Harry Potter in Irish!

By Megan Wolf, Contributor
December / January 2005

Draíodóirí, dragain, agus Dursleys…As readers around the world eagerly await the sixth installation of the Harry Potter series, we welcome a whole new way to read the first: as Gaeilge. Harry Potter agus an Órcloch, the Irish language translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is now available.

Published in October, Harry Potter agus an Órcloch follows the adventures of Harry Potter and his fellow draíodóirí in their first year at Scoil Chomhoideachais Draíodóireachta Hogwarts in their first encounters with Volde — er, that is, Mac-an-Té-Úd-Eile. The translation, by Máire Nic Mhaoláin, is faithful to the tone of the English original, and introduces a lexicon of Potteresque words such as “Mugail” and “neamh-Dursleyúil.” Though it may be hard to spot in your local bookstore, Harry Potter agus an Órcloch is available from a number of online retailers.

In the seven years since its fast publication, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has been translated into over 200 languages. Other recent translations have included Latin and Ancient Greek. In comparison, the complete works of William Shakespeare are available in about 50. ♦

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