Salutations as Gaeilge gan dabht: Dia dhuit. Dia's Muire dhuit. Bail ≤ Dhia ort, a ghrβ. A chro∅, a bhuachaill.
A Sheβin, cΘn chaoi ina bhfuil t·? Seβn ╙ D·rois, a primary school teacher at Belfast's Bunscoil an tSlΘibhe Dhuibh, scooped the top literary prize from Oireachtas na Gaeilge.
First prize, worth £3,000, was awarded to him for his novel Crann Smola. Yes, there's violence in it, he says, "ach tβ scΘal grβ ann fosta". What about sex? "Cuid mh≤r, o, ay," he says. "Tβ cuid de na focail ann agus n∅ raibh siad ag ╙ Donaill," adds a cheeky P≤l ╙ Muir∅, Irish language editor of this newspaper, referring to one of Ireland's great lexicographers and his store of sex-related words. Tβ siad dana ceart, na scr∅obhn≤ir∅ seo.
╙ Muir∅ was another recipient at the prize-giving ceremony at the Arroll Suite of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, picking up three awards in total. His story, 'Paloma', which is for adult learners, published by Comhar, received first prize, and he also shared joint first-prize for his collection of short stories with Daith∅ ╙ Muir∅, of Connemara. (No, they're not related.) P≤l ╙ Muir∅'s third prize was for his short story 'Caraviggio'.
Writer and one of the judges, MβirΘad N∅ ChinnΘide, with her husband Art ╙ Maolfabhail, were there to enjoy the occasion. M∅cheβl ╙ Ruairc, the poet and writer from Clochβn BrΘanainn in Co Kerry, was there to receive a prize for a story, 'Trasna na dTonnta', about murder in Kerry. The dashing broadcaster, Cathal PortΘir, was present also, ag bualadh bos, cos·il linn go lΘir.