Pinocchio: a rebel icon that appeals to real boys and girls in any language
Deireadh Fómhair 15, 2013
When Mairéad and Ionia Ní Chróinín were small, their father, Dáibhí, would read them the tale of Pinocchio, which had been translated into Irish directly from Italian by Pádraig Ó Buachalla in the early 1930s.
Eachtra Phinocchio was, as Carlo Collodi’s original story had been, somewhat darker and deeper than the fantasy created for cinema by Walt Disney. Later on, their father was instrumental in bringing out a new edition in Irish, with illustrations. What struck his older daughter Mairéad was the appeal the story had for teenagers. Here was a marionette with an overwhelming urge to rebel, and a character who was “far more interesting for all that”. And so, decades later, she and one of her younger siblings fashioned a bilingual version for stage, which has won critical acclaim, received a Stewart Parker award for Irish- language drama, and which enjoys its final outing this week, at the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children in Galway. “Well, we think it’s final, but you never know.” Mairéad and Ionia, co-directors of Moonfish Theatre, laugh.
O’Connor adaptation
They have good reason to feel cheerful. Just hours before this interview, they were informed that An Taibhdhearc theatre would stage their new production, based on Joseph O’Connor’s novel, Star of the Sea, at next year’s Galways Arts Festival. As with Tromluí Phinocchio (Pinocchio: A Nightmare), their approach to this new project involves a number of developmental stages. And so, during the final weekend of this month’s Galway Theatre Festival, they invited a small audience to an upstairs Taibhdhearc studio to view their “work in progress” on interpreting aspects of O’Connor’s text. Sample scenes were rehearsed – such as The Monster, The Victim, Captain’s Log – and the single-sheet programme came with a series of questions formulated by the ensemble. “We really do like to work with an audience early on. There’s a model for theatre, but it was one that we didn’t feel very fulfilled by,” they say, acknowledging that their method can be a painstaking way of working. The pair set up their company after an impromptu production at the Project 06 alternative arts festival in Galway seven years ago, when Ionia, a puppeteer and musician, had returned from studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now known as the Royal Conservatoire) in Glasgow. Mairéad, who studied politics at the University of Glasgow, was also back west with experience in stage management gained in Dublin. Ionia, who is also involved with the Branar theatre company in Galway, spent a period with Danish practitioners who would take more than a year to develop a show.
Walking away
“It was a series of blocks, if you like, where walking away for a time in between each segment was just as important … a bit like leaving an instrument down after labouring over a tune, and picking it up again days later to find you can play it so much better,” she says. “It’s not a way of working that suits some actors, but it was one that we developed quite consciously with The Secret Garden in 2009.”
That adaptation of the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett was first staged at the Galway Theatre Festival in 2009, and the entire ensemble was involved in production, direction, costume choice, set design, construction, music and lighting. “It’s very loose, no one is telling anyone what to do, everyone is encouraged to make suggestions, and so it can feel quite unsafe. Even with our morning warm-up, everyone takes turns, and we don’t hold auditions. Discarding ideas is as important as creating them, as those ideas that are strong enough tend to return.” The Ní Chróiníns grew up in a creative and bilingual household. Their father, Daibhí, is professor of medieval history at NUI Galway and their mother, Maura, is the main mover behind the Galway Early Music Festival.
Music and language
Their approach in Moonfish extends to music – everyone seems to be able to sing or play an instrument or both – and the Irish language, which they prefer to see as limitless, rather than limiting, in terms of communication. Foras na Gaeilge, their main funder, clearly has no problem with that. “We were involved in a co-production of Ibsen’s Enemy of the People (Namhaid don Phobal) in the Taibhdhearc in 2009, where we used surtitles for those with little or no Irish,” they recall. “We got a mixed response to that, because there is a view that one should not be doing this. But there are so many people with such goodwill to the language, who are so stressed about their perceived inability to use it, that we wanted to reach out to them.” Motion, image and expression are employed to transcend linguistic boundaries, and in Tromluí Phinocchio, the puppet’s insistence on speaking English is integral to his teenage revolt. Branar and other Galway Gaeltacht-based companies such as Fibín also use that kind of physical imagery successfully, relying on the intuitive sense that younger audiences have about a storyline in any language. Baboró artistic director Lali Morris says current issues for young people, such as bullying and taking responsibility for choices and actions as they affect other people, are themes skilfully addressed by Moonfish in Tromluí Phinocchio. “This is a group that is not just doing children’s theatre for a while, but really wants to challenge their audiences of any age,” she says. “What is striking about their work is their extraordinary energy, range of talents and, ultimately, their respect for the intellect of the child.”
