This book is a set of essays by a number of eminent Irish-language scholars who have concentrated on the intersection of contemporary international literary theory and Irish literature. It will serve as a handbook of literary theory developed from within the Gaelic tradition for readers and students of Irish literature. It examines how new approaches might be applied in the case of Irish-language narrative (Louis de Paor), figurative language (Máire Ní Annracháin), the role of the author (Máirin Nic Eoin), translation (Micheál Ó Cróinín) and the relationship between the written and the oral traditions (Gearóid Ó Crualaoich). It also examines the potential of psychoanalysis (Liam Mac Cóil), and feminism (Bríona Nic Dhiarmada) to provide pertinent critical tools for readers of literature in Irish.