Launch of Open Door as Gaeilge titles at Oireachtas na Samhna in Killarney

Bhí slua mór bailithe ag an Oireachtas i gCill Airne ar an dóú lá de mhí na Samhna do sheoladh oifigiúil na gceithre leabhar is nuaí den tsraith Open Door ó New Island Books a foilsíodh i gcomhoibriú leis an gComhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta. Ba í Máirín Nic an Iomaire a sheol go haigeanta beoga na ceithre leabhar.  Seachas Seosamh Ó Cuaig a d’aistrigh The Stories that Remain Na Scéalta atá Fós Ann, agus nárbh fhéidir leis teacht go dtí an seoladh, bhí an triúr aistritheoirí eile: Séamas Caomhánach, Hannah Ní Dhoimhín, agus Antain Mac Lochlainn i láthair le ceisteanna a fhreagairt faoi ghnéithe éagsúla den phróiseas aistriúcháin a bhí acu.  Mhínigh Antain Mac Lochlainn agus Séamas Caomhánach fadhbanna lenar bhuail siad i leith ainmneacha cuí a aimsiú do charachtair áirithe sna leabhair.  Bhi na hainmneacha a fuair Mac Lochlainn don charachtar Redser (Old Money, New Money Seanairgead, Airgead Nua) ró-ardréimeach dar leis ach faoi dheireadh shocraigh sé ar Ruaidí a d’oibrigh go deas slachtmhar don phearsantacht a bhí léirithe sa leabhar. Roghnaigh an Caomhánach a d’aistrigh Bruno, Peanut and Me Mise,Pingin agus Bruno, and t-ainm Pingin a chur sa teideal Gaeilge in áit Peanuts mar is ainm pearsanta é Pingin a chuireann an chiall céanna in iúl mar Peanuts sa Bhéarla.  Bhí deacrachtaí faoi leith ag Hannah ní Dhoimhín maidir le béarlagair Blá-cliathach Roddy Doyle sa leabhar: Not Just for Christmas ach mhínigh sí conas mar a d’éirigh léi caint reatha sráide na gcarachtar a athchruthú chomh héifeachtach is a rinne sí é sa leagan Gaeilge: Aithníonn an Fhuil a Chéile. I láthair thar ceann COGG bhí: Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa (POF) agus an dr Róisín Ní Mhulláin agus bhí an dr Garry Bannister ag déanamh ionadaíocht ar son New Island Books.

A huge crowd attended the launch of the four latest books in the Open Door dual language series: Seanairgead, Airgead Nua (Old Money, New Money) by Peter Sheridan, Na Scéalta Atá Fós Ann (The Stories that Remain) by Ciara Geraghty, Aithníonn an Fhuil a Chéile (Not just for Christmas) by Roddy Doyle and Mise Pingin agus Bruno (Bruno, Peanut and Me) by Mary Stanley. The launch was held at the Oireachtas in Killarney on the 2nd of November. Máirín Nic an Iomaire gave a lively and entertaining presentation of all four books followed by a question-and-answer session with three of the translators who were present: Séamas Caomhánach, Hannah Ní Dhoimhín, and Antain Mac Lochlainn. It was fascinating to hear how they approached various aspects of the translation process from the problem of finding the best translation for a title or for characters in the book to the unique difficulties of recreating the correct tone, finding the appropriate register of speech and communicating humour that was often intrinsically language-based. This is another hugely successful New Island and COGG initiative which will hopefully lead to further fruitful cooperation in the future. Also present at the launch were from COGG: Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa (POF) agus an dr Róisín Ní Mhulláin and from New Island Books, dr Garry Bannister.