PRESS RELEASE – 14 July 2026

Lorna Johnson was presented with the Niall Ó Dónaill Medal this month at an event in Oideas Gael, in Gleann Cholm Cille, Donegal. Lorna won first prize in this year’s edition of the annual Niall Ó Dónaill Essay Competition held by Foras na Gaeilge.

Lorna is of Irish descent and was born and raised in England. She is living in New Zealand and is working as a city councillor in Palmerston North. She started learning Irish in 2021 and completed a Higher Diploma in Gaeilge Fheidhmeach (Functional Irish) from the University of Galway in 2025. She was awarded the Mac Donncha Scholarship for the 2025/26 academic year, and she is currently pursuing an MA in Léann Teanga (Language Studies) in the University of Galway. While visiting Ireland this summer, she is spending a week on a course with Oideas Gael in Gleann Cholm Cille in Donegal.

In Lorna’s essay, she made the case for Irish-language etymology and argued that etymological notes should be included in contemporary Irish-language dictionaries. She compared the position of Irish-language dictionaries to dictionaries in other languages, including English and German. She discussed the rich history of research on etymological matters in the Irish language, and made a case for language learners who would benefit if etymological notes were included in Irish-language dictionaries. At the end of the essay, she discussed the potential issues associated with the spread of false etymology without the availability of authoritative etymological information.

The award was presented by Aisling Ní Churraighín, an editor on Foras na Gaeilge’s lexicography staff. Aisling was born and raised in Teileann, near Gleann Cholm Cille, and has been working as a lexicographer with Foras na Gaeilge for four years.

The assessment panel were very impressed with the range of material and the high standard of the essays they received this year. Pádraig Ó Mianáin, Chief Lexicography Editor in Foras na Gaeilge, said:

“Students from universities all over the country and abroad have shown huge interest in the Niall Ó Dónaill Essay Competition since it was established. We take great satisfaction and encouragement from that because it is important that lexicography be studied as a subject at third level to provide a sound basis for the field in the future. We congratulate all the students who entered the competition this year, and we thank the lecturers and tutors who helped them prepare their essays or encouraged them to enter the competition.”

The Niall Ó Dónaill Essay Competition is an annual essay competition organised by the Department of Lexicography in Foras na Gaeilge. The aim of the competition is to encourage third level students to consider lexicography as a research area and as a career.

The following students won prizes this year:

• International Prize and Niall Ó Dónaill Medal – Lorna Johnson (University of Galway)
• Connacht Prize – Graham Moran (Maynooth University)
• Leinster Prize – Proinsias Mac Ruaidhrí (University College Cork)

The competition was established in 2021 in honour of the celebrated lexicographer, Niall Ó Dónaill, who was the editor of the seminal dictionary Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla published in 1977. A special medal has been commissioned by Foras na Gaeilge as a prize for first place and the competition is to be held again next year.

To arrange interviews, please contact

Lorna Johnson (L.Johnson7 [at] universityofgalway [dot] ie)

Cormac Breathnach, Foras na Gaeilge (CBreathnach [at] forasnagaeilge [dot] ie)