) ▁is ▁an ▁Irish ▁academic ▁whose ▁studies ▁have ▁focused ▁especially ▁on ▁aspects ▁of ▁Irish ▁language , ▁literature ▁and ▁history . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁education ▁Mac ▁E oin ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁L imer ick ▁and ▁New ▁Ross , ▁where ▁he ▁attended ▁St ▁August ine ' s ▁and ▁Good ▁Coun sel ▁College , ▁New ▁Ross . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁National ▁University ▁of ▁Ireland , ▁Gal way , ▁on ▁scholar ship , ▁took ▁courses ▁in ▁C elt ic ▁Studies , ▁arch ae ology , ▁history ▁and ▁the ▁classical ▁languages , ▁and ▁graduated ▁with ▁an ▁M . A . ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Bonn , ▁Germany , ▁for ▁a ▁Ph D ▁position ▁and ▁obtained ▁his ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁for ▁a ▁dis sert ation ▁on ▁" D as ▁Verb als ystem ▁von ▁T og ail ▁Tro í ▁( H . ▁ 2 . ▁ 1 7 ) ". ▁Back ▁in ▁Ireland , ▁he ▁found ▁employ ment ▁as ▁a ▁radio ▁host ▁on ▁R T É ▁Radio . ▁ ▁Dublin , ▁Re yk jav ik ▁and ▁U pp s ala ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Mac ▁E oin ▁spent ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁working ▁at ▁the ▁Dublin ▁Institute ▁for ▁Advanced ▁Studies ▁( DI AS ), ▁but ▁left ▁for ▁I cel and ▁when ▁he ▁accepted ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁study ▁I cel and ic ▁language ▁and ▁literature ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁I cel and . ▁Meanwhile , ▁his ▁position