Tá obair leanúnach dhíograiseach idir láimhe chun leabharlann agus cartlann a fháil réidh ag
Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail. A bhuíoch do dheontas ón Ultach Fund (Community Foundation) tá
cartlannaí i mbun catalógaithe dhá lá in aghaidh na seachtaine. Obair phléisiúrtha ar ndóigh
atá i gceist, faoin scéim “Scagadh agus Scaipeadh Seod”, ach obair í a ghlacann am, cúram
agus foighde. Is leabhair i nGaeilge iad formhór na leabhar atá sa leabharlann ach tá stuif i
mBéarla ann lena chois a bhaineann le stair an Iúir agus le hoidhreacht Oirialla/Chúige
Uladh. Tá dul chun cinn le mothú ann le tamall anuas sa dóigh is gur féidir liostaí a sholáthar
anois ar líne, bunaithe ag an pointe seo ar na réimsí a leanas - Filíocht, Drámaí,
Áitainmneacha, Ginealas, Beathaisnéisí, Aistrúcháin, Béal Feirste, Eaglaisí, Saothar Chathail
Uí Sandair, Tír Chonaill. Cuimsíonn an stoc neart irisí, cuid mhaith acu a bhaineann le stair
logánta. Tá an fhoireann bheag atá ag plé leis an chartlann ag fáil réidh do “Éire ag Léamh”
(Satharn 24 Feabhra) mar chuid de Leabhra-Feabhra. Tá fáilte roimh chuairteoirí a bhfuil dúil
acu i leabhair seal a chaitheamh linn maidin ar bith Luan-Aoine. Tá tréan leabhar ann atá
fóirsteanach do mhúinteoirí agus tuilleadh dóibh siúd atá i mbun taighde ar théamaí
oideachais agus iltheangachais. Níl tús curtha go fóill le catalógú na leabhair is luachmhaire
agus is sine atá sa bhailiúchán ach tá beartaithe sin a dhéanamh um Cháisc. D’fhonn daoine
a mhealladh chuig an leabharlann beidh díolachán leabhar ann agus tabharfar amach
leabhair eile saor in aisce.
The introductory section above in Irish refers to the ongoing work being undertaken in
Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail to acquire, catalogue and make available a library and archive of
materials in the Irish and other Celtic languages. A grant from the Ultach Trust/Community
Foundation means that a new impetus has been given to the time-consuming cataloguing
process. Sections of the library are now complete and these include: biographies and
autobiographies; translations (mainly of An Gúm publications as published originally in the
old gaelic script); histories of Protestant and Catholic churches; folklore; genealogy; an
extensive collection on Ulster place-names; Belfast; Irish language (with an emphasis on
dialects, old dictionaries, scholarly works on grammar); Ulster Scots; Gàidhlig/Manx Gaelic;
music and dance; 1950s/1960s stories for teenagers; and poetry. Lots of progress has also
been made in recording journals and magazines that concentrate on Irish history, including
an ornate collection published by the Irish Texts Society. Lists of all of these will be made
available soon on a new website for Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail.
The month of February is marked by Irish speakers across the island as book month –
Leabhra-Feabhra. The Gaeláras has issued gratis a significant number of readers in Irish,
suitable for adult learners, and a large number of their booklets for learners (Faigh Fáinne –
Caith Fáinne and Déanfaidh Sin an Gnó). Many more of these will be issued to mark ‘Ireland
Reads Day’ (24 February) and during Irish Language Week in March to attract and encourage
as wide a range as possible of folk who are new to learning Irish.
Those wishing to access the newly catalogued books and journals are very welcome to
arrange a morning slot, Mondays to Fridays (contact gaelarasmhicardghail@gmail.com).
