Time for Publishing #ÁrdTeangaFéin

How does Foras na Gaeilge support publishing?

Foras na Gaeilge promotes reading and publishing primarily through An Gúm, Áis and Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge. Through Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge, Irish language publishers are supported through the Publishing Scheme, and Irish language writers are supported through the writing schemes.

An Gúm provides publications and facilities which support education through Irish and the use of Irish in general. Today An Gúm mainly deals with lexicography, publishing textbooks and school facilities and reading material for young people. Foras na Gaeilge has a particular legislative duty in regard to these matters.

The Áisíneacht Dáiliúchan Leabhar (ÁIS) (the Books Distribution Agency) was set up in 1980 to distribute Irish language publications nationally and internationally. Áis provides a distribution service for Irish language publishers and ensures a supply of Irish language books on the market.

Major Publishing Awards

The 2019 Major Publishing Awards are organised by Foras na Gaeilge in conjunction with the Irish language Lead Organisation An tOireachtas. Later this year Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin (Book of the Year for Adult Readers) and Gradam Réics Carló (Book of the Year for Young Readers) will be awarded to Irish language publishers and authors.

These major awards will give recognition to good practice, to creativity and to presentation at all levels of the process of preparing a book for the market.

Portráidí.ie

Portráidí na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge is a multistage and continuous project organised in conjunction with Comhar. 

Portráidí na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge is a live collection of contemporary Irish language writers based on the work of Máire Uí Mhaicín. The current collection contains portraits of over 136 writers. You can view the collection on portraidi.ie.

Which schemes support publishing?

Through Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge, Foras na Gaeilge provides support for both Irish language publishers and writers through the following schemes:

  • The Publishing Scheme
  • The Commissions Scheme
  • The Mentoring Scheme
  • The Literary Projects Scheme

Further information on the schemes can be found here.

Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge also caters for our youngest authors. Scríobh Leabhar is a project to foster Irish language writing and reading among primary school children. Around 8,000 participate in this project each year and a selection of their achievements can be seen on the site www.scríobhleabhar.ie.

Further information

Further information on the support Foras na Gaeilge provides to the the arts is available in the booklet Time for Publishing.

A full list of Foras na Gaeilge schemes can be found here.