Harry Potter helping pupils learn Irish

Teachers across the country are delving into an Irish edition of a best-selling Harry Potter book to attract schoolchildren to the language, it has emerged.

Booksellers have reported high sales of Harry Potter Agus An Orchloch, JK Rowling’s international first best-seller, to schools and Irish communities abroad.

Muireann Ní Mhórain, of an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (Council of Irish Education and Irish Schools), confirmed the “as Gaeilge” version had found its way into the classroom as a teaching aid.

“Teachers are always looking for current popular material in Irish as distinct from stuff that is outdated that they aren’t interested in,” she said.

“It is being used as a teaching aid for senior children in primary schools and junior classes in post-primary schools.

“It gives teachers an opportunity for jazzing up the language in the classroom.”

The council, which highlights Irish language teaching resources, informed schools about the book.

She said the publication of the book had been warmly welcomed throughout the education sector.

The translator, Máire Nic Mhaoláin, spent about nine months working her magic on the original Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.

One of the owners of Kenny’s Bookshop in Galway, Tom Kenny, said sales of the Irish language edition had hit the high hundreds since it was launched there last month.

“It is selling very well. I can’t say it is flying out but there is also quite a demand from abroad,” he said.

“It is as far removed from the old traditional types of Irish books like Peig, so it is new and exciting for young people. It is cool to read it.”

Mr Kenny revealed that a major audience had emerged in the United States among Irish emigrants and those taking Irish language classes there.

The bookseller said the 25,000-print run commissioned by UK publisher Bloomsbury was remarkable for an Irish-language copy.

“It is the first time, I think, that some organisation from outside the state has put so much money into selling and marketing an Irish-language book,” he said.

Mr Kenny said the Government should spend more money on funding editions of books.

He added: “It has injected a lot of energy into Irish-language publishing. It will help other small publishers, which are underfunded nearly always.”

Ms Ní Mhórain said the Irish edition would not make it on to the Junior Certificate curriculum as translations from other languages were not acceptable.

“Sales will be quite limited and that is no reflection on the book. It is due to the numbers of children out there with a standard high enough to read in Irish,” she said.

Ms Rowling’s series of novels telling tales of the magical school Hogwarts have been translated into dozens of languages.