Highlights: Baboró children’s festival
Baboró is the Galway-based international arts festival for children. Along with Moonfish’s production of Tromluí Phinocchio, highlights of the festival include Collapsing Horse Theatre Company’s Human Child, inspired by WB Yeats’s poem The Stolen Child, and an Abbey Theatre production of Me, Mollser , the story of a young Dubliner (played by Mary-Louise McCarthy) who is struck by consumption during the 1913 Lockout. Other shows include two by La Baracca – Testoni Ragazzi, the Italian children’s theatre group from Bologna, and one by the Dutch puppet company Theatre Lejo, while American singer Tom Chapin, a periodic Baboró visitor, returns. Also returning is the Catherine Wheels Theatre Company of Scotland’s Lifeboat, which first came to Galway in 2003. A number of free events running during the week including creative activities in the Exploratorium – a temporary activity centre that will focus on arts, technology and science. The festival is introducing a “relaxed programme” for parents or teachers who may have concerns about bringing children with specific needs to public venues. Pictiúr, the work of 21 leading children’s book illustrators, will also be exhibited at the Galway Arts Centre, while author and illustrator Oisín McGann visits on Saturday.
Baboró runs until Sunday. baboro.ie
www.irishtimes.com
Kildare writers win awards
Deireadh Fómhair 14, 2013
Two Kildare writers were honoured at the Oireachtas na Gaeilge Literary Competitions in Croke Park on October 1.
Bríd Dáibhis from Kilcock, won first prize in the short story category with “Nochtadh na Fírinne”. Maynooth’s Liadan Ní Chearbhaill also received an award for her story titled “An Sorcas” . Prizes were awarded to both established and aspiring writers in the Irish language at the ceremony. The annual Oireachtas na Gaeilge Literary Competitions are the most esteemed awards for Irish language writers. All genres of Irish language literature are featured with over 15 categories including fiction, short stories, song writing and journalism.
www.leinsterleader.ie
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 14 Deireadh Fómhair 2013
Leinster Leader
Irish language is core of our culture
Deireadh Fómhair 14, 2013
Madam — As an ardent fan of Gay Byrne as a constant promoter of the sociable ‘cúpla focal’ I was amazed at his ‘Ochón! Ochón!’ attitude to the Irish language ( Sunday Independent, October 6, 2013).
Declan Lynch seemed amazed also at how “Un-Irish he (Gay) has been in many ways” and having read the entire article, I must say I sure did not feel very upbeat, or inclined to utter maith an buachaill, Gaybo! There are a lot of aspects to the Irish language movement that I ignore, but I applaud the many conversation groups who meet to chat and relish the chance to revive and preserve our native tongue, it’s the core of our Irish culture and at the heart of our traditional values.
Yes I have encountered the Gaeilgeoir in the extreme, bail ó Dhia air, I respect him and move on. As a written and spoken language, Gaeilge is one of the richest, floweriest canúint — the likes of its humorous, richly descriptive characteristics and witty proverbs are not to be found in any other language. May I suggest a translation of your book Gaybo, which would be entitled “Brí na Beatha” and all my cáirde-le-chéile in our friendly ciorcal chómhrá could enjoy a pleasant read and a chat over the cupán tae!
Eilís Uí Bhriain, Caisleán Uí Liatháin, Co Chorcaí
www.independent.ie
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 14 Deireadh Fómhair 2013
Sunday Independent – Litir chuig an Eagarthóir
‘Ultach’ ar son comhthuisceana
Deireadh Fómhair 14, 2013
An tseachtain seo caite rinne mé tuairisc ar an chomhdháil a d’eagraigh Altram faoin réamhscolaíocht.
