Interviews we have done with authors and with literary critics

These video interviews were produced thanks to funding from Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge (Foras na Gaeilge) and the Arts Council.

From now on, we will be making available a review podcast about the book of the month each month rather than a video interview. You can find these podcasts by clicking the podcasts section above or by clicking here.

Interview with Micheál Ó Conghaile about his collection of short stories An Fear a Phléasc

Aodh Ó Gallchóir recently spoke to Micheál Ó Conghaile about his explosive collection of short stories An Fear a Phléasc which is ClubLeabhar.com’s book of the month for December. A new world is created here by Micheál Ó Conghaile, a world which has never existed and never will exist – but a world which is, nevertheless, uncannily familiar.

Interview with Ian Ó Caoimh about the detective novel Cú na mBaskerville

Aodh Ó Gallchóir recently spoke to Ian Ó Caoimh about the detective novel Cú na mBaskerville which is ClubLeabhar.com’s book of the month for November. A family curse, a wild hound, the supernatural, mystery and a lot more for Sherlock Holmes to deal with in this book.

Interview with Pádraic Breathnach about his novel Deargadaoil i mBád fó Thoinn

Aodh Ó Gallchóir recently spoke to retired Irish Lecturer and novelist Pádraic Breathnach about his energetic and adventurous novel Deargadaoil i mBád fó Thoinn which is ClubLeabhar.com’s book of the month for October. Although he claims the book is a work of fiction, he did admit that the characters in the story are a combination of different people but are not based on any one person.

Interview with Órla Ní Chuilleanáin about Lewis Carroll’s beautifully surreal classic, Lastall den Scáthán agus a bhFuair Eilís ann Roimpi (Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There), which is the book of the month for September.

ClubLeabhar.com administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to Órla Ní Chuilleanáin about Lewis Carroll’s beautifully surreal classic, Lastall den Scáthán agus a bhFuair Eilís ann Roimpi (Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There), which is the online book club’s book of the month for September. ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ is a tale of summer, by Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), which was first published in July 1865. Many of the characters in the book belong to a pack of cards. This story, ‘Lastall den Scáthán agus a bhFuair Eilís Ann Roimpi’, is a winter’s tale much of which is based on a game of chess. It was translated into Irish by Nicholas Williams and published in 2003.

Interview with Brian Ó Conchubhair about the short stories he selected for the Gearrscéalta ár Linne anthology

ClubLeabhar.com administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to Brian Ó Conchubhair, Associate Professor of Irish Language and Literature at the University of Notre Dame about the short stories he selected for the Gearrscéalta ár Linne anthology, which is the online book club’s book of the month for June.

Interview with Seán Mac Mathúna about his novel Gealach

ClubLeabhar.com administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to award-winning writer Seán Mac Mathúna about his rip-roaring novel Gealach, which is the online book club’s book of the month for May.

Interview with Professor Gearóid Denvir about Dúil by Liam Ó Flaithearta

ClubLeabhar.com administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to Prof. Gearóid Denvir of National University of Ireland, Galway, about Liam Ó Flaithearta’s renowned collection of short stories, Dúil, which is the online book club’s book of the month for April. Dúil is Ó Flaithearta’s only collection of stories in Irish.

Interview with Pól Ó Muirí about An Bealach Cóir

ClubLeabhar.com administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to author and journalist Pól Ó Muirí about his collection of detective stories for adult learners An Bealach Cóir, which is the online book club’s book of the month for March. He explained why a Garda was a very useful character in a book aimed at learners.

Interview with Liam Mac Cóil about An Litir

ClubLeabhar.com administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to author Liam Mac Cóil about his adventure novel An Litir, which is the online book club’s book of the month for February. Liam had a very interesting way of illustrating the method for writing an adventure story.

Interview with Alex Hijmans about Gonta

Éamonn Ó Dónaill recently spoke to Alex Hijmans about “Gonta” which is January’s book of the month on ClubLeabhar.com.

Alex Hijmans, Pádraig Ó Liatháin and Victor Bayda speaking about their essays in the book, An Ghaeilge i gCéin


Alex Hijmans

Pádraig Ó Liatháin

Victor Bayda

ClubLeabhar.com Administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna spoke to some of the authors who contributed to December’s book of the Month, An Ghaeilge i gCéin.

Interview with Liam Mac Cóil about An Prionsa Beag

ClubLeabhar.com Administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to writer and journalist Liam Mac Cóil, who was very animated in his description of An Prionsa Beag by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, translated to Irish by Breandán Ó Doibhlin.

