Aiséirí

by Alex Hijmans

Saighdiúr de chuid na cúise í Rebekka Vogelzang, bean óg as an Ísiltír a d’fhoghlaim Gaeilge agus í ag obair i dteach caife Gaelach i gcathair na Gaillimhe. Cuireann sí a croí agus a hanam isteach i ngach uile bhonnóg dá mbácáileann sí agus i ngach uile chupán espresso dá ndéanann sí, toisc go dtuigeann sí go bhfuil slánú na teanga ag brath air. Ach cé a shlánóidh Rebekka?

Rebekka Vogelzang, a young Dutchwoman, is fighting to save the Irish language, which she has learnt on the job in an Irish-speaking café in Galway. She puts her heart and soul into every scone she bakes and every cup of espresso she makes because she knows the very salvation of the language depends upon it. But who will save Rebekka?

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Alex Hijmans was born in Heemskerk in Holland In 1975. He moved to Galway in 1995 to learn Irish as part of his degree in Celtic Studies in Holland’s Utrecht University. After his degree he did a Higher Diploma in Applied Communications in Galway University and began a career in journalism in Ireland. Alex worked for Foinse, Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ and Nuacht TG4 for ten years. He has translated a novel for teenagers, Maistín (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2001), from Dutch to Irish and his play Aingilín was performed in Dublin and Galway in 2002. Short Stories by Alex pen have been published in the magazines Comhar, Crannóg agus Dúillí Éireann.

At the end of 2007 Alex headed for South America, where he spend six months living in a poor suburb - or favela - on the outskirts of Salvador, the third largest city in Brazil. This provided the material for his novel Favela (Cois Life, 2009) which was shortlisted for Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin 2010 (Irish Language Book of the Year Award). His next novel Aiséirí will be published in 2011.

Alex and his husband Nilton live in Salvador.

Reviews

[Sadelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first full adult novel in Irish, a fun story about a Dutch artist that finds herself falling in love with the café she works in and the Irish language, and more.

[Michal Boleslav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shil mé deoir ag deireadh an leabhair mar a dhéanfadh seanbhean. Damnú orm!