Simpson, JoeJoeSimpson2025-02-192025-02-192025 the A2025http://hdl.handle.net/10197/27516This thesis undertakes a detailed examination of clause structure in Old Irish, specifically as it relates to the syntactic derivation of the finite verb, its constituent parts, and its arguments. Syntactic studies of Modern Irish have made notable contributions to the field of generative linguistics since its inception in the mid-20th century. Fewer studies have been carried out into Old and Middle Irish due to the inherent challenges of working with a limited corpus of medieval texts. The objective of this research is to synthesise the existing scholarship on Old Irish clause structure and provide new analyses to address unanswered questions in the field, drawing from both modern and medieval Celtic languages and comparisons with structures in other languages. In so doing, the thesis aims to make the complexities of Old Irish accessible to scholars familiar with generative syntax and to introduce those with expertise in historical Irish linguistics to the principles of generative syntax. While not strictly bound to a single theoretical model, the analysis is primarily informed by the Minimalist Program and a cartographic approach to syntactic structures. It also draws on insights from the Distributed Morphology framework, thereby facilitating an exploration of the interplay between syntax and morphology in Old Irish. The structure of the thesis reflects the hierarchical nature of the clause; each chapter delves into a different layer of clause structure, building on the previous one. Chapter 1 lays the groundwork with a philological overview of Old Irish and a discussion of the theoretical and methodological frameworks. Chapter 2 examines argument structure and the architecture of the extended VP. Chapter 3 discusses the nature and function of the projections within the inflectional layer of the clause. Chapter 4 explores the syntax of the verbal complex and its components, while Chapter 5 explores the left periphery of the Old Irish clause. Chapter 6 discusses the structure of the Old Irish DP and the syntax of personal pronouns, and Chapter 7 comprises a summary of the proposed derivation. This thesis thus aims to enhance the understanding of Old Irish clause structure and serve as a practical reference work for scholars of generative linguistics and those interested in the historical linguistics of Irish.enEarly IrishOld IrishGenerative grammarFinite clauseMinimalist analysisCartographic analysisDoctoral Thesishttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ie/