The Irish language publication of the Pulitzer Prize winning memoir will be launched at the Irish Consulate General, 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.
I have the book Angela’s Ashes. I’ve had it for a few years and have just now pulled it from my book shelf to read it. I watched the movie for the first time today and my heart was weeping. I’m so blessed to live the life I do. I could only ever wish that all entities live without pain and suffering and not live as Frank McCourt and his family and many others did in those harsh times. However, even today in many parts of the world the struggle for survival still goes on and I believe it always will until we unite and give with our hearts. There are young and old who need help..what we put out, will one day come back or at least that’s how I see it….It matters not where you come from. It matters how you make your life along the way, that takes you from day to day..