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Newry Councillor, Gaeilgeoir and former prisoner Brendan Curran and well-known local editor and tv/radio presenter Tomaí Ó Conghaile will launch Language, Resistance and Revival at Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail this Friday at 8pm.
The author, Dr. Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, is a first generation Irish speaker, and his book reflects on his groundbreaking research with Republican former prisoners. Based on in-depth, ‘insider’ interviews, and analysis of the politics of incarceration in Long Kesh throughout the conflict in the north, he reveals the centrality of the Irish language to prisoners’ resistance in their struggle against the policy of criminalisation. The book has been very favourably reviewed by, among others, Professor Phil Rolston (UU), Cathal Goan (former Director-General of RTÉ) and Professor Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, who commented:
‘This is an original and thought-provoking work, in which the combination of an author engagé and a rich body of primary evidence has produced a study that challenges many conventional features of ethnographic research.’
Is iardhalta é Feargal de Bhunscoil Phobal Feirste agus de Mheánscoil Feirste in Iarthar Bhéal Feirste. D’fhreastál sé ar Ollscoil na Banríona i mBéal Feirste, áit ar bhain sé céim na dochtúireachta amach in 2009 le tráchtas ar phríosúnaigh phoblachtánacha agus athbheochán na Gaeilge i dtuaisceart na hÉireann, atá foilsithe mar leabhar aige i mbliana. Is ball bunaithe é d’fhoireann péile lánGhaeilge na Ceathrún Gaeltachta, Laochra Loch Lao CLG, agus tá sé gníomhach in Athbheochán na Gaeilge i mBéal Feirste. Is cathaoirleach é ar eagraíocht Ghaeilge an Uachtar Chluanaigh, Glór na Móna, agus oibríonn sé go lán-aimseartha mar oifigeach tionscadail le haisínteacht forbartha Gaeilge na Ceathrún Gaeltachta, Forbairt Feirste.
Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh is a former pupil of Bunscoil Phobal Feirste and Meánscoil Feirste in West Belfast. He attended Queen’s University Belfast and completed his PhD thesis in 2009 on republican prisoners and the Irish language revival in the north of Ireland, now published and which sees its Newry launch at Chapel Street, on 6th December at 8.00 pm. The book will interest former prisoners and their families, those broadly engaged in the development of the Irish language in the north, and students of the ‘Troubles’, Politics, and Sociolinguistics.
The author is a founder member of the Irish-speaking Gaeltacht Quarter football club, Laochra Loch Lao CLG, and is active in the Irish language revival in Belfast. He is chairperson of Glór na Móna and works full-time as Project Worker with the Gaeltacht Quarter Irish Language Development Agency, Forbairt Feirste.
