ELIT 2811
Ampersand: Literary Culture of Modern Ireland
This course will examine the literature of Ireland from the fall of Parnell to the outbreak of the Second World War. This is the period of an emerging cultural nationalism, a great efflorescence of literature in many genres, and some of the most important political, social, and military events in modern Irish history. One of the remarkable things about the period is the close relationship between prominent figures in the literary and artistic world and those in the realm of politics and social change. The result was a rich cross-fertilization of ideas and attitudes which had enormous implications for the future of this embattled island nation. We will explore this vital and transformative exchange by close attention to some primary texts of the period. Writers to be studied will include: Yeats, Gregory, Wilde, Synge, Shaw, Joyce, O'Casey, and Bowen. Course is for first-year, non-transfer students only.
Instructors
Reviews
Dr. Killen is an amazing professor and person, but only take his class if you are ok reading 150-200 pages per class, including history textbooks. Only take if you are very interested in the subject. Do not take if you only want the trip to Ireland since it will probably be canceled again.
4/22/2026
She assigns a lot of readings, and even more supplementary readings, which are irrelevant in class. She has us read aloud the paragraph or two that she deems important from 27 page articles to discuss, and we all just ignore the rest. She is also a very tough grader.
2/12/2026
Dean Killen is a very good professor, though his class has A LOT of reading (so be prepared for that). He very clearly cares about his students and all the ideas that they bring to the table. I definitely feel like I've learned a ton from this class (Irish Lit)!
12/15/2025
I love Dr. Killen. He is so kind and cares so much about his students. However, he assigns a LOT of reading so be prepared to keep up with it and have things to say. He is a wonderful person, and I am grateful to have him as my advisor and teacher freshman year.
12/4/2025
She doesn't care if you succeed. She just wants to further herself. She expects students to know the texts to the same degree that she does, regardless of the fact that we have 3 days to read it and she has had 30+ years to teach the same text.
11/15/2025
She gave random tests and quizzes contradictory to the syllabus and didn't really care about us learning, more about her telling us about what she thinks of the way we should think. This isn't psych.
11/15/2025
I really didn't like Dr. Finneran. She taught my Ampersand Ireland course, and she was horrific. She assigned a random pop quiz, which then translated to 3.33% of the final grade on the first day of a module, even when the syllabus says that we only have written assessments (i.e. papers). Avoid her at all costs.
11/15/2025
Finneran didn't actually teach anything, she just told us her opinions.
11/6/2025
Dr. Erin Finneran is a horrific teacher. She is very opinionated and keeps going off on tangents in class about pop-culture references. I do not recommend in the slightest. If you have an opportunity to take your class with a different professor, seize the opportunity.
10/20/2025
Will grade you based on whether she agrees with your argument, not how well you argue it. She only supports her interpretation and will reject yours. Any question she asks is just her trying to find a segway to talk about whatever she wants to talk about. Often condescending and wants you to be confused so she can explain it to you.
2/7/2024
This man is amazing and has guided me through so much of my time at WashU. His classes are SO MUCH reading though, but mostly because he doesn't realize how much he is assigning. You don't need to read it all. As long as you have enough of an understanding, you will be able to write essays and interact just fine.
1/9/2023
Dr. Killen is a wonderful teacher and an extremely caring man. Very passionate about Irish literature and always willing to meet outside of class. Highly recommend!
12/1/2021
I love Dr. Finneran. She is an amazing academic and writer herself, you can tell she REALLY knows what she's talking about in this field of study, so her teaching is naturally incredibly helpful and rewarding. She cares about her students and wants them to succeed. I learned a lot and ended up satisfied with my progress as a writer.
3/16/2021
Dean Killen is my advisor and my professor. He's very passionate about Ireland and its culture, and he's very helpful when it comes to providing advice as well. I really enjoy going to his class everyday!
10/28/2015
Finneran has SO MUCH ENERGY. At 9 am it can be a bit overbearing, but she genuinely is passionate about Irish literature and she really wants you to feel the same way. Her grading is not too harsh and if you come to her with a specific reason for why you need more time or whatever she'll be happy to grant it. In general, no complaints!
10/28/2015
Finneran knows what she is doing. Her class is hardly ever boring and she can be entertaining in a goofy way. Has much knowledge of the subjects she teaches. But she also has this obsession with little details and perfectionism that makes the classes quite complicated. She does feel compelled to complicate matters sometimes.
5/4/2014
Finneran's amazing! She has a wonderful spirit. She infused our class with passion and inspired each of us to do our best in life and in school. She helped create a community. And we all became huge fans of Irish literature, whether we had been or not before the class. Love EMF!
11/22/2009