Hearts nearly burst with pride as the full original text of the great Irish classic, An tOileánach, was published in its entirety for the first time this week. This is the Irish book par excellence, reminding us of our heritage, said Seán Ó Mórdha, film-maker and director, who introduced the new edition of the book (first published in 1929) to a large gathering in the National Library this week. "Sé an tOileánach príomh-leabhar próis na Nua-Ghaeilge," a dúirt
The hero of the book is the Irish language, he said: "Sí an teanga Gaeilge laoch an leabhair seo . . . Is í an teanga príomh phearsa an leabhair." The people of the Blasket Islands were special, he said, and in their midst was Tomás Ó Criomhthain, who wrote An tOileánach. "Níl scéal anseo. Tá saol anseo."
"Don chéad uair tá an teacs le fáil ag an pobail." The richness of the book came from the fact that the Irish language is written in its purest form "gan bearna ón Táin Bó Cúlainge go dtí an tOileánach".
He said Muiris Mac Conghail's film about the Blaskets, Oileán Eile (Another Island), had made an impact on Irish viewers because they realised that's where we come from. It was like "pressing a button". Viewers saw these "fearless boatmen, heroes, facing down the odds" - and "bingo!" he said.
It was the same for the people of Dingle when they saw the islanders coming in to the quay in their currachs, he said. They felt the same magic. The islanders represented exotica. "Chuaigh an draíocht céanna i bhfeidhm ar mhuintir an Daingin nuair a tháing na báid isteach ó chaladh Dún Chaoin. Exotica ag teacht ón oileán."
The book is published by Cló-Talbóid, the result of years of work by Prof Seán Ó Coileáin, of UCC, who was at the gathering with his wife, Carmel Uí Choileáin.
"It's the manuscript as it left Ó Criomhthain's hands," said Mac Conghail. "For the first time we see the text as Tomás Ó Criomhthain intended it." All the editorial amendments of the two earlier editions - in 1929 and in 1973 - have been eradicated. "This was a study of the psyche and mindset of the people," said Mac Conghail. "What Ó Coileáin has done to Ó Criomhthain is what Ellmann did to Joyce."
Eoghan Ó hAnluain, of UCD's Irish department, chaired the proceedings and introduced the speakers, including T.K. Whitaker, who spoke of his love of this book.
"We now have the definitive edition of An tOileánach," said Prof Breandán Ó Buachalla. "Whether for literary reasons or socio-cultural reasons would have to be debated, but it always held a major position in the canon of Irish literature."