In pictures: Children's book launch Mamaí Gé in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair

Bhí an fócas ar pháistí Dé Sathairn nuair a sheol Éabhlóid an leabhar úr Mamaí Gé in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair le daoine óga ón cheantar ag aithris na rannta is fearr leo ón leabhar úr. Cliceáil ar na saigheada chun dul tríd an gailearaí

Is bailiúchán dátheangach de rannta “Mamaí Gé” (Mother Goose Rhymes) atá sa leabhar a d’aistrigh an file bisiúil Gabriel Rosenstock agus atá lán de léaráidí gleoite a rinne an t-ealaíontóir gradamach Kim Sharkey.

Tá 79 rann sa leabhar ina iomláine, i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla, agus gach ceann acu curtha i láthair le léaráidí tarraingteacha spraíúla a rinne Kim.

Cé nach raibh Gabriel Rosenstock ábalta a bheith i láthair, chuir sé nóta speisialta chuig na páistí a léadh amach ag an ócáid. Arsa Gabriel sa nóta:

“Tá sibhse, aos óg na hÉireann, chomh tábhachtach le léitheoirí atá níos sine ná sibh; i mo shúilese, ar aon nós, is tábhachtaí sibh ná daoine fásta! Is oscailte sibh i ngach slí ná daoine fásta agus níl sibh tosaithe fós ar an sclábhaíocht laethúil sin is gá a dhéanamh chun arán a chur ar an mbord; mar sin tá sibh in ann bhur samhlaíocht a úsáid níos minice ná daoine fásta a bhíonn ag féachaint ar an gclog an t-am ar fad!”

Labhair Kim Sharkey ansin ar an modh oibre a bhí aici ag déanamh na léaráidí: “Turas fada a bhí ann, thar trí bliana oibre,” arsa Kim. “Cuireadh cuid mhór taighde isteach sna léaráidí. Bhí deis agam labhairt le lear mór daoine sa phobal faoin ionadaíocht a dhéantar orthu agus tá cuid acu anseo inniu.
Bhí sé iontach an tseans a fháil na rannta seo a chur i dtimpeallacht chomhaimseartha, ón éadach a chaitheann na carachtair go dtí léir rudaí beaga eile - mar a oibríonn teaghlaigh an lae inniu mar shampla - agus tá súil agam go mbeidh daoine óga ábalta ceangail a bheith acu leis na pictiúirí atá sa leabhar,” a dúirt sí.

Dúirt sí gur thiomnaigh sí an leabhar dá garneachtanna agus a garnianna, cuid acu a bhí i láthair, agus gur “iadsan bun agus barr an scéil – an chéad ghlúin eile.”

Ansin, tháinig páistí as an phobal chun tosaigh, agus, faoi stiúir Suzanne Ní Ghallchóir chuir siad brí agus anam sa leabhar trína gcuid aithriseoireachta ar rannta agus trína gcuid tuairimí faoi leabhar a roinnt leis an lucht éisteachta mór a bhí i láthair.

Ba iad Aoibh Nic Pháidín, Aela Nic Suibhne, Sophie agus Freya Feiritéar, Annie agus Rosie Ní Churráin, Rian Beauron agus Muireann Ní Dhomhnaill a tháinig aníos duine ar dhuine agus a chur a gcuid rannta i láthair go bríomhar agus a mhínigh cad chuige ar phioc siad an rann a phioc siad le haithris ón leabhar.

Phioc Sophie an rann Sa Tóir ar Bhéar mar go raibh sé chomh greannmhar sin. Léigh Aela an rann Dá mbeadh gach Muir mar aon Mhuir Amháin mar gur chuir sé a hathair mór a bhfuil bád aige i gcuimhne di, agus roghnaigh Muireann Tomaí Beag an Úcaire siocair go bhfuil dúil mhór aicise sa drámaíocht agus tá Tomaí Beag é féin le feiceáil ar an stáitse sa léaráid a théann leis an rann.

Lean an ceiliúradh ar aghaidh le babhta ceoil ó na daoine óga, rud a chuir go mór leis an chomhluadar dheas a bhí i láthair san Amharclann, áit a raibh rogha iontach bia curtha ar fáil ag foireann an chaifé agus ceol beo curtha ar fáil ag Áine Ní Fhearraigh agus Pádraig Mac Suibhne ón ghrúpa áitiúil ón Chrannóg. Tá an leabhar Mamaí Gé ar fáil ó eabhloid.com agus ó shiopaí leabhar ar fud na tíre.

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The focus was on children on Saturday as Éabhlóid hosted a book signing for its latest publication, Mamaí Gé, at Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair, featuring local children reading their favourite pieces from the new bilingual collection of classic Mother Goose nursery rhymes. Click on the arrows to go through the gallery

Translated by prolific Irish language writer and Aosdána poet Gabriel Rosenstock and illustrated by award winning Donegal artist Kim Sharkey.

The new collection features 79 rhymes in total, in Irish and in English, each with its own engaging and playful set of illustrations.

While Gabriel was not able to attend, he did send a special note to the book signing for young readers. Gabriel wrote: “You, the young people of Ireland, are as important as readers who are older than you; and in my eyes anyhow, you’re more important than adults! You are more open in every way than adults and you have not yet begun the daily grind of putting food on the table; therefore, you are free to use your imagination more often than the adults who always have one eye on the clock!”

Kim Sharkey then spoke of her process for illustrating the rhymes in the volume: “It has been a long journey, over three years’ work,” she said. “There was a lot of research that went into the creation of the illustrations. I had the opportunity to speak to lots of different people about representation in the book, and some of them are here today.

“It was lovely to get the opportunity to consider these rhymes in a modern context: their clothing, lots of little details, the ways that family units work today, so hopefully young people will feel that these illustrations have something that relate to them,” she said.

Noting that her dedication in the book is to her great-nieces and nephews, some of whom were at the event, Kim said, “It’s all about them – the next generation.”

Next, a host of young readers from the community, guided by Suzanne Ní Gallchóir, brought the book to life through their recitations and thoughts on the rhymes. Aoibh Nic Pháidín, Aela Nic Suibhne, Sophie and Freya Ferriter, Annie and Rosie Ní Churráin, Rian Beauron and Muireann Ní Dhomhnaill each read their favourites from the book and spoke about why they enjoyed them.

Sophie chose Sa Tóir ar Bhéar because it was so funny, Aela read Dá mbeadh gach Muir mar aon Mhuir Amháin because the rhyme reminded her of her grandad who has a boat, and Muireann chose the rhyme Tomaí Beag an Úcaire because she likes drama and the illustration shows Tomaí Beag on stage.

The celebrations continued with a sing-song by the young people in the warm, relaxed environment of the Amharclann, whose staff provided a fabulous spread of food for all tastes, from sushi to sausage rolls, while guests enjoyed music provided by young musicians Áine Ní Fhearraigh and Pádraig Mac Suibhne from the local music group at An Crannóg.
The book “Mamaí Gé” is available from eabhloid.com and from all good book shops around the country.