DETAILS
Wednesday 16th April 2025 at 4:30pm (AEST)
Áine Ní Ghlinn
Finding readers in a minority language
ABSTRACT
During 2020-2023 An Bosca Leabharlainne, meaning The Library Box, delivered over 70,000 specially selected books to 1831 primary schools throughout Ireland, South and North. This was the flagship project of Áine Ní Ghlinn while she was Laureate na nÓg/Children’s Poet Laureate. Áine Ní Ghlinn will discuss the challenges involved in this effort to find readers in a minority language – for many pupils Irish is a subject they have to do – and she will report on the success of this campaign. Funded by Foras na Gaeilge and the Arts Council of Ireland, An Bosca Leabharlainne was supported by Children’s Books Ireland and included eleven artists in residence. There had been guidance on reading in Irish provided to schools before, but this was the first project to exclusively focus on reading in Irish for pleasure and to provide the books and resources.
SPEAKER
Áine Ní Ghlinn is a lecturer, children’s writer, poet and journalist. Born in County Tipperary, she was Laureate na nÓg/, Children’s Literature Laureate, 2020-2023, the first to write exclusively in Irish. She has written 39 books, including eight collections of poetry for adults and 23 for teenagers and young readers. Her most recent children’s novels are I mo Chroí Istigh and Daideo. She has won a range of awards, including a Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Fellowship and Children’s Books Ireland fiction award. She’s a four-time winner of the annual best Irish-language book for children and young readers.
LOCATION (In-Person and Online)
This free public seminar will be held in-person in the Jabiru Room at Newman College (enter via main gate and follow the signs), and streamed live online via Zoom. The Zoom room will be open 10 minutes before the scheduled start to give everyone time to connect. Please keep your microphone on mute for the duration of the talk. There will be time for questions at the end of the seminar. Please RSVP to Dianne.hall@vu.edu.au if you would like the zoom link.
RECORDING
A recording may be posted here after the seminar.