Abstract
It is clear from research, policy, and third-level discourse that creativity is a central priority in the contemporary university. The concept of creativity is increasingly drawn upon at a strategic level in universities, where creativity is closely linked with entrepreneurial innovation. A deep understanding of this concept is still lacking, however, particularly regarding how individual academics experience creativity in their professional lives. This is particularly evident within Irish language departments, where creative practice intersects with cultural preservation, linguistic revitalization, and artistic expression in the Irish language. This research examined how teachers and researchers might foster a creative life. Five academic researchers from Irish language departments, who have achieved national awards for their creative work in Irish Studies, participated in this empirical study.
The constructivist paradigm was used as a theoretical framework, and semi-structured interviews were employed to discuss the participants’ practices. What emerged from these interviews is that university teachers and researchers have a rich and complex understanding of their creative work. At an individual level, their daily creative practice was closely linked both to personal transformation and to professional fulfilment; for many of those interviewed, creativity was understood as an escape hatch from the constraints and frustrations of academic life. Creativity was viewed in this sense as a radical act: as a wonderfully special way to be more present and more open, in both life and work.
