Asterix the Gael

He is the little “laoch” who won’t bend the knee to Rome’s legions and, now, Asterix the Gall has become Asterix the Gael. Two stories of Gall’s most famous rebel are now available, for the first time, in Irish.

Translated by Coleraine man, Antain Mac Lochlainn, Asterix the Gall (Asterix na nGallach) and Asterix and the Golden Sickle (Asterix agus an Corrán Óir) are now in a language that was actually around in Roman times. Very appropriately too in this age of cross-Border language development, Asterix should appeal to all political groupings in Ireland. His refusal to surrender to Rome marks him out as a unionist while his constant fights with the empire will endear him to republicans. And, of course, Asterix and his comrades gain their powers from a secret elixir that gives them superhuman strength. Could it have been Guinness?

This week marks a busy translation time for Mac Lochlainn and Irish-language literature in general. Not only has he translated Asterix, he has also translated C.S. Lewis's classic story, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (An Leon, an Bandraoi agus an Prios Éadaigh, An Gúm).

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C S Lewis. photograph: hulton getty

Mac Lochlainn, who describes himself as someone of no faith, is unsure as to what drew him to the book in the first place but has enjoyed the challenge of bringing Lewis’s “Christian parable” to life in Irish. He was interested in the story, something he would not have been had it had “the rough taste of the pulpit” to it.

In addition, he was very taken with C.S. Lewis as a writer: “He was a Belfast Protestant who was not in the least estranged from Dublin; he was a man with a pre-Partitionist identity.”

Mac Lochlainn is not alone in his endeavours. Poet Gabriel Rosenstock has translated a Tintin story into Irish, Todóga na bhFarónna (Cigars of the Pharoah); writer Darach Ó Scolaí has translated Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island (Oileán an Órchiste, Leabhar Breac) and that most English of writers, Enid Blyton and her Famous Five, complete with ginger beoir, will soon be speaking Irish too.

Mac Lochlainn himself and novelist Anna Heussaff will talk about the effects of translation at a bilingual event to be held tomorrow as part of the Dublin Book Festival, "Idir Teangacha/Between Languages". Heussaff has one of her own books, Buille Marfach (Cló Iar-Chonnacht), translated into English as Deadly Intent under the pen-name, Anna Sweeney. She wonders whether the trend to translation will encourage Irish-language readers to read more or will it harm original creative writing in the language?

Translation from English to Irish is not new. A scheme, An Gúm, was set up in the 1920s to translate works of English into Irish in order to give Irish speakers something to read at a time when original writing in Irish was still in its infancy. However idealistic the motivation, the scheme was not without its problems or controversies. The writers were paid for every thousand words translated and this encouraged them to translate the biggest books they could get hold of. Indeed, one wag noted that the books were often much longer in Irish than they had been in English. (That said, there were some wonderful books translated wonderfully.)

Is it a case then of back to the future for the language? Tomorrow's event will give some idea what writers and, just as importantly, readers think. Idir Teangacha/Between Languages will take place Saturday 15th November at 2.30pm in Smock Alley Theatre, Templebar, Dublin. An Leon, an Bandraoi agus Prios Éadaigh will be launched following it. All are welcome – from White Witches to Romans! The Asterix and Tintin books are available directly from the publisher – www.daleneireann.com. Tintin is in the shops now and the Asterix books will be from November 20th.