Kildare Library Service

By Lorraine Connolly, Leixlip Library

Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! We hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day yesterday from all of us here in Leixlip library. To celebrate the day that was in it and to keep the celebrations of all things Irish going a little longer I thought I would gather a list of some of the best Irish titles available to borrow for free on Bolinda Borrowbox for Children, Young Adults and Adults.

Children’s Top 4

1. Lá leis na Lochlannaigh le Máire Zept

A novel in the Irish language (there is no English language translation in the text) for children 9 years and older.

Cormac and Brídín are excited to be staying with Granny and Grandad again. They are looking forward to another historical adventure through the magic door. But, when they travel to Viking Dublin, there is danger in the air. Will they escape the peril? And what will they find out about the real lives of the Vikings? 

Tá Cormac agus Brídín ar bís le stopadh tí Mhamó agus Daideo arís. Tá siad ag súil le heachtra spleodrach stairiúil eile tríd an doras draíochta. Ach, nuair a thaistealaíonn siad go Duibhlinn na Lochlannach, tá dainséar agus priacal san aer. An éireoidh leo teacht slán ón chontúirt? Agus cad a gheobhaidh siad amach faoi fhíorshaol na Lochlannach?

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

2. Hata Zú Mhamó le Áine Ní Ghlinn

A novel in the Irish language (there is no English language translation in the text) for children 9 years and older. 

She hatches a plan to escape the nursing home and parade her zoo hat in the zoo. 

Tá hata spéisiúil, spraíúil ag Mamó. Hata zú! É maisithe le heireaball léamair agus le cleití péacóige! Ach ní leor an hata a bheith aici! Tá plean ag Mamó éalú amach as an teach altranais agus a hata zú a chaitheamh sa zú féin. Cuireann sí iachall ar a gariníon Siobhán í féin agus beirt chara léi ón teach altranais a thabhairt ann. Beidh na heachtraí sa zú lán chomh spleodrach céanna le hata zú Mhamó. Le haghaidh leanaí 9 mbliana d’aois agus os a chionn.

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

3. Smuf le Alan Titley

How would you feel if your family abandoned you at the side of the road and drove away never to be seen again? This is the fate of our hero Smuf. What dangers lie out there in the big bad world for Smuf? What adventures? This quirky novel is the latest offering from Alan Titley.

Conas a mhothófá dá bhfágfadh do mhuintir ar thaobh an bhóthair thú in áit strainséