Angela’s Ashes as Gaeilge for New York

A Gaelic version of Frank McCourt’s, Angela’s Ashes, is to be launched in New York.
The Irish language publication of the Pulitzer Prize winning memoir will be launched at the Irish Consulate, at 5:30-7:30p.m., on 15th November, as part of Imagine Ireland, Culture Ireland’s year of Irish arts in America.

Angela’s Ashes has sold millions of copies and been translated into over 25 languages. However, until now, the Irish language, Gaelic, was not one of them.

Luaithreach Angela is a limited edition, Irish translation of the author’s Pulitzer Prize winning   book. This new publication was undertaken by The Limerick Writers’ Centre, a non-profit organisation established to nurture and support writers. They commissioned writer and translator Padraic Breathnach to translate the famous book into the Irish ‘native tongue’.

Speaking about Luaithreach Angela, Dominic Taylor, the project editor for the book, explained the reason behind publishing this new version; “The publication in the Irish language is a tribute to Frank Mc Court’s Irish roots. On the occasion of Frank’s untimely passing in 2009, the Limerick Writers’ Centre made a decision to honour our famous author in a significant way and after much deliberation, we decided that it would be appropriate for us to publish an Irish edition of Angela’s Ashes, the book that put Limerick on the literary map.”

The Limerick Writers’ Centre also expressed the hope that an Irish edition of such a famous book may encourage more people to read books in Irish.

The publication and launch of the book takes place in association with The Frank McCourt Museum. This museum, in Limerick, Ireland, which is dedicated to Frank’s memory, is located in Leamy’s School, where Frank received his early education, as featured in his memoir. The launch takes place fifteen years after the publication of the original book in New York, in 1996.

In addition to the launch at the Irish Consulate on 15th, a public reading in both Irish and English from Luaithreach Angela / Angela’s Ashes, will take place at the New York Irish Centre, in Queens NY, the following evening, at 7 p.m. and all are welcome.

For their generous financial assistance with our project, we wish to gratefully acknowledge the support of the following, Culture Ireland, Shannon Development and Limerick City Council.

The events are part of Imagine Ireland, Culture Ireland’s year of Irish arts in America

For further information, contact: Pat Carroll (Touch Communications)
e: pat@touchcommunications.ie t:+353 86 784 4005

http://www.limerickwriterscentre.com/
http://www.frankmccourtmuseum.com/