The Department of English at the College of Education ibn Rushd for Human Sciences, University of Baghdad, organized a workshop entitled “Irish Folklore in J. M. Synge’s Theatre: Connecting Heritage Across Generations.” The workshop was delivered by Asst. Prof. Dr. Inam Hashim Hadi and was attended by a number of students from the department.
The workshop addressed the role of Irish folklore in the theatre of John Millington Synge (J. M. Synge), with particular emphasis on how he employed folkloric elements as a means of preserving Irish cultural heritage and transmitting it across generations. It highlighted that Synge did not use folklore merely as a decorative background, but rather as a fundamental structural component that reflects Irish social identity and historical and cultural experiences.
The workshop also discussed the presence of myths, folk beliefs, local dialects, songs, and rural tales in Synge’s plays, especially those depicting the lives of rural communities in the Aran Islands and western Ireland. It demonstrated how this folkloric integration contributed to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and linking the past with the theatrical present.
In addition, the workshop shed light on Synge’s ability to bridge the generational gap by reintroducing folk heritage within a modern theatrical framework, enabling younger generations to engage with and understand cultural heritage in a contemporary context. It further noted that this interaction between folklore and theatre played a significant role in shaping modern Irish drama and reinforcing a sense of national identity.
The workshop concluded by emphasizing that Synge’s theatre represents a vivid example of how folklore can be employed in art as an effective means of preserving cultural memory and ensuring the continuity of heritage over time.
