Futa Fata, Leabhar Breac and Móinín celebrate winning first prize in the Irish-Language Book of the Year awards.
Buaiteoirí Leabhair Ghaeilge na Bliana 2020 Fógartha
D’fhógair An tOireachtas, i gcomhpháirt le Foras na Gaeilge, inniu (Dé Máirt, 6 Deireadh Fómhair 2020) buaiteoirí Ghradaim Fhoilsitheoireachta 2020 – Gradam Réics Carló (Leabhar na Bliana don Léitheoir Óg), Gradam de Bhaldraithe (Leabhar na Bliana do shaothar aistrithe go Gaeilge ó theanga eile) agus Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin (Leabhar na Bliana don Léitheoir Fásta).
Is ar an Teach Foilsitheoireachta, Futa Fata, a bronnadh Gradam Réics Carló don saothar AN FÉILEACÁN AGUS AN RÍ le Máire Zepf agus a mhaisigh Shona Shirley Macdonald. Bronnadh Gradam de Bhaldraithe ar Leabhar Breac don saothar AR LUCH AGUS AR DHUINE aistriúchán cumasach a rinne Colmcille Ó Monacháin ar an saothar le John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men. Is chuig an Teach Foilsitheoireachta, Móinín, a chuaigh Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin don saothar MÁCHAIL le Ré Ó Laighléis. Fógraíodh duaischiste iomlán de €17,000.
“Tréaslaím leis na meithleacha ar fad a tháinig i dteannta a chéile chun na foilseacháin bhreátha atá á gceiliúradh againn inniu a chruthú”, a dúirt Liam Ó Maolaodha, Stiúrthóir an Oireachtais, “Tá borradh agus bláthú i dtaca leis an litríocht Ghaeilge le tabhairt faoi deara, ní amháin sa tír seo ach san Eoraip agus níos faide ó bhaile”, a dúirt sé. “Is ugach dúinn ar fad é nuair a fheicimid saothar Gaeilge á aistriú go teanga eile chomh maith le sár-fhoilseacháin ó theangacha eile a bheith á gcur ar fáil i nGaeilge. Is léiriú atá ann ar rath agus ar bhríomhaire ár dteanga, ár scríbhneoirí agus ár dTithe Foilsitheoireachta. Ní mór dúinn anois, go háirithe i bhfianaise na corraíola eacnamaíoch agus na ndúshlán eile atá tarlaithe de bharr na paindéime, a chinntiú go sroichfidh na leabhair seo na margaidh atá ag tnúth leo.”
Dúirt Príomhfheidhmeannach Fhoras na Gaeilge, Seán Ó Coinn, “Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le buaiteoirí na ngradam agus leis na tithe foilsitheoireachta ar fad a bhí ar ghearrliostaí na bliana seo. Tá beocht agus brí in earnáil na leabhar Gaeilge faoi láthair agus tá na foilsitheoirí agus scríbhneoirí araon le tréaslú dá bharr. Tá na tithe foilsitheoireachta faoi bhrú i láthair na huaire agus tá súil agam gur ardú meanma agus b’fhéidir ardú díolacháin a bheidh ann dóibh a bheith luaite ar na gearrliostaí i mbliana.”
Ag an ócáid chéanna, sheol COMHAR i gcomhpháirt le Foras na Gaeilge céim eile sationscadal ilchéimneach, ilbhliantúil Portráidí na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge, nuair a cuireadh ocht ngrianghraif nua leis an mbunachar ar Portraidi.ie. D’fhógair An Dr. Liam Mac Amhlaigh (eagarthóir Phortráidí na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge) liosta scríbhneoirí 2021 ag an ócáid freisin. Eiseofar portráidí de na scríbhneoirí seo, chomh maith le heolas beathaisnéise agus sonraí gaolmhara eile faoi mhí Dheireadh Fómhair 2021.
Leanfar leis an gceiliúradh ar Scríbhneoirí na Gaeilge le linn Oireachtas na Samhna ó 23 Deireadh Fómhair – 1 Samhain 2020, tráth a bhfógrófar Buaiteoirí Chomórtais Liteartha an Oireachtais 2020.
