American Conference for Irish Studies. Leabhar Taighde na Bliana.

Ar dtús ba mhaith leis an gcoiste Brendan Kane, Ollscoil Connecticut, Caoimhín Scannell, Ollscoil Saint Louis, agus mé féin ár mbuíochas a ghabháil le hÉamonn Wall, Ollamh an Bhéarla ag Ollscoil Missouri as a chuid tacaíochta le hurraíocht a chur ar fáil don gradam tábhachtach seo ó 2016 go 2020.

Hilary Mhic Suibhne, Ionadaí na Gaeilge
ACIS Comhdháil Náisiúnta. Ollscoil Missouri, Kansas City. MO

1 Aibreáin 2017

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ACIS Duais 2017
Leabhar Taighde na Bliana

An Ghaeilge i Maigh Nuad by Seán Ó hÉanacháin.
Published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht (2016)

287 pages.  12 Euro.
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"Is saothar úr é seo - saothar stair-chróineolaíoch agus saothar litríochta atá ann, a dhéanann plé ar dhá chéad bliain maidir le Maigh Nuad agus an Ghaeilge" Lch 10.

Déanann an leabhar seo cíoradh agus scagadh ar áit na Gaeilge i gColáiste agus ina dhiaidh sin, in Ollscoil, Mhaigh Nuad ó bunaíodh é sa bhliain 1795.
Ar dtús pléitear tacaíocht na cléire don Ghaeilge sna coláistí san Eoraip ó aimsir Sheathrúin Chéitinn. Ansin pléitear réanna diúltacha nuair a bhí dímheas agus cúng-aigeantacht i réim maidir leis an teanga go dtí beagnach deireadh an naoú haoise déag.  Ceapadh Eoghain Uí Ghramhnaigh sa phost mar Cathaoir na Gaeilge in 1891, post a fágadh folamh ó 1876. Ach d'ainneoin tús na hathbheochana in Éirinn,  níor lean scéal na Gaeilge i Maigh Nuad gan trioblóidí; ní i gcónaí a bhí díograiseoirí i gceannas gnó!  Déantar cur síos agus anailís sa leabhar seo ar shaol agus shaothar scoláirí mór le rá mar Eoghan Ó Ghramhnaigh, Mícheál Ó hIcí, Breandán Ó Doibhlin, Pól Breathnach, Tomás Ó Fiaich agus Pádraig Ó Fiannachta. 
Ba iad na sagairt a chuir an Ghaeilge chun cinn ó bhunú an Stáit, dar leis an údar, nuair nach raibh mórán suime ag na húdaráis inti.

Cinneadh:

Cé go bhfuil clú agus cáil ar Ollscoil Maigh Nuad mar fhoinse theagaisc agus thaighde na Gaeilge le fada anuas, mar aon le forbairtí i múineadh na Gaeilge in Ionad na dTeangacha ansin, níl mórán eolais le fáil go dtí anois faoi na sagairt ar leith taobh thiar tús an scéil agus na deacrachtaí a bhí ag chuid acu fréamhacha doimhne na Gaeilge a chur san ollscoil. Tá sé in am do lucht na Gaeilge saothar na bhfear seo a aithint agus ligeann an leabhar seo seans luach a gcuid oibre agus a gcuspóirí uaisle a thuiscint i gceart. Brendan Kane, University of Connecticut
Hilary Mhic Suibhne, New York University
Kevin Scannell, Saint Louis University

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The members of the Irish language book award committee, Brendan Kane, (University of Connecticut) Kevin Scannell, (Saint Louis University) and I would like to thank Professor Éamonn Wall, Smurfit-Stone Professor of Irish Studies and Professor of English at the University of Missourí, St Louis for sponsoring the ACIS Irish Language Research Book Award 2016 until 2020 inclusive.                                      
Hilary Mhic Suibhne, Ionadaí na Gaeilge
ACIS Comhdháil Náisiúnta.Ollscoil Missouri, Kansas City. MO
1 Aibreáin 2017
_________________________________________________________

ACIS Duais 2017
Leabhar Taighde na Bliana

An Ghaeilge i Maigh Nuad by Seán Ó hÉanacháin.
Published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht (2016)

287 pages.  12 Euro.
_________________________________________________________

"This is a fresh approach, a chronological, literary work which discusses the two-hundred-year relationship of priests at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, with the Irish language." Pg 10

This book examines the place of the Irish language in Maynooth College, established in 1795, later known as Maynooth University. Initially the book discusses the role of the Irish language in the lives of clergy studying in European Colleges during the time of Geoffrey Keating. Periods of negativity, disrespect and narrow mindedness came to the fore within the university regarding the language in the early nineteenth century. This continued to almost the end of the century until the appointment of Eoghan Ó Ghramhnaigh to the Chair of Irish Language, a seat which had been left vacant for over fifteen years. But despite the launch of the language revival in Ireland the story of the language within Maynooth is not without troubles; unfortunately those in charge were not always the most enthusiastic! This book examines the life and work of the most dedicated scholars and teachers of Irish in the university. Eoghan Ó Ghramhnaigh, Mícheál Ó hIcí, Breandán Ó Doibhlin, Pól Breathnach, Tomás Ó Fiaich agus Pádraig Ó Fiannachta.  Since the establishment of the state, according to the author, it was the clergy who worked for the advancement and development of the language, when the authorities showed little interest.

Decision:

Although Maynooth University is well known for many years for its exemplary teaching and research in Irish, and latterly for the developments at The Language Centre, there has been little information until now regarding particular priests who lead the way in Irish language scholarship at this institution notwithstanding the difficulties which some encountered in setting those language roots. It is time to recognize the work of these men and this book illustrates the breadth of their work and their noble aspirations.

Brendan Kane, University of Connecticut
Hilary Mhic Suibhne, New York University
Kevin Scannell, Saint Louis University