Call for Expressions of Interest from Translators
1 July 2019
When Europe is faced with unprecedented immigration, twentieth-century Gaelic texts provide a vocabulary to respond to contemporary challenges. In 2020, when Galway will be the European Capital of Culture, EFACIS is partnering with NUI Galway on ‘Aistriú’ – a language and literature project on the Galway 2020 cultural programme.
The Aistriú project is focused on Irish language texts by 11 writers across a range of genres, including poetry, short story, novel and autobiography. They are written by some of the best known writers in the Irish language, including Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Alan Titley, Máirtín Ó Cadhain and Pádraic Ó Conaire.
‘Aistriú’ is an Irish word that means migration, translation and transformation. Each of the texts in the Aistriú project explores the theme of migration from a variety of perspectives, both fictional and non-fictional. In 2020, these texts will be used as inspiration for a range of artist commissions and installations for display in Galway city and county.
In order to make this celebration a Europe-wide event we launch this call for new translations, inviting you and your students to translate one or more of the 11 texts. To help participants, English language translations have already been sourced or created for the Aistriú project, and they are presented along with introductions, author biographies and notes on language style on the Aistriú website: www.nuigalway.ie/aistriu
The translations sourced through EFACIS will be uploaded to a public website, which will be a valuable learning resource and a lasting legacy of the project. A jury of experts drawn from EFACIS and NUI Galway will choose the best translations, and these will feature in installations in Galway city and county in 2020. Translators will be credited for their work on the website and installations.
Below is a full list of the Aistriú project writers and texts. Visit the Aistriú website to read more about the project and to access pdf and Word versions of each text.
Time scheme: please send an expression of interest in participating in the project to projectaistriu@nuigalway.ie before 1 July 2019. Please reference the language(s) that you plan to use in your translation(s).
Poetry
- Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill: 'Na Murúcha a Thriomaigh' | 'The Assimilated Merfolk'
- Máirtín Ó Direáin: Rogha Dánta | Selection of Poetry
- Pádraig Ó hÉigeartaigh: 'Ochón! A Dhonncha' | 'My Sorrow, Donncha'
- Louis de Paor: 'Fáilte Uí Dhonnchú' | 'O'Donoghue's Welcome'
Prose: Fiction
- Máirtín Ó Cadhain: 'An Bhliain 1912' | 'The Year 1912'
- Pádraic Ó Conaire: 'Nóra Mharcuis Bhig' | 'Nora, daughter of Marcus Beag'
- Alan Titley: Gluaiseacht | On the Move
- Liam Mac Uistín: Esperanza | On Board the Esperanza
Prose: Non-fiction
- Dónall Mac Amhlaigh: Dialann Deoraí | An Irish Navvy: The Diary of an Exile
- Micí Mac Gabhann: Rotha Mór an tSaoil | The Hard Road to Klondike
- Peig Sayers: Peig: A Scéal Féin | Peig: The Autobiography of Peig Sayers of the Great Blasket Island