Winners of the 2020 Irish-Language Publishing Awards Announced
Today (Tuesday, 6th October 2020) An tOireachtas, in conjunction with Foras na Gaeilge, announced the winners of this year’s Gradam Réics Carló (Irish-Language Book of the Year for Children), Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin (Irish-Language Book of the Year for Adults) and Gradam de Bhaldraithe (Irish-Language Translation of an original work in another language).
Publishing House Futa Fata, was awarded Gradam Réics Carló for AN FÉILEACÁN AGUS AN RÍ written by Máire Zepf and illustrated by Shona Shirley Macdonald. Leabhar Breac was awarded Gradam de Bhaldraithe for AR LUCH AGUS AR DHUINE, Colmcille Ó Monacháin’s masterful translationof John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin was awarded to MÁCHAIL written by Ré Ó Laighléis and published by Móinín. A total prize fund of €17,000 was awarded.
“The production of such works as appeared on the shortlists for the 2020 Irish-Language Publishing Awards is the culmination of an intense and complex creative process”, said Liam Ó Maolaodha, Director of An tOireachtas, “and I extend heartfelt congratulations to the Publishing Houses and their authors for the calibre and the quality of their collaborations in the past year. We all take heart from the success of books which are translated from Irish into other languages of Europe and beyond, as we also do from the availability of great literary works which are translated into Irish. This is a mark of the energy and enterprise presently underlining the vitality of the Irish language, new Irish writing and our dedicated Publishing Houses,” he said. “It is incumbent on the rest of us, especially in this uncertain economic climate, to ensure that these books reach their eagerly awaiting markets.”
The Chief Executive of Foras na Gaeilge, Seán Ó Coinn, said, “I would like to congratulate all the award winners and publishers on this year’s shortlists. There is an energy and vibrance in the Irish-language book sector at present and both publishers and writers are to be congratulated for that. Like many sectors, publishing houses are under immense pressure at the moment and I hope that being shortlisted this year will boost morale and increase sales for the coming months. I wish them every success.”
Also today, COMHAR in association with Foras na Gaeilge launched Phase 2 of the ongoing initiative Portraits of Irish-Language Writers 20. Dr. Liam Mac Amhlaigh (editor of Portraits of Irish-Language Writers) also announced the 2021 list of writers involved in the initiative.
The celebration of new Irish writing will continue during this year’s Oireachtas na Samhna virtual festival, from 23rd October – 1st November 2020, during which the winners of the 2020 Oireachtas Literary Competition will be announced.
Irish-Language Books of the Year Publishing Awards 2020
Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin (Irish-Language Book of the Year for Adults)
- MÁCHAIL
- Author: Ré Ó Laighléis €2,500
- Publisher: Móinín €5,000
Gradam Réics Carló (Irish-Language Book of the Year for Children)
- AN FÉILEACÁN AGUS AN RÍ
- Author: Máire Zepf €1,250
- Illustrator: Shona Shirley Macdonald €1,250
- Publisher: Futa Fata €5,000
Gradam de Bhaldraithe (Book of the Year Award for publications translated to Irish)
- AR LUCH AGUS AR DHUINE
- Translators: Colmcille Ó Monacháin €500
- Publisher: Leabhar Breac €1,500
Portraits of Irish-Language Writers 2020
- Áine Durkin: poet, composer and blogger
- Áine Uí Fhoghlú: poet file and writer for young people
- Declan Collinge: poet and academic writer
- Gary Hastings: translator
- Jackie Mac Donncha: short story writer, poet and novelist
- Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha: lecturer in Middle and Old-Irish, NUIG and academic writer
- Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin: composer andacademic writer
- Seán Ó Coileáin: former lecturer in Modern-Irish, UCC and academic writer
Portraits of Irish-Language Writers 2021
- Antain Mac Lochlainn: novelist, translator, short story writer and academic writer
- Deirdre Ní Ghrianna: short story writer and journalist
- Diarmuid de Faoite: playwright and script writer
- Laoise Ní Chléirigh: writer for young people
- Máire Dinny Wren: poet, short story writer and playwright
- Mícheál Ó Cuaig: Poet and composer
- Pádraig Ó Riain: Former Professor of Old Irish, University College Cork and academic writer
- Ríonach uí Ógáin: Former director of the National Folklore Collection and academic writer
More Information:
Louise Ní Dháibhéid, An tOireachtas | 00353 87 1005439 | louise@antoireachtas.ie
