Faoin Údar
Christy Gillespie
Faoin Údar
Meet Christy!
Rugadh agus tógadh Christy Gillespie i gCill Charthaigh. Tá cónaí air anois i Leitir Ceanainn lena bhean chéile Brona. Tá ceathrar clainne acu agus iad uilig ar shiúl ón bhaile anois.
Bhí Christy ina mhúinteoir scoile agus ina phríomhoide ar feadh na mblianta i Scoil Náisiúnta an Tearmainn. Le linn an ama sin d’éirigh go maith lena chuid ranganna i gcomórtais oidhreachta náisiúnta. Bhí an ceann is déanaí mar bhuaiteoirí Comórtas Uile-Éireann ‘Decade of Centenaries’ dá dtionscadal ar an stair a bhain le bonn de chuid an Chéad Chogaidh Dhomhanda a tháinig duine de thuismitheoirí pháiste de chuid na scoile air ina ghairdín.
“ Ní leanfaidh mé an áit a bhféadfaidh an cosán a threorú, ach rachaidh mé áit nach bhfuil cosán agus fágfaidh mé rian. ”
From the poem Bláthanna Fiáine Gaoithe-Wafted le Muriel Strode
D'fhoilsigh Christy leabhar ar shaol Naomh Colm Cille, a raibh ceangal aige leis an cheantar, leabhar ar díoladh gach cóip de dhá eagrán. Le cuidiú pháistí na scoile, d’fhoilsigh sé leabhar eile ar scéal dhíshealbhuithe Dhoire Bheatha in 1861. Tá Doire Bheatha, ar bhruacha Loch Ghartáin, i ndobharcheantar na scoile agus gan fágtha anois ann ach teach amháin.
Tá Christy ag obair go crua le cúig bliana déag anuas ar thaighde agus ar scríobh an scéil shuimiúil seo faoi Ghleann Locha agus é críochnaithe anois leis an magnus opus seo, beidh sé ag filleadh ar leagan nuashonraithe de scéal Cholm Cille a chríochnú. Tá sé i gceist aige stair Chlainn Mhic Suibhne Báineach a chur i gcrích fosta, clann a bhí i gceannas ar dhúiche ollmhór ar Bharúntacht Báineach thart ar Chuan na gCealla Beaga, dúiche ó hInbhear go Cuan Theilinn. Tháinig Clann Mhic Suibhne ina ngallóglaigh ó iarthar na hAlban ar dtús agus níorbh fhada go raibh siad ina saighdiúirí dílse de chuid Chlann Uí Dhónaill a bhí i gceannas in iarthuaisceart na hÉireann ar feadh dhá chéad bliain.
An leabhar a cheannach
July 7, 2021
Ag ceannach an leabhair
Beidh an leabhar seo ar díol i siopaí leabhar, tríd an phost nó ag ócáidí seolta leabhar agus ag cainteanna éagsúla
An Leabhar a Cheannach i siopa leabhar
Tá an leabhar seo ar fáil le ceannacht in:
Áislann Cill Chartha in Kilcar: (074) 9738376
An Daonbhaile / The Folk Village, Gleann Cholm Cille: (074) 9730017
Oideas Gael, Glencolmcille (074) 9730248
Bookmark in Ionad Siopadóireachta Leitir Ceanainn: (074) 9127299
Siopa Leabhar The Four Masters i mBaile Dhún na nGall: (074) 9721526
Postas
The book is a considerable 3.4kg and so postage costs are high. The following are the best postage and packing deals that could be arranged.
Anywhere on the island of Ireland: €10
Great Britain: €20
Na Stáit Aontaithe: €60
New Zealand: €60
Australia: €62
If you are having trouble sourcing a copy, please get in touch with Christy at glenloughvalley@gmail.com and he will try and arrange something for you.
Book launches and signings
Christy will be in the Aislann in Kilcar from 12-5pm on Friday 28.7.23 for the Heritage Day event there.
There will be a book signing at the Bookmark, Letterkenny Shopping Centre on Saturday 29.7.23 from 1-3pm
Christy will also have a table at the Glencolmcille Agricultural Show on Sunday the 6th of August.
There will be an illustrated talk and book signing at the Dolmen Centre, Kilcloney on Saturday 19th August. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
If you are having trouble sourcing a copy, please get in touch with Christy at glenlough@gmail.com agus socróidh mé rud éigin duit.
Reviews
Read The Reviews
Imagine the harsh landscape of a windswept valley … imagine being the only couple inhabiting this wild beautiful place … When we walk today in summer warmth from Glencolumbkille to Port and on to the deserted village of Glenlough we can easily forget the challenges people faced all those years ago in this inhospitable place. Imagine then the arrival of Rockwell Kent, the American artist and photographer … the rather convincing research that points to this same valley harbouring Bonnie Prince Charlie … and the presence of the great Poet Dylan Thomas … All of these accounts interwoven with the real story of the people who struggled to survive and flourish on the barren stony infertile land of this haunting place and you have the heart of this magnificent book by #ChristyGillespie. As for the pictorial record … words fail me! Our heritage and history … our people … our struggles … indeed the romance and magic, combine to make this book very extraordinary indeed... If those ruins could only speak!
Bought my copy yesterday in the Folk village (Margaret had reserved it for me). Jonathan and l drove to Port, parked looking out to sea and dived into it. I can only say how thrilled we are that this quality of documentation is happening. it’s so precious. ‘Our’ valley is truly wonderful.
As I said before, it is a remarkable work of scholarship, and now that I’ve read it, I’m more convinced than ever that it will garner critical acclaim at home and abroad. Christy has been Jesuitical in his research and fact-gathering and still manages to make it a fascinatingly enjoyable read, rather than an academic tome to be consigned to the dusty shells of university libraries. It is so readable for an academic treatise and notwithstanding the fact that Bonnie Prince Charlie, Rockwell Kent and Dylan Thomas are the three central characters, it is Glenlough that commands the centre ground and the narrative.
Well, my book has arrived and I have brought it up to my mum's house (Kitty, Annie's daughter) to let her spend some time enjoying it. I wanted to tell you our first impression is "WOW!". What an absolutely beautiful book! The photos and colours immediately catch the eye and my wee mum is totally engrossed in it, reading bits and studying photos and reminiscing about times in the area. We are absolutely delighted to read it. I have a feeling we might be fighting over it here! Mum is definitely getting first chance to enjoy it.
Ádh mór leis an leabhar. I’ve only read about Rockwell’s time in Ireland yet as I am waiting for eye surgery. Here with the book in front of me reading about my parents and grandparents (with yours truly mentioned) well I get a bit emotional. I only hope the next generations will value it as I do. I will be in touch again when I read it all. Míle buíochas. Saol fada agus sláinte mhaith duit fhéin agus do chlann.