Dr Brigid Ehrmantraut

PhD thesis:

Interpretatio Hiberniana: Classical Influences in Medieval Irish Depictions of Otherworldly Characters

Throughout the eleventh and twelfth centuries, multiple Classical texts were adapted and translated into medieval Irish. These adaptations are more than word-for-word translations, and often feature reorganized or additional material drawn from multiple sources. I am particularly interested in how Irish adaptations translate words for divine and supernatural beings, and where such terms appear in other vernacular works from the same period. Roman attempts to translate other culture’s gods into their own mythological equivalents are traditionally known as interpretatio Romana. My dissertation will question whether a sort of literary interpretatio Hiberniana took place in medieval Ireland. I will examine the degree to which Irish authors looked to Classical texts to inform their depictions of their own Otherworldy characters and pre-Christian past, as well as what their native tradition might have contributed to their translation of Classical beings. Ultimately, I aim to elucidate the intellectual milieu of eleventh- and twelfth-century Ireland.

Who or what inspired you to pursue your research interests?

I have always enjoyed studying mythology, especially when it involves finding connections between different cultures and religious traditions. During my undergraduate degree in Classics at Princeton, I became particularly interested in language, translation, and the interactions between Classical and medieval languages and texts. I was fortunate enough to complete an MPhil in Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic (ASNaC) at Cambridge and look forward to continuing my studies in such an interdisciplinary and unique department.

Beyond the PhD

After completing her PhD, Brigid held a Junior Research Fellowship at St John's College, Cambridge from 2023-2025. Following this, in September 2025 Brigid took up a permanent academic position at the University of St Andrews as Associate Lecturer in Latin and in the History of the British Isles, c.1100-1500.

Her first monograph, Classical Myth in Medieval Irelandwas published by D.S. Brewer in September 2025, and is expanded from her PhD research.

In 2026, Brigid will be publishing a trade book with Thames and Hudson entitled Celtic Magic: A Practitioner's Guide.