Although the busiest publishing season is autumn, several excellent books have been published so far this year, including memoir, nonfiction, poetry and children’s books.
A highlight is Rónán Mac an Iomaire’s An Ghluaiseacht: Scéal Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta (CIC, 2024). Its 445 pages chart the history of the Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement from its inception in 1969, in Teach Furbo, Connemara, to its gradual demise in the late 1970s. The lively, angry, energetic movement, sometimes violent and sometimes weird (as when Desmond Fennell proposed “Israel in Connemara” – a self-governing statelet for Gaeltacht people), provides fascinating material. Mac an Iomaire writes like a novelist, ensuring the history is riveting. The Gluaiseacht was the catalyst that led to the establishment of Raidio na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta, TG4 and much else.
While the author comments fairly on the movement’s negative as well as positive aspects, he doesn’t mention an interesting bias: it was almost exclusively driven by men. One woman, Máire Ní Fhlaithearta, who was extremely active, appears frequently in the book, as does the poet Caitlín Maude. But the name index lists 16 Nís and Nics and 127 Ós and Macs. Cá raibh na mná?
Sáinnithe (CIC) by Peadar Ó Máille is a compellingly written memoir about child abuse. When Peadar was nine years old, in 1960, a teacher, a Christian brother, molested him continuously over the course of a year, often behind a board or blackboard in the classroom.
The experience itself, and its subsequent effect on the victim’s life, are graphically recounted, in a sort of stream-of-consciousness style that is largely effective. The book goes on to discuss several of the child-abuse scandals that came to light in the 1990s. Peadar’s story has some of the typical elements - for instance, although he had loving parents, he told neither them nor anyone else about the abuse. Many aspects of Irish life and attitudes in the 1950s and 1960s are also documented and analysed in this remarkable book.
Joe McHugh was appointed minister for the Gaeltacht in 2014. Protesters outside the Dáil carried placards denouncing him: Joe McHugh, Aire Gan Clue. From Carrigart in Donegal - not too far from Gaeltachtaí - he hardly had a word of Irish. But he set about learning it, starting, like many, with the famed course at Gleann Cholmcille.
And he has become proficient. Beidh Tú Alright: An Irish Language Journey (Red Stripe) charts his experience very entertainingly: it’s written in English, but he includes an eclectic selection of Irish phrases and words, and discusses etymologies, place names and, basically, any word that catches his fancy.
Without doubt the most beautiful spring production is Dúchan: Blúirí ó Fhoclóir Mháirtín Uí Chadhain (Royal Irish Academy), edited by Charles Dillon and Colm ó Cuaig. Máirtín Ó Cadhain, famous for his extensive vocabulary in Cré na Cille, worked on assembling words and phrases between 1937 and 1946, as part of a team compiling the Gaeilge-Béarla dictionary published in 1977. Ó Cadhain wrote down more than a million words. This stunning book presents us with a selection of the phrases and sentences, and short anecdotes he collected, under headings such as An Grá, an Duine, an Aimsir.
[ ‘Cré na Cille’: do English versions hit the funny bone?Opens in new window ]
It’s easy to understand how Cré na Cille boasts such a rich lexicon: the novel was published just a few years after Ó Cadhain finished his lexicographical work. The samples are colourful and entertaining in themselves, apart from throwing light on Ó Cadhain’s mind. The book includes exquisite illustrations by Seán Ó Flatharta. Obviously indispensable to scholars, it has plenty to offer other readers.
Another contender for most handsome book this spring is Gearr Gonta (CIC), a selection of short poems by 100 poets. “Bíonn blas ar an mbeagán,” Micheál Ó Conghaile, the editor, writes in his excellent introduction to a selection by poets alive and dead, but all 20th and 21st century. Happy to report that the two main genders are well represented in this one – fair play to Micheál!
Gonta it may be, but the book is a fitting testament to the quantity and quality of Irish poetry written over the past 100 years or so.
One poet in Gearr Gonta is Aine Ní Ghlinn, the well-known writer of children’s books, who is also one of Ireland’s most important poets. It’s wonderful to have this selection of ground-breaking work composed over five decades, including new material – Dánta Idir Shean agus Nua (CIC). The poems in the dual-language volume are beautifully translated to English by Theo Dorgan.
The only novel to come my way was Bódlaer (Leabhar Breac), by Darach Ó Scolaí – but what a gem. An affectionately gentle satire of the Irish poetic scene during one creatively fluid 19th-century year, the story focuses on a Maigue poet and schoolteacher who goes on a trip to France and returns with camembert, a cafetiere, Les Fleurs du Mal and a mission to convert the local traditionalists to la modernité. Whimsical, hilarious and subtly learned, it’s delightful.
And for the young: Futa Fata celebrates its 20th anniversary with a new edition of the first picture book it produced, the classic Cití Cearc, by Patricia Forde, with gorgeous illustrations by Úna Woods.
Another even older classic featuring a chicken is Buairtín (Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne), by Brighid Ní Loingsigh, first published in 1953. A new version, still in the dialect of Iveragh but with the original orthography updated, is edited by Muireann Ní Mhóráin, beautifully illustrated by Siobhán Uí Bhriain.
Reproductions of the charming drawings from the first edition are included too. There’s more text in Buairtín than we get in today’s picture books, so it’s a substantial story that will last for a few bedtimes.
Finally, a picture book of a different kind, more suited to older children. Máirseáil ar Son na Saoirse, by Subhadra Sen Gupta, translated by Gabriel Rosenstock, is about Gandhi’s historic march to Dandi in 1930. A fascinating snapshot of Indian history.
Éilís Ní Dhuibhne is a writer and critic. She is a member of Aosdána
