Cartlann agus Leabharlann Phearsanta Phroinsias Mhic Aonghusa

Bronnadh cartlann agus leabharlann phearsanta Phroinsias Mhic Aonghusa  (1933–2003), nach maireann, ar Leabharlann Shéamais Uí Argadáin le déanaí agus tá catalógú an bhailiúcháin leabhar agus liostú na cartlainne ar siúl faoi láthair chun go mbeidh an t-ábhar ar fáil do thaighdeoirí, d’fhoireann agus do mhic léinn na hOllscoile.  Ba í bean chéile Mhic Aonghusa, an Breitheamh Catherine McGuinness, a bhronn an bailiúchán orainn agus cuireann sé go mór le cartlanna agus bailiúcháin speisialta na Leabharlainne.  

B’iriseoir, scríbhneoir, polaiteoir, gníomhaí agus láithreoir teilifíse Éireannach a bhí i Mac Aonghusa. Rugadh é i mBóthar na Trá, Gaillimh in 1933 agus d’fhreastail sé ar Choláiste Iognáid agus ina dhiaidh sin ar Scoil Aisteoireachta Amharclann na Mainistreach i mBaile Átha Cliath. Chuir sé tús lena ghairm bheatha sa chraoltóireacht in 1952 nuair a thosaigh sé ag obair do Raidió Éireann, agus sna 1960idí d’oibrigh sé i gcúrsaí teilifíse do RTÉ, UTV agus an BBC. Bhí sé ina láithreoir agus ina eagarthóir ar an gclár cúrsaí reatha as Gaeilge ‘Féach’ ar RTÉ.  Scríobh Mac Aonghusa colún dátheangach sa Sunday Independent agus dúradh freisin gurbh é údar an cholúin pholaitiúil ‘Gulliver’ sa Sunday Press é. Scríobh sé go rialta freisin do nuachtáin náisiúnta agus chúige agus scríobh sé leabhair faoin bpolaitíocht agus faoin stair i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla. 

Sheas sé do shuíochán i nDáil Éireann faoi dhó, ar dtús mar iarrthóir de chuid an Lucht Oibre i gCo. Lú in 1965 agus ina dhiaidh sin mar iarrthóir neamhspleách i nDún Laoghaire-Ráth an Dúin, ach níor éirigh leis ar cheachtar ócáid. Bhí sé ina Bhall den Chomhairle Ealaíon ó 1982–84 agus ó 1989–98. Gníomhaí díograiseach ar son Gaeilge a bhí i Mac Aonghusa agus bhí sé ina Uachtarán ar Chonradh na Gaeilge (1989-1994) agus ina Uachtarán ar Bhord na Gaeilge (1990–93).

Tá beathaisnéis mhionsonraithe Phroinsias Mhic Aonghusa ar fáil in Dictionary of Irish Biography

An Bailiúchán 

Is bailiúchán suntasach é an méid atá á bronnadh orainn ina bhfuil ábhar a bailíodh thar shaolré Mhic Aonghusa agus léiríonn sé saothar agus spéiseanna a shaoil. Tá thart ar 3,000 mír sa bhailiúchán leabhar agus tá catalógú déanta ar 25% de cheana féin. Baineann saibhreas agus éagsúlacht leis na réimsí ábhair a áiríonn réimse mór tíortha agus dátaí foilsithe. 

Tá béim láidir ann ar stair agus ar chultúr na hÉireann, ar pholaitíocht na hÉireann agus ar thrioblóidí Thuaisceart Éireann san fhichiú haois. Tá léiriú maith ar theanga agus ar litríocht na Gaeilge ann freisin agus áirítear ann foilseacháin Chonradh na Gaeilge agus leabhair atá foilsithe ag Cló Iar-Chonnacht agus ag Coiscéim.  

Na Cartlanna

Tá bailiúchán cartlainne ina bhfuil 82 bosca san áireamh sa bhailiúchán leabhar seo freisin, ina bhfuil ábhar a bhaineann le spéiseanna iriseoireachta, craoltóireachta, polaitíochta, agóidíochta Gaeilge agus spéiseanna cultúrtha Mhic Aonghusa. Tá sé seo á phróiseáil faoi láthair agus beidh liosta tuairisciúil den ábhar ar fáil san Athbhliain.

Ábhar gearrshaolach

Gné an-suimiúil den bhailiúchán leabhar is ea an méid ábhair ghearrshaolaigh atá ann. San áireamh i gcuid mhór de na leabhair atá catalógaithe go dtí seo tá gearrthóga nuachtáin, litreacha, grianghraif, bróisiúir etc. agus coinneofar agus liostófar iad leis an gcartlann.  Ó thaobh bunúlachta de, tá inscríbhinn ón údar i gcuid mhór de na leabhair agus tá líon mór díobh sínithe ag Mac Aonghusa féin. 