Interview with Liam Ó Muirthile about Seán Ó Ríordáin: Na Dánta

ClubLeabhar.com Administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to Cork writer and journalist Liam Ó Muirthile, who gave an interesting insight into the work of poet Seán Ó Ríordáin and the events in his life that influenced his poetry.

Interview with Louis de Paor about An Béal Bocht by Myles na gCopaleen

ClubLeabhar.com Administrator Diarmuid Ó Mathúna recently spoke to writer and scholar Louis de Paor, who explained the importance of An Béal Bocht in Irish literature and what author Brian O’Nolan was trying to achieve in the work.

Interview with Gabriel Rosenstock, author of June’s book of the month

I recently interviewed Gabriel Rosenstock and he spoke to me about the book, about Indian spirituality and about haiku.

Interview with Pádraig Ó Siadhail, author of May’s book of the month

Pádraic Ó Siadhail spoke to me about the difficulty of combining fact and fiction in a historical novel and about the challenges of writing about the literary hero Pádraic Ó Conaire.

Interview with Pádraig Standún, author of April’s book of the month

I spoke to Pádraig Standún recently and he had interesting things to say about the book, about writing in a language which is not your mother tongue and about the controversial themes of his books.

Interview with Éilís Ní Anluain, author of March’s book of the month

I spoke to Éilís Ní Anluain, author of Filleann Seoirse about the themes of the above and about its interesting early life.

Interview with Ciarán Mac Murchaidh, editor of February’s book of the month

I spoke to Ciarán Mar Murchaidh, editor of February’s book of the month, Filíocht Ghrá na Gaeilge about love as a theme, about his favourite poem in the collection and about the richness of modern Irish language literature.

Interview with Máire Mhac an tSaoi, author of January’s book of the month

Máire Mhac an tSaoi, author of January’s book of the month Scéal Ghearóid Iarla spoke about the reason she decided to write about this historic character, her writing method and the new novel on which she is currently working.

Interview with Biddy Jenkinson, author of December’s book of the month

Biddy Jenkinson, author of Duinnín - Bleachtaire ar an Sceilg, December’s book of the month, spoke to us about the importance of the characters in her books and about the similarities between lexicographers and detectives.

Interview with Aoife Uí Fhaolláin about November’s book of the month

We spoke to Aoife Uí Fhaolláin, a Postgraduate Scholar of the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences, about Lig Sinn i gCathú, November’s book of the month. Aoife has written a Master’s thesis on Breandán Ó hEithir’s journalism and she has many interesting things to say about the similarities between the author’s life and the events in the book, and about civil war politics.

Interview with Aodán Mac Póilín, one of the editors of October’s book of the month

ClubLeabhar.com recently spoke to Aodán Mac Póilín, one of the editors of October’s book of the month, Bás in Éirinn, about his favourite story in the collection, the status of Irish language literature and about the reason death was chosen as the theme of the book.

Interview with Nicholas Williams, translator of September’s book of the month

ClubLeabhar.com recently spoke to Nicholas Williams, the translator of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. He had many interesting things to say about translating Alice and about translation in general. It’s well worth listening to what he has to say, for example, about trying to translate the name “Mr. Bennett”, one of the characters in Pride and Prejudice, into Irish.

Interview with Alan Desmond, author of Seal sa Pholainn, book of the month for June 2011

ClubLeabhar.com spoke to Alan Desmond, the author of June’s book of the month about life in Poland and about the novels he has written for adult learners. You can read the interview by clicking here.

Interview with Proinsias Mac a’ Bhaird, author of Rún an Bhonnáin, book of the month for May 2011

ClubLeabhar.com spoke to Proinsias Mac a’ Bhaird, the author of May’s book of the month about his novel Rún an Bhonnáin, his life and experiences as an author, and his love for Árainn Mhór. You can read the interview by clicking here.

Interview with Seán Mac Mathúna, author of the book of the month for April 2011

ClubLeabhar.com spoke to Seán Mac Mathúna, the author of April’s book of the month about his collection of short stories, Úlla, about the recently released recordings on CD of those stories and about his life as a writer.You can read the interview by clicking here.

Interview with Anna Heussaff, author of Buille Marfach, book of the month for March 2011

ClubLeabhar.com spoke to Anna Heussaff, the author of March’s book of the month about about her new detective novel, her life and experiences as an author, and her participation in the upcoming Dublin Book Festival. You can read the interview by clicking here.

These video interviews were produced thanks to funding from Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge (Foras na Gaeilge) and the Arts Council.