Clough author’s Irish book

Launch on December 7

There is an Irish language revival taking shape across these shores and beyond, and at the heart of the movement is young people. From rap-music group Kneecap, to the Oscar-winning film An Cailín Ciúin, to the wildly popular How to Gael podcast, Gaeilge is thriving in almost every medium. It makes sense then, that when Cloughjordan woman Annemarie Nugent decided she was going to write a book, that she would do so in Irish, and she would write it for young people.

Annemarie’s debut work, An Seol atá Fút, is a captivating but complex story of two teenage girls, Ríona and Mealla, who meet at a summer sailing camp and quickly form a rapport. In some ways the girls couldn’t be more different - Mealla is a skilled sailor from an affluent background; Ríona is a complete newcomer whose mother can only just afford to send her out on the water. But trouble is brewing, both in a physical sense and on an emotional level. It soon emerges that Mealla is less than popular amongst her peers and her trainers. Storm clouds gather and the waters grow rougher. Like the conditions, the friendship between the two girls rapidly develops - perhaps into something greater. That is for them to decide.

Sense of satisfaction

Annemarie admits there is a deep sense of satisfaction to publishing her first book. Granted, she’s been a writer for years, penning short stories and various other bits of prose, but this latest venture is her most daring. Writing a book of any nature requires skill and expertise, but writing a book as Gaeilge for 13-15 year-olds demands a careful blend of knowledge, ability and understanding. While Annemarie did attend a gaelscoil for eleven of her fourteen years of primary and secondary education, time away from the language meant that she effectively had to reconnect with Irish in recent years. She’s now an enthusiastic Gaeilgeoir and feels that there remains a certain apathy towards the language amongst older generations, primarily due to the way in which it was taught.

“There was a deliberate loss of the language. I think for a long time it was being forced upon us and parents were insisting on it. There’s a lot of trauma around that. In the old days you had some very tough teachers and it was almost like it was a mortal sin not to be good at Irish. But I think that sort of judging attitude isn’t there in the same way any more.”

So, what kind of writer, or scríobhneoir, is she? Does she rise at 5am and write until sunset, or sit in cafés for hours upon end? Annemarie candidly reveals that finding the time, space and motivation to write can sometimes be a struggle, but fortunately, she was given the opportunity to spend time at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Co. Monaghan - a residential facility for creative artists. This allowed her to work uninterrupted and access that coveted state of “flow” that many artists talk about.

“I get terribly distracted, but when I get writing I can write quite a bit, so to sit down and actually do it is the problem. I’ve been lucky enough to get a bursary to go to the Tyrone Guthrie centre, where artists and writers and singers and all sorts of creative people go for a week to do their thing. It’s a marvellous place. I was lucky to get it.”

Evidently, those distractions had little effect on the quality of her writing. Already, An Seal atá Fút has claimed the Oireachtas na Gaeilge Prize for Fiction for Young People (13-15). Published by a Galway-based outfit, Cló Iar-Chonnacht, the novel runs to 88 pages and is an ideal read for students, but also for adults seeking to ameliorate their Irish language skills. The book contrasts sharply with more traditional Irish language novels such as Peig - a staple of the Leaving Certificate curriculum - but that, Annemarie says, is a good thing. She is part of a new wave of Irish authors, who are bringing new ideas and fresh themes to readers around the country and beyond.

“You’d be surprised how big the market for Irish books is, especially for young people. It’s growing all the time.”

Book launch

Annemarie Nugent will be launching An Seol atá Fút on Sunday, December 7, at 3pm in Sheelagh na Gig bookshop, Cloughjordan.