Lots of work remains to be done, especially in cataloguing and conserving some of the rarer
and more fragile donations/acquisitions now held in the Chapel Street premises. The
library/archive project has been mainly volunteer-led and relies primarily on donations. It is
a significant undertaking however and its benefits will no doubt be reaped in the decades to
come. Libraries often start off with volunteers and book donations. Three such volunteers
from the Gaeláras visited The Long Room in Trinity College Dublin recently to experience the
new innovative multi-media Book of Kells exhibition and to learn about the conservation
work being carried out to clean tens of thousands of books that have been deposited in the
Trinity Library for upwards of 400 years. The process of removing accumulations of human
skin and environmental pollutants is intriguing! The display and information panels are
suitably detailed though are unfortunately monolingual. A visit to the Long Room exhibition
(with an entrance charge) is however a must for bibliophiles.
Libraries an Beuk Leets
The forrit abeen in Airish maks mention o’ the oangaein waark bein’ unnertuk aa Gaeláras
Mhic Ardghail tae get houl o’ an’ catalogue a library an’ archive o’ screevins an’ materials in
Airish an’ ither Celtic leids an’ tae mak’ thon available. A grant fae the Ultach
Trust/Commonity Foundation gies a new impetus tae the process o’ cataloguin’ at baes gye
sair oan tim’. Pairts o’ the library ir noo catalogued amang thaim : biographies an’
autobiographies; owresettins (maistly o’ An Gúm publications as pit oot aa the tim’ in the
aul Gaelic script); histories o’ Protestant an’ Catholic churches; fowklore, genealogy an’ a
baag collection oan Ulster place-naimes; Bilfawst; Airish leid (wi’ an airtin oan dialects, aul
dictionaries, scholarly waarks oan grammer); Ulster-Scots, Gáidhlig/Manx Gaelic; music an’
dance; 1950s/1960s; yairns fer young fowk; an’ poetry. A clatter o’ progress wus maide
forebye oan recordin’ journals an’ magazines at airt oan Airish history, amang thaim an
ornate collection brocht oot bae the Airish Texts Society. Leets o’ aa o’ thaim wul cum oot
shoartly oan a new maide wabsteid fer Gaeláras MhicArdghail.
The montht o’ Feburie baes mairked bae Airish speakers acroass the islan’ as Beuk Montht –
Leabhra Feabhra. The Gaeláras haes pit oot, (free o’ chairge), a baag nummer o’ thae
beuklets ir fer lairners (Faigh Fáinne – Caith Fáinne an’ Déanfaidh Sin an Gnó). Monie mair
o’ thae wee beuks wul bae gien oot tae mairk ‘Airlan Reads Day’ (Feburie 24 th ) an’ owre
Airish Leid Sennicht in Mairch tae attract an’ heft as baag a range o’ fowk at ir new tae
lairnin Airish as baes possible.
Thaim wantin’ tae access thae new catalogued beuks an’ journals ir gyely welcum tae set
app a slot oan onie forenuin Mundays tae Fridays (get oantae
gaelarasmhicardghail@gmail.com). Clatters o’ waark still haes tae bae carriet oot maistly
tae catalogue an’ consairve sim o’ the scairce an’ mair fragile donations/acquisitions hel’ the
noo in the premises oan Chapel Street. The library/archive project baes maistly led bae
volunteers an fer the maist pairt depends oan donations. Hooiniver hit’s a gyely baag
unnertaakin an’ hit’s benefits wul, nae doot, bae saen in the yeirs aheid.- Libraries ir affen
stairtet bae volunteers an’ gifts o’ beuks. Lately thrie sich volunteers fae the Gaeláras went
tae visit the Lang Ruim in Trinity College Dublin tae experience the new maide innovative
multi-media Beuk o’ Kells exhibition an’ tae lairn aboot the conservation waark bein’
unnertuk tae clean tens o’ thoosans o’ beuks at hae baen hel’ bae the Trinity library fer 400
yeirs ir mair. The waark o’ cleanin’ aff human skin an’ environmental shairn baes gyely
intherestin. The display an’ wittens penels ir aptly detailed bit unfortunately ir onie screevit
in Inglis. Hooiniver a visit tae thon exhibition (at haes a chairge tae get in) baes a must fer
thaim intherested in beuks an’ libraries.