Catalóg na Leabharlainne 

Chun na teidil atá sa bhailiúchán a fheiceáil, clóscríobh “Mac Aonghusa Collection” sa Bhosca Cuardaigh ar leathanach baile na Leabharlainne. https://library.universityofgalway.ie/anleabharlann/

Is féidir leat na scagairí ar thaobh na láimhe clé a úsáid chun do thorthaí cuardaigh a bheachtú. Ní féidir aon ábhar sna Bailiúcháin Speisialta a fháil ar iasacht ach is féidir ábhar a iarraidh roimh ré ag úsáid Chatalóg na Leabharlainne nó trí ríomhphost a sheoladh chuig specialcollections@universityofgalway.ie  

Tá sonraí iomlána maidir le seirbhís an tseomra léitheoireachta, uaireanta oscailte san áireamh, ar fáil anseo

Le haghaidh ceisteanna maidir leis an gcartlann thuasluaite, déan teagmháil le Kieran Hoare (Cartlannaí) ag Kieran.hoare@universityofgalway.ie

 

Ó Cúrsaí Thomáis : shíos seal a's Shuas Seal /  M. do sgríobh.

(Hodges & Figgis 1927)


(English version below)

 Proinsias Mac Aonghusa Archive and Personal Library

The archive and personal library of the late Proinsias Mac Aonghusa (1933–2003) was donated to the James Hardiman Library recently and cataloguing of the book collection and listing of the archive is underway to make the material available to researchers, staff and students of the University.  The collection was donated by Mac Aonghusa’s wife Judge Catherine McGuinness and is an excellent addition to the Library’s archives and special collections.

Mac Aonghusa was an Irish journalist, writer, politician, activist and television presenter. He was born in Salthill, Galway in 1933 and educated in St. Ignatius College before attending the Abbey School of Acting in Dublin.  He began his career in broadcasting in 1952 when he started working for Radio Eireann, and in the 1960s he worked in television for RTE, UTV and the BBC.  He was both presenter and editor of the Irish-language current affairs programme ‘Féach’ on RTE. 

Mac Aonghusa  wrote a bilingual column in the Sunday Independent and was also said to be the author of the political column 'Gulliver' in the Sunday Press. He was also a regular contributor to national and provincial newspapers and the author of books on politics and history in both Irish and English. 

He ran for Dáil Eireann on two occasions, first as a Labour candidate in Louth in 1965 and later as an independent candidate in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown but was not successful on either occasion. He was a Member of Arts Council of Ireland from 1982–84 and from 1989–98. A committed Irish language activist, Mac Aonghusa was President of Conradh na Gaeilge (1989-1994) and President of Bord na Gaeilge (1990–93).

A detailed biography of Proinsias Mac Aonghusa is available in the Dictionary of Irish Biography

The Collection 

This donation is a substantial collection assembled over Mac Aonghusa’s lifetime and reflects his life’s work and interests. The book collection numbers approximately 3,000 items with 25% already catalogued. Subject areas are rich and varied with a great spread of countries and dates of publication. There is a strong focus on twentieth century Irish history and culture, Irish politics and the Northern Ireland troubles. Irish language and literature is well represented also and includes Conradh na Gaeilge publications and books published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht and Coiscéim. 

Archives 

There is also an 82 box archival collection associated with this book collection, which contains material relating to Mac Aonghusa’s journalism, broadcasting, politics, Irish language activism and cultural interests. This is currently being processed and a descriptive list of the material will be available in the New Year.

 Ephemera

A very interesting feature of the book collection is the volume of ephemeral material that accompanies it. A large number of the books catalogued so far include newspaper cuttings, letters, photos, brochures etc. which will be retained and listed with the archive.  In terms of provenance, many of the books contain a presentation inscription by the author and quite a large number have been signed by Mac Aonghusa himself.  

Library Catalogue

To see titles included in the collection type “Mac Aonghusa Collection” (make sure to include the quotation marks) into the Search Box on the Library’s home page: https://library.universityofgalway.ie

You can use the filters on the left hand side to refine your search results. None of the material in Special Collections is available for loan but it can be requested in advance through the Library Catalogue or by emailing specialcollections@universityofgalway.ie
 
Full details of the reading room service, including opening hours, are available here

For queries regarding the accompanying archive, contact Kieran Hoare (Archivist) Kieran.hoare@universityofgalway.ie

Ann Kelly
Catalógaí, Bailiúcháin Speisíalta/Cataloguer, Special Collections