Bhí achan duine sásta leis na himeachtaí, ach bhí muid níos mó ná sásta leis na málaí sona a fuair muid ag an deireadh. I measc na n-ábhar oideachasúil a fuair muid bhí dhá leabhrán ó Ultach, nó Iontaobhas Ultach,(an chéad teideal a bhí ag an eagras). ‘An Ghaeilge/The Irish language’ an t-ainm atá ar an chéad leabhrán; ‘Logainmneacha/Placenames’ an teideal atá ar an dara ceann. Is iad na logainmneacha bealach isteach amháin chuig an Ghaeilge. Is cuimhin liom roinnt blianta ó shin go raibh mé ag dul trí Bhéal Feirste i dtacsaí. Dúirt an tiománaí liom gur Phrotastúnach é agus go mbeadh sé ag déanamh cúrsa Gaeilge: chuir sé spéis sna logainmneacha nuair a bhí sé ag tiomáint thart timpeall na cathrach agus ba mhian leis níos mó a fhoghlaim fúthu. Chuir mé ceist orm féin: ‘Cad chuige a bhfuil sé ag rá sin liomsa?’ Rinne mé dearmad go raibh an Fáinne thuas agam.
Tá an ‘An Ghaeilge/The Irish Language’ thar a bheith maith.Tosaíonn sé le fréamhacha na teanga. Tá píosa ann ar an seanchóras scríbhneoireachta, Ogham. Ansin tá cur síos ann faoi mheath na Gaeilge agus ar an Athbheochan: léirítear tábhacht na bProtastúnach i gcothú na Gaeilge. Tá nótaí ann ar an oideachas, ar na meáin agus ar na healaíona. Tá dhá leathanach ann ar fhocail Ghaeilge sa Bhéarla agus ar fhocail ó theangacha eile sa Ghaeilge. Tá caibidil an-suimiúil ag an deireadh faoi na sloinnte. Tá na leabhráin saor in aisce ó ‘Ultach’, agus tá siad ar an Idirlíon fosta. Is fiú go deo amharc ar an suíomh ultach.org: gheobhaidh tú liosta de na leabhair d’fhoghlaimeoirí a d’fhoilsigh an t-eagras agus de leabhair a scriosann an bhréag gur le pairtí polaitiúil amháin nó le reiligiún amháin í an Ghaeilge.
www.derryjournal.com
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 14 Deireadh Fómhair 2013
Derry Journal – Liam Uilliam Eoghain
Naíonra ar tí druidim
Deireadh Fómhair 11, 2013
Tá sé curtha in iúl go ndruidfidh doirse Naíonra Bhaile Brigín i dtuaisceart Bhaile Átha Cliath i mí an Mheithimh 2014 mar nach bhfuil spás ar fáil dó sa Ghaelscoil áitiúil.
Caillfear ocht bpost agus tá baol ann go gcaillfear lear post eile i naíscoileanna eile ar fud na tíre mar gheall ar chiorruithe.
“Bhí a fhios againn ó thús nach mbeadh na seomraí ar fáil tar éis Mheán Fómhair 2014,” a dúirt Bríd Nic Dhónaill ón naíonra le Seachtain.
“Le costais tógála agus le cíos chomh hard sa cheantar, gan an fordheontas ó Fhorbairt Naíonraí Teo/Foras na Gaeilge ní féidir linn leanúint ar aghaidh. Bhíomar ag brath go hiomlán ar an airgead seo,” a dúirt sí.
Sheol an naíonra 228 litir chuig páistí a bhí ar liostaí feithimh go dtí 2017 ag cur in iúl nach mbeidh spás ann dóibh.
“Is trua anois agus an chéad ghrúpa a bhí sa naíonra ag bogadh ar aghaidh chuig Gaelcholáiste nua sa cheantar go bhfuil deireadh tagtha leis an naíonra,” a dúirt sí.
Chinn Bord Fhoras na Gaeilge go gcuirfí deireadh leis an scéim fóirdheontais do naíonraí atá á riaradh ag Forbairt Naíonraí Teo ó 1999 ag deireadh mhí an Mheithimh.
www.irishtimes.com
Ciorcal Iarscoile do Dhéagóirí
Deireadh Fómhair 10, 2013
Tá teacht anois ar chiorcal iarscoile seachtainiúil i mBaile Locha Riach do dhéagóirí atá sa chéad agus sa dara bliain ar an meánscoil.
