Pacáiste tosaigh do Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge // A starter pack for Irish Language Writers

B’fhéidir gur gníomh aonair é an scríbhneoireacht ach ní hionann sin is a rá gur gá nó gur féidir le scríbhneoir bheith beo astu féin. Is gá léitheoirí mar thús – cad is scríbhneoir ann gan lucht a léite? Tá pobal láidir bríomhar foilsitheoirí Gaeilge ann a sholátharíonn leabhair agus irisí Gaeilge a chuideoidh leat teacht ar léitheoirí.

Ina alt cuimsitheach ar “The Landscape of Irish Language Publishing,” san Irish Writers Handbook 2024: The Books Ireland Guide, tarraingíonn Cathal Póirtéir aird ar chuid de na foilsitheoirí is bisiúla atá ag foilsiú i nGaeilge i láthair na huaire: Cló Iar-Chonnacht, Coiscéim, Leabhar Breac, Éabhlóid, Barzaz, Futa Fata, LeabhairCOMHAR, Foilseáin Áiseanna Spioradálta agus An Gúm.

Tá liosta níos iomláine thíos.

Writing might be a solo activity but that doesn’t mean writers must, should or even can survive alone. You need to be read for starters – what is a writer without an audience? There is a healthy and vibrant community of Irish language publishers and journals who produce Irish language books and magazines and can help you find your readership.

In his comprehensive article on “The Landscape of Irish Language Publishing,” in the Irish Writers Handbook 2024: The Books Ireland Guide, Cathal Póirtéir spotlights the following as some of the most active publishers working in Irish today: Cló Iar-Chonnacht, Coiscéim, Leabhar Breac, Éabhlóid, Barzaz, Futa Fata, LeabhairCOMHAR, Foilseáin Áiseanna Spioradálta and An Gúm.

Find a more comprehensive list below:

Má tá saothar gairid agat a ba mhaith leat a fhoilsiú, dánta aonair, aistí nó gearrscéalta mar shampla, nó más scríbhneoir nua tú nach bhfuil réidh le húrscéal iomlán nó cnuasach filíochta a fhoilsiú, tá go leor áiteanna in Éirinn a ghlacann le saothar gairid. Tá an iris mhíosúil Comhar seanbhunaithe. Foilsíonn an Munster Literature Centre a iris bhliaintiúil Aneas ina mbíonn filíocht, fiscean agus léirmheasanna i nGaeilge.

Tá dornán irisí liteartha cosúil le Poetry Ireland Review, The Stinging Fly, Channel, The Waxed Lemon agus HOWL a fhoilsíonn saothar Béarla go príomha ach a ghlacann le saothar Gaeilge fosta. Faigheann bunús na bhfoilseachán seo maoiniú ón Chomhairle Ealaíon agus is féidir leo táille bheag a íoc chomh maith le lucht léitheoireachta níos leithne a thairiscint do do shaothar.

If you have some shorter work that you’re looking to publish like individual poems, essays or short stories, OR if you’re an emerging writer who isn’t yet ready to publish a full novel or collection then there are plenty of places accepting short submissions in Ireland as well. There are monthly Irish Language magazines like Comhar and Feasta. The Munster Literature Centre has their own annual journal Aneas which exclusively publishes Irish language poetry, fiction and reviews.

Some Irish literary journals like Poetry Ireland Review, The Stinging Fly, Channel, The Waxed Lemon and HOWL which primarily publish work in English also accept submissions in Irish. Most of these publications are Arts Council supported and can pay a small fee as well as potentially offering a broader audience for your work.

Tugann comórtais bealach eile duit do shaothar a bheith léite. Is minic go bhfoilsítear duais-iarrachtaí nó, ó am go ham, má bhuann saothar nó má cuirtear é ar ghearrliosta, tugtar deis do scríbhneoirí a saothar a léamh ag féilte nó ag imeachtaí eile.

Tá na comórtais seo leanas oscailte do shaothar Gaeilge amháin:

• An tOireachtas
• An Duais Foras na Gaeilge

Tá fás ag teacht ar líon na gcomórtas a ghlacann le saothar Gaeilge ina gcuid comórtas, mar shampla:

• Cúirt New Writing Prize
• Francis Mac Manus Short Story Competition
• Dingle Literary Festival Short Story Competition

Competitions are another great way of getting your work read. Winning pieces are usually published and/or winning and shortlisted writers are sometimes given the opportunity to perform their work at literary festivals or events.

The following competitions are Irish language only:

• An tOireachtas
• An Duais Foras na Gaeilge

Increasingly the bigger writing competitions in Ireland are including Irish language categories for example:

• Cúirt New Writing Prize
• Francis Mac Manus Short Story Competition
• Dingle Literary Festival Short Story Competition

Tá níos mó ná léitheoirí de dhíth le saol fada sona a thabhairt do scríbhneoirí. Cén bealach gur féidir leat forbairt a dhéanamh ach le cuidiú ó scríbhneoirí agus eagraíochtaí scríbhneoireachta? Cén chaoi a leanann tú ar aghaidh gan pobal? Tá tacaíocht agus comhphobal riachtanach le feabhas a chur ort mar scríbhneoir agus, níos tábhachtaí, le ligint duit sásamh a bhaint as!

