Fadó Fadó

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Tá sé riachtanach traidisiúin agus finscéalta na hÉireann a choinneáil beo chun ár n-am atá thart agus ár n-oidhreacht a choinneáil bríomhar. Tugaimid cuireadh duit éisteacht le Maedhbh Ní Cheallaigh i gcomhrá leis na húdair Colmán ó Raghallaigh agus Micheál Ó Conghaile.

Colmán Ó Raghallaigh, a former Deputy School Principal taught for 35 years in his native Mayo. He holds Masters Degrees in both Modern Irish and Old Irish and has a particular interest in Irish history and mythology. He has recently lectured in Celtic Studies in NUIG. He is the author of many books in Irish for children and young people, including the award winning Ruairí series (Cló Mhaigh Eo), widely used in schools throughout Ireland and a highly successful series of graphic novels. His best-selling book, Drochlá Ruairí, was the first children's book by an Irish author to be published on CD rom in either Irish or English. A number of his books have been published in the Japanese and Manx languages. While teaching he was involved in delivering support programmes for in-school facilitators in the Irish language. He has also given many courses for teachers and lectured extensively in schools and universities on creative writing and Irish language literature. In 1996 he set up Cló Mhaigh Eo to publish high-quality books in Irish and has since published books by more than 20 Irish authors. As well as Bisto Merit Awards in 2002 and 2003, he has received Special Merit awards from the Reading Association of Ireland and the Oireachtas in 2003 and 2004 respectively. At Oireachtas na Gaeilge 2006 he was presented with the Book of the Year award for young people by playwright, Brian Friel, for his graphic novel An Táin. A companion volume Deirdre was published in 2008. In 2012 Children’s Books Ireland presented him with a special award to mark his contribution to children’s literature in Ireland. His novel, STRAINSEIRÍ, about the issue of the “travelling people” in Ireland, was published in 2008 while a new edition of his popular novel about the Famine, Éalú san Oíche, was published in October 2012. His new adaptation of Myles na gCopaleen’s famed satire An Béal Bocht was published as a graphic novel by Cló Mhaigh Eo in December 2012. In December 2013 another graphic novel from Cló Mhaigh Eo, Gráinne Mhaol by Gisela Pizatto, was awarded the Irish language Book of the Year for young people.

Micheál Ó Conghaile is from Connemara.  He established the publishing company Cló Iar-Chonnacht in 1985, and he is a member of Aosdána. He writes in Irish, and has published short stories, plays and novels, and has also done several translations. He has won The Butler Literary Award from the Irish American Cultural Institute and the Hennessy Literary Award.  His works have been translated into Romanian, Croatian, Albanian, Slovenian, German, Bengali, Polish, Macedonian, Arabic and English. His most recent publication are Laethanta Sona, a translation of Becketts Happy Days, and his memoir, Nollaig Oileánach.

Is mar scríbhneoir cruthaitheach is mó aithne ar Mhicheál Ó Conghaile, go háirithe ó foilsíodh a dhara cnuasach gearrscéalta An Fear a Phléasc (1997), an t-úrscéal Sna Fir (2000) a bhí ar ghearrliosta Dhuais Liteartha The Irish Times. Sa Teach Seo Anocht a nóibhille is deireannaí. Léirigh An Taibhdhearc trí dhráma dá chuid agus bronnadh breis agus tríocha duais Oireachtais air thar na blianta chomh maith le duais Stewart Parker/BBC Raidió Uladh, Duais Fhoras na Gaeilge/Sheachtain na Scríbhneoirí i Lios Tuathail, Duais Ionadaíochta an Choimisiúin Eorpaigh/Anois agus Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin. Tá gearrscéalta leis asitrithe go breis agus deich dteanga. Ball d’Aos Dána é. Nollaig Oileánaigh is teideal dá shaothar is deireannaí.

Meabhdh Ní Cheallaigh is an Irish teacher in Coláiste Chilliain, in Clondalkin with have a masters in Irish from UCD. She has spent time translating  in Brussels and is the chairperson of Muintir Chrónáin, an Irish Cultural Centre in Clondalkin. 

Múinteoir Gaeilge i gColáiste Chilliain, i gCluain Dolcáin le máistreacht sa Ghaeilge ó UCD, chaith sí seal ag aistriú sa Bhruiséil agus tá sí ag feidhmiú mar Chathaoireach ar Mhuintir Chrónáin, Ionad Cultúir i gCluain Dolcáin.