Cuirtear cúrsaí obair bhaile a chur san áireamh freisin ach go príomha tá an ciorcal dírithe ar dheis a thabhairt do dhéagóirí labhairt na Gaeilge a chleachtadh agus a chloisteáil. Bíonn an ciorcal ar siúl gach Céadaoin ó 4.15 – 5.15i.n. in Oifig Ghlór locha Riach agus tá táille EUR2 in aghaidh na seachtaine. Tuilleadh eolais ó Ruth ag 091-870718 / oifig@lochariach.com
www.advertiser.ie/galway
Ciorcail Ghaeilge Iarscoile faoi lán seoil i gCeatharlach
Deireadh Fómhair 8, 2013
Cuireadh tús leis na Ciorcail Chomhrá Iarscoile do mhicléinn an Teastais Shóisearaigh agus na hArdteistiméireachta i gCeatharlach cúpla seachtain ó shin agus táid faoi lán seoil anois.
Tá na ciorcail eagraithe do mhic léinn atá ag lorg deiseanna breise chun Gaeilge a labhairt agus a chleachtadh go neamhfhoirmiúil lasmuigh den seomra ranga. Tá an-éileamh ar an seirbhís áirithe seo agus suas le caoga dalta ag freastal ar na ciorcail. Is léir go bhfuil na daltaí ag iarraidh barr feabhais a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge go háirithe leis an méadú mór go daichead fán gcéad de mharcanna an ábhair i scrúdú na hardteistiméireachta ag dul don bhéaltriail anois.
Bíonn na ciorcail chomhrá ar siúl tar éis scoile ó 4.30-5.30i.n. in Ionad Phobal New Oak. Tagann ciorcal na sóisear le chéile gach Máirt agus ciorcal na sinsear gach Céadaoin. Bíonn múinteoir cáilithe i bhfeighil chun an comhrá a stiúiriú agus a threorú. Tá cúpla spás fós ins an dá chiorcal a leanfaidh ar aghaidh gach seachtain go dtí an Nollaig. €20 an táille don téarma iomlán. Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil is féidir dul i dteagmháil le Glór Cheatharlach, Sráid an Choláiste, Ceatharlach. Teil 059 9158105, 085 1340047 nó seol rphost chuig eolas@glorcheatharlach.ie
www.carlow-nationalist.ie
Nuachtán Nua Seachtain do mhic léinn
Deireadh Fómhair 8, 2013
Cuireadh tús coicís ó shin le nuachtán nua Gaeilge, Seachtain, san Irish Independent a thagann mar chomharba ar an nuachtán Foinse.
Nuachtán ocht leathanach atá i gceist agus tá sé ar fáil saor in aisce leis an Irish Independent gach Céadaoin. I measc na scribhneoirí ata ag soláthar ábhair don nuachtán seachtainiúil nua tá Dáithí Ó Sé agus Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh. Beidh nuachtán eile dar teideal ‘Ar Fheabhas’ á chur ar fáil ag Independent Media do scoileanna ar fud na tíre chomh maith. Níor fhill ‘Foinse’ mar fhorlíonadh san Irish Independent ag tús na scoilbhliana nua. Bunaíodh ‘Foinse’ sa bhliain1996, agus cuireadh é ar fáil go seachtainiúil go dtí samhradh 2009 le maoiniú ó Fhoras na Gaeilge.
Nuair a theip ar an maoiniú seo, rinneadh athsheoladh ar ‘Foinse’ i bhfómhar na bliana 2009, le leagan amach nua agus modh seachadta nua agus é ar fáil mar fhorlíonadh san Irish Independent gach Ceadaoin. Bíodh is go bhfuil an nuachtán nua Seachtain á chur ar fáil anois ag Independent Media le haghaidh scoláirí na tíre, níl nuachtán Gaeilge ar fáil chun spéis Ghaeilgeoirí sa scribhneoireacht Ghaeilge a mhúscailt agus a chothú. Ní fios fós cé chomh fada is a bheidh sé go dtí go mbeidh foilseachán rialta clóite ar fáil do léitheoirí na Gaeilge. Ag súil nach mbeidh an fanacht ro-fhada.
www.carlow-nationalist.ie
Comhdháil iontach
Deireadh Fómhair 8, 2013
Cuireadh an t-eagras réamhscolaíochta Altram ar bun sa bhliain 1990 le tacaíocht a thabhairt do thionscnaimh oideachais luathbhlianta lán-Ghaeilge.