Tá réimse tacaíochta ar fáil do scríbhneoirí na Gaeilge ón Chomhairle Ealaíon agus ó Chomhairle Ealaíon Thuaiscseart ÉIreann – tá cead ag scríbhneoirí Gaeilge cur isteach ar ‘Agllity Award‘ agus ar Sparánacht Litríochta na Comhairle Ealaíon agus glacann Comhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann le hiarratais do Chlár Tacaíochta don Ealaíontóir Aonair ó scríbhneoirí Gaeilge. Ó am go ham tugann Foras na Gaeilge maoiniú do scríbhneoirí trí scéimeanna éagsúla.

Glacann formhór na n-eagraíochtaí acmhainní le hiarratas ó scríbhneoirí Gaeilge dá gcuid clár forbartha, Áras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann san áireamh (sparánachtaí Foras na Gaeilge agus Cill Rialaig).

Is eagraíocht ar leith do scribhneoirí na Gaeilge í Aontas na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge. Bunaíodh an tAontas i 2015 le glór, ardán agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do scríbhneoirí Gaeilge, le caidreamh a dhéanamh ina measc féin agus le hidirbheartaíocht a dhéanamh le heagraíochtaí eile a imríonn tionchar ar shaol scríbhneoirí. Is tobar eolais agus foinse pobail é Aontas na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge. Is féidir tuilleadh eolais a fháil air anseo.

But it takes more than a readership to sustain a long and happy writing life. How do you develop if not with the help of other writers or writing organisations, how do you persevere without community? Support and community are vital elements to both improving as a writer and more importantly continuing to enjoy yourself!

There are a variety of supports available to Irish Language writers from both the Arts Council of Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI) – Irish language writers are eligible to apply for the Arts Council Agility Award and Literature Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland while the ACNI accepts applications to their Individual Artist Support Programme from writers working in Irish. There is occasional funding made available for writers from Foras na Gaeilge. Including the Irish Writers Centre, most resource organisations in Ireland also accept Irish Language applications for their writer development programmes (Foras na Gaeilge Bursaries and Cill Rialaig Residencies). 

Aontas na Scríbhneoirí are a dedicated union for writers working in Irish. They were founded in 2015 in order to provide a voice, a platform and support for writers of the Irish language, to foster relationships among the writers themselves, and to negotiate with other organisations that influence the lives of writers. They are a fountain of information and a vital source of community. You can find more information about what they do here.

Bíonn na féilte litríochta iontach taitneamhach agus ionspioráideach agus ba chóir duit sásamh a bhaint astu ar do thuras scríbhneoireachta ach tá dóigheanna eile le fanacht gafa le pobal na scríbhneoireachta ar bhonn rialta. Bíonn go leor oícheanta maidhc oscailte ó sheachtain go seachtain le deis a thabhairt duit do shaothar Gaeilge a chur os comhair an phobail. Bíonn ‘Takin’ the Mic‘ againn in Áras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann (Cearnóg Pharnell) ach ó am go ham bíonn sé in áiteanna eile in Éirinn, féilte litríochta ina measc.

Ansin ta Reic, ócáid don fhocal labhartha a bhíonn dátheangach nó ilteangach. Bíonn filíocht, rap, ceol, scéalaíocht agus aon rud eile a ritheann leat ann! Tugann se spás fáilteach spreagúil don Ghaeilge. Bíonn Reic ag taisteal na tíre agus is féidir é a leanúint ar Instagram le fáíl amach cá mbeidh sé an chéad uair eile.

While literature festivals are exciting and inspiring and you should definitely make the most of them on your writing journey there are also other ways to stay engaged with the writing community on a more regular basis. There are numerous open mic nights taking place week to week across the country which offer the chance to showcase your work as Gaeilge. The Irish Writers Centre’s Bilingual Takin’ the Mic is open to performers in English and Irish and we are always looking for more engagement from Gaeilgeors! Our Takin’ the Mic usually takes place in the centre here on Parnell Square (Dublin) but from time to time we take it out  to other venues across Ireland, including literary festivals.

Then there is Reic, a bilingual, (and often multilingual) spoken word event featuring poetry, rap, music, storytelling, and anything else you might think of! It provides a welcoming space where Gaeilge is encouraged. Reic moves around the country quite a bit so make sure to follow them on Instagram to keep track of where you can find them next.

Bí i dteagbháil ag info@irishwriterscentre.ie má tá aon cheist agat faoinár mblag.

Fáigh amach faioi thuilleadh acmhainní ag Áras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann anseo.

Fáigh amach faoi thuilleadh deiseanna agus cláir fhorbartha ag Áras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann anseo.

Thanks for reading! Do get in touch with us at info@irishwriterscentre.ie if you have any questions about our blog.

Find more resources from the Irish Writers Centre here.

Find out more about our opportunities and development programmes here.