documentary" (2019).