Eagraíonn Altram cúrsaí oiliúna agus cuireann sé acmhainní ar fáil do na baill foirne, do na coistí agus do na tuismitheoirí a bhfuil baint acu le naíscoileanna. D’eagraigh sé comhdháil idirnáisiunta an tseachtain seo caite i nDoire. (Dála an scéil, tá fás agus forbairt ag teacht ar Dhoire mar ionad comhdhálacha – sampla eile de dhul chun cinn na cathrach seo.) Idir na cainteoirí bhí an Dochtúir Antonella Sorace ó Ollscoil Dhún Éideann, a chuir an cheist ‘Cad chuige a bhfuil an dátheangachas tábhachtach?’ Labhair an Dochtúir Piet Van de Craén ó Vrije Universiteit, an Bhruiséil, ar an téama ‘Dátheangachas luath agus an tAontas Eorpach’. Labhair Aodán Mac Póilin (Iontaobhas Ultach) ar an Ghaeilge sa Tuaisceart, agus thug Áine Andrews ó Altram léacht ar ‘Oideachas Gaeilge na luthbhlianta i dTuaisceart Éireann idir bhuanna agus dhúshláin’.
Ar an Aoine bhí ceardlanna ann, ag taispeáint áiseanna atá ar fáil do thuismitheoiri agus do mhúinteoirí. Tá na luathbhlianta thar a bheith tábhachtach. Ba chóir don phaiste tosú ar an dara teanga chomh luath agus is féidir. Ní fheiceann páiste beag fadhb le dhá theanga: cuireann sé iontas ort an dóigh a bhfuil páiste óg ábalta dul ó theanga amháin go teanga eilegan smaoineamh, i ndiaidh tamaillín i naíscoil nó i mbunscoil. Ach ní míorúilt é seo: tá dhá theanga ar a laghad ag dhá thrian de dhaonra an domhain. Nuair a thosaíonn duine níos moille ar theanga, feiceann sé sraith fadhbanna- gramadach, stór focal, aistriúchán srl.: tá sé ag iarraidh a lán a fhoghlaim gan mórán achair ar dhóigh mhínádúrtha. Is féidir teanga a fhoghlaim níos moille sa saol, ach tá sé i bhfad níos deacra. Osclaíonn an dátheangachas an intinn (Sin an fáth go bhfuil mé féin chomh leathanaigeanta sin.) agus tugann sé léargas agus féinmhuinín agus a lán eile don pháiste, ar ndóigh.
www.derryjournal.com
Cúpla focail eile: New words take place in Irish dictionary
Deireadh Fómhair 7, 2013
Cúpla focail eile: New words take place in Irish dictionary
HOW strange would a féinphic of a member of the triúracht in a pitseáma aonphíosa look?
You’re unlikely to ever see it but you will find these new Irish words in the Irish dictionary. “Selfie” has become “féinphic” (self picture) in Irish, “troika” has been translated into “triúracht”, while “onesie” is “pitseáma aonphíosa” having been added to the dictionary. The dictionary has moved online to Focal.ie, a database set up in 2006 by the Irish language department of Dublin City University (DCU) in conjunction with Forás na Gaeilge. The staff work constantly to keep the language up to date with the newest terms arriving into the English language.
“New terms that arise from technology and social media are definitely one of the main domains of language we have to deal with,” said Dr Gearóid Ó Cleircín, terminology manager of Fiontar in DCU.
Many are also to do with public administration, place names and the official names of government bodies.” Anyone can recommend a term to be translated through the submission form on the database homepage. The majority of people who submit terms are translators and journalists, who are looking for a term to use for their work. Once a translation is requested, the staff provide a temporary term for them to use immediately. The recommendation is then brought to the terminology committee to be researched and discussed. The committee is made up of 21 academics, journalists, civil servants and experts from different areas who meet voluntarily once a month to discuss new terms.
Each term is considered and researched before being approved and published in the database. On average, the terminology committee approve and publish 500-700 new terms a month. Not all words are translated into Irish, however – recently recommended words like “burrito” and “tortilla” were left in their native Spanish. “Words like ‘selfie’ make sense to put into Irish, as they are easy enough to directly translate,” said Dr Ó Cleircín. It is important to keep up to date with the terms, Dr Ó Cleircín said, so that the Irish language continues to develop alongside the English language. “It’s important for language to modernise, and if the effort isn’t made then there will be no choice but to use the English words,” he said.
www.independent.ie
