A book symposium for Natasha Sumner's new publication, Heroes of the Gael: A History of Fionn and the Fianna

We're celebrating Natasha Sumner's (Harvard University) new work, Heroes of the Gael: A History of Fionn and the Fianna (Princeton University Press, 2026). Joining Sumner for a discussion of Irish folklore are Geraldine Parsons (University of Glasgow), Ciara Ní Riain (Harvard University), and Ray Cashman (Indiana University Bloomington).

Natasha Sumner's research focuses on the Gaelic narrative corpus about the hero Fionn Mac Cumhaill, with particular regard for Fenian folklore. She is interested in the historical development of the corpus and the conditions for the transmission and narration of folklore. She has also worked on intertextuality in eighteenth-century Scottish Gaelic literature.

Geraldine Prasons works primarily on the literature and language of the medieval and early modern Gaelic-speaking world, with a particular interest in the material centered on the legendary hero Finn mac Cumaill (later Finn/Fionn Mac Cumhaill/McCool), known as fíanaigecht literature. Her research often focuses on the major Middle Irish text at the heart of that corpus, Acallam na Senórach (The Colloquy of the Ancients).

Ciara Ní Riain's research focuses on Irish language and literature on both sides of the Atlantic, particularly from the seventeenth century to the present day. These interests are linked by a shared concern with nationalism, culture, and identity. She has also worked on post-medieval manuscript transmission and preservation, as well as biographical narratives on the history of the American West. 

Ray Cashman is Provost Professor of Folklore at Indiana University Bloomington. he is the author of two prize-winning books: Storytelling on the Northern Irish Border: Characters and Community (2008) and Packy Jim: Folklore and Worldview on the Irish Border (2016), as well as numerous articles and essays. Elected a fellow and board member of the American Folklore Society, Cashman has served as editor of the Journal of Folklore Research and series editor for two book series published by Indiana University Press.