An Aran Reader

by Breandán Ó hEithir (Editor), Ruairí Ó hEithir (Editor)

The Aran Islands, three barren limestone rocks stretching across the mouth of Galway Bay on Ireland's west coast, are among the most finely wrought land-masses in the western world.
An Aran Reader begins with the chronicler Giraldus Cambrensis and concludes with the poet Michael Longley, encompassing folklore, fiction, botany, ethnography and autobiography.

302 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1999

About the author

Breandán Ó hEithir was an Irish writer and broadcaster. wrote in both Irish and English, and was highly regarded for the originality and liveliness of his journalism, especially his work in Irish. He was a regular columnist with the journal Comhar and also contributed a weekly column to the Irish Times. He also served as a staff journalist with RTÉ, working on the current affairs programmes Cúrsaí and Féach.

He was born in Galway City, but grew up on Inishmore (one of the Aran Islands), County Galway. His parents were national school teachers and Ó hEithir attended their school in Kilronan. He received his secondary school education at Coláiste Éinde (St Enda's College) in Galway. He attended University College Galway for three years but left without obtaining a degree.

After college, he spent a number of years working as a book manager for Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge. He served as an editor at Sáirséal agus Dill, the Irish language publishing house, and as Irish language editor for the Irish Press from 1957 to 1963 he also wrote a column for Sunday Press.

A biography of him has been written by Liam Mac Con Iomaire.