DCUs Áine Ní Ghlinn announced as the sixth Laureate na nÓg

EN: First time an author writing exclusively in Irish has been awarded the honour

Irish language author Áine Ní Ghlinn was announced as the sixth Laureate na nÓg, Ireland’s Children’s Literature Laureate. Áine is the first author who writes exclusively in Irish to be awarded the honour, and will hold the title from now until 2022.

Laureate na nÓg is an honour which was established in 2010 to engage young people with high quality literature and to underline the importance of children’s literature in our cultural and imaginative lives. It is an initiative of the Arts Council, administered by Children’s Books Ireland with the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Poetry Ireland.

Áine Ní Ghlinn is a children’s writer and poet. She has written over thirty books, including poetry collections and an array of books and novels for children and teenagers. Her ambition as Laureate is to lift the cloak of invisibility from Irish language authors and books, and to encourage children and young people to read for pleasure as Gaeilge.

Prof. Kevin Rafter, Chair of the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, said:

“Laureate na nÓg was established by the Arts Council to honour the very finest artists in the field of children’s literature, and our sixth Laureate na nÓg is absolutely such an artist. Áine Ní Ghlinn’s work is both fearless and beautiful, and her commitment to her craft and the written word is undeniable. Writing across every age group and genre, Áine Ní Ghlinn is one of our most talented and beloved artists, and the Council is proud to name her Laureate na nÓg.

“The position takes on an additional significance given the current crisis. Against that backdrop, I have no doubt that Áine will be a Laureate to inspire and lead children and young people through the power of writing.”

Speaking as new Laureate na nÓg, Áine Ní Ghlinn said:

“I am humbled and excited at being appointed Laureate na nÓg. It is the high point of my writing career and an incredible honour to be the first Irish language writer awarded the honour. As a central part of my Laureate term, I want to raise the profile of children’s literature as Gaeilge and to bring leabhair Ghaeilge do pháistí into the mainstream conversation. I want children, parents, grandparents, teachers to have the same access to high quality children’s literature as Gaeilge as they already have in English. Children deserve the opportunity to engage with Irish language literature for pleasure and not just as schoolwork.”

Áine is originally from County Tipperary. She worked for a number of years in RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta, and now divides her time between writing, delivering creative writing workshops in schools around the country and part-time lecturing in Dublin City University. Her books have won the Gradam Reics Carló Book of the Year Award three times, most recently in 2019 for her novel Boscadán. In 2015, her YA novel Daideo won the Honour Award for Fiction at the Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards, as well as the Literacy Association of Ireland Book of the Year.

John Edmund, Arts Council of Northern Ireland Chair, commented:

"The appointment of Áine Ní Ghlinn as Laureate na nÓg comes at a time when poetry and literature are more important than ever, offering solace for children (and their parents) during these uncertain days. Watching children respond to poetry on digital and social media during the current crisis has been a revelation, to which Áine's appointment will undoubtedly add another dimension. Áine will act as an ambassador for children's writing, inspiring a new generation of readers and writers to open themselves up to new stories, poems, concepts and ideas. Laureate na nÓg is a unique and important honour, one that will strengthen opportunities for young people across the island of Ireland to engage in high quality children's literature"

Áine is a former chair of the Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards and is a strong advocate for Irish writers and illustrators. She has been engaged for many years in the wider children’s literature sector as a visible, vocal and measured champion of books that are written for children in the Irish language. Áine was selected as one of Children’s Books Ireland’s twenty BOLD GIRLS in 2018, a project celebrating strong girls and women in children’s literature and highlighting Irish women artists whose work is remarkable.

GA: An chéad uair ag údar a scríobhann go heisiach i nGaeilge an onóir a bheith bronnta uirthi

Fógraíodh gurb í an t-údar Gaeilge Áine Ní Ghlinn (Dé Céadaoin 13 Bealtaine) séú Laureate na nÓg, Laureate Litríochta Leanaí na hÉireann. Is í Áine an chéad údar a scríobhann go heisiach i nGaeilge a bhfuil an onóir á bronnadh uirthi, agus beidh an teideal aici as seo go dtí 2022.

Is onóir é Laureate na nÓg a bunaíodh in 2010 le cur le rannpháirtíocht daoine óga i litríocht ardchaighdeáin agus chun béim a chur ar an tábhacht a bhaineann le litríocht do leanaí inár saol cultúrtha agus samhlaíoch. Tionscnamh de chuid na Comhairle Ealaíon atá ann, á riar ag Leabhair Pháistí Éireann, agus ag a bhfuil tacaíocht aige ó Chomhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann, ón Roinn Leanaí agus Gnóthaí Óige agus ó Éigse Éireann.

Is scríbhneoir do leanaí agus file í Áine Ní Ghlinn. Tá os cionn deich gcinn fichead de leabhair scríofa aici, ina measc bailiúcháin filíochta agus sraith leabhar agus úrscéalta do leanaí agus do dhéagóirí. Beidh sí ag iarraidh, fad is a bheidh sí ina Laureate, an fhallaing fholaigh sin a thógáil ó údair a scríobhann i nGaeilge agus ó leabhair Ghaeilge, agus leanaí agus daoine óga a spreagadh a bheith ag léamh as Gaeilge i gcomhair pléisiúir.

Dúirt an tOll. Kevin Rafter, Cathaoirleach na Comhairle Ealaíon:

“Bhunaigh an Chomhairle Ealaíon Laureate na nÓg chun onóir a thabhairt do na healaíontóirí is breátha dá bhfuil sa réimse litríochta do leanaí, agus ar ndóigh is ealaíontóir mar sin í ár séú Laureate na nÓg. Tá saothar Áine Uí Ghlinn cróga agus gleoite, agus níl sárú a tiomantais dá ceird agus don fhocal scríofa le fáil. Scríobhann sí thar gach aoisghrúpa agus seánra, is í Áine Ní Ghlinn duine de na healaíontóirí is cumasaí agus is muirní dá bhfuil againn, agus tá an Chomhairle mórtasach as an teideal Laureate na nÓg a bhronnadh uirthi.

“Tá tábhacht bhreise ag baint leis an ngradam sa ghéarchéim reatha. In aghaidh an chúlra sin, níl aon amhras orm ach go mbeidh Áine in ann leanaí agus daoine óga a spreagadh agus a stiúradh ina tréimhse mar Laureate agus go ndéanfaidh sí é sin trí chumhacht na peannaireachta.”

Agus í ag labhairt i gcáil Laureate na nÓg, dúirt Áine Ní Ghlinn:

“Táim ar bís a bheith ceaptha mar Laureate na nÓg. Is é seo buaicphointe mo ghairme mar scríbhneoir agus is onóir dochreidte í a bheith ar an gcéad Laureate na nÓg a scríobhann as Gaeilge amháin. Mar chuid lárnach de mo théarma Laureate, ba mhaith liom próifíl na litríochta Gaeilge do leanaí a ardú. Ba mhaith liom daoine a chur ag comhrá faoi leabhair Ghaeilge do pháistí agus an clóca dofheictheachta a bhaineann le leabhair Ghaeilge do pháistí a ardú. Táim ag iarraidh go mbeidh an teacht céanna ag leanaí, tuismitheoirí, ag Mamó is Daideo, ag múinteoirí uile na tíre ar litríocht ardchaighdeáin as Gaeilge is atá acu cheana féin ar leabhair Bhéarla do pháistí. Tá an deis tuillte ag leanaí a bheith ag gabháil do litríocht na Gaeilge i gcomhair pléisiúir agus ní díreach mar obair scoile.”

As Contae Thiobraid Árann ó dhúchas d’Áine. D’oibrigh sí ar feadh roinnt blianta in RTÉ agus i Raidió na Gaeltachta, agus caitheann sí a cuid ama idir a bheith ag scríobh, ceardlanna i scríbhneoireacht chruthaitheach a chur ar fáil i scoileanna ar fud na tíre agus ag tabhairt léachtaí in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath go páirtaimseartha. Bhain a cuid leabhair Gradam Leabhar na Bliana Gradam Reics Carló amach trí huaire, an uair dheiridh in 2019 de bharr a húrscéil, Boscadán. In 2015, bhain a húrscéal d’aosaigh óga Daideo an Gradam Onórach Ficsin ag Gradaim Leabhar na Bliana Leabhair Pháistí Éireann, chomh maith le Leabhar na Bliana Chumann Litearthachta na hÉireann.

Dúirt John Edmund, Cathaoirleach Chomhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann:

"Tá Áine Ní Ghlinn á ceapadh mar Laureate na nÓg ag tráth a bhfuil an fhilíocht agus an litríocht níos tábhachtaí ná riamh, ag tabhairt sóláis do leanaí (agus dá dtuismitheoirí) sa ré éiginnte seo. Is oscailt súl an oiread leanaí atá ag tabhairt aird ar fhilíocht trí mheáin dhigiteacha agus shóisialta i rith na géarchéime seo, agus níl aon amhras ach go gcuirfidh ceapachán Áine gné eile leis sin. Beidh Áine mar ambasadóir do scríbhneoireacht leanaí, ag spreagadh glúin nua léitheoirí agus scríbhneoirí chun fáilte a chur roimh scéalta, dánta, coincheapa agus smaointe nua. Is gradam sainiúil tábhachtach é Laureate na nÓg, ceann a neartóidh deiseanna don aos óg ar fud oileán na hÉireann le bheith ag gabháil do litríocht ardchaighdeáin do leanaí."

Is iarchathaoirleach ar Ghradaim Leabhar na Bliana Leabhair Pháistí Éireann í Áine agus throid sí go láidir ar son scríbhneoirí agus maisitheoirí Gaeilge. Tá sí ag obair san earnáil litríochta do leanaí i gcoitinne le blianta fada mar sheaimpín feiceálach, glórach agus tomhaiste leabhair a scríobhadh do leanaí i nGaeilge. Roghnaíodh Áine mar dhuine de scór CAILÍNÍ DÁNA Leabhair Pháistí Éireann in 2018, tionscadal ina ndearnadh comóradh ar chailíní agus ar mhná láidre i litríocht do leanaí agus inar aibhsíodh ealaíontóirí ban na hÉireann a bhfuil saothar den scoth cruthaithe acu.