Áine Ní Ghlinn is a bilingual Irish journalist, poet, playwright and children's writer. She is the current Laureate na nÓg ("Children's Laureate"), 2020—2023, the first to write exclusively in Irish.^[1]

Life and work

Ní Ghlinn was born in County Tipperary. She went to the Presentation Convent in Thurles and then to University College Dublin where she got her degree in Irish and English. She went on to complete her Higher Diploma in Education. She initially worked as a secondary teacher. Ní Ghlinn later went to the London School of Journalism where she gained a Diploma in Journalism. Her M.A. in Creative Writing is from Lancaster University.^[2] She lives in Dublin.

Ní Ghlinn teaches creative writing to all ages, especially in Gaelscoileanna (i.e. Irish speaking schools.) She leads workshops for teachers on Irish language and literature.^[3] Some of the topics that she covers in her poetry are difficult subjects like the abuse of children or an emigrants journey^[4]

She has won various awards for adult and children's poetry, drama, fiction. She received various bursaries from Foras na Gaeilge and from the Irish Arts Council. In 2002 she was awarded the Foras na Gaeilge Award at Seachtain na Scríbhneoirí in Listowel. She also won the Foras na Gaeilge award at Seachtain na Scríbhneoirí, Listowel in 2019 and 2020. Then in 2003 she won the Gradam Chlann Lir with Céard tá sa Bhosca? In 2003 she won both the Irish-language prize at the Strokestown poetry festival and the Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown poetry competition. She was shortlisted for the Children's Books Ireland award for Brionglóidí & Aistir Eile (2008). She again won Duais de hÍde at Strokestown Poetry Festival in 2019 and 2020.

She was awarded Oireachtas prizes for drama and for her books, Fuadach, Tromluí, Daideo, Hata Zú Mhamó, Boscadán and Úbalonga. In 2010 was awarded an IBBY honour award. Daideo also won the Gradam Réics Carlo Irish language Book of the Year in 2014. Nílim ag Iarraidh Dul ar Scoil was shortlisted in the same year. Hata Zú Mhamó and Boscadán also wond Gradam Réics Carló Irish Language Book of the Year award.^[5][6]

In 2019 she was awarded a Patrick Kavanagh Fellowship for poetry. She became Ireland's sixth ^[7] Laureate na nÓg.^[8]

Bibliography

Further reading

• Migration and identity in 20th Century and contemporary Irish Language literature
• Celtic Culture: Aberdeen breviary-celticism, Volume 1 of Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia, John T. Koch, ABC-CLIO, 2006, ISBN 1851094407, ISBN 9781851094400
• Best of Irish poetry 2007, Maurice Riordan, Colm Breathnach, Southword Editions, 1 January 2006
• The Irish Writer and the World, Declan Kiberd, Cambridge University Press, 11 August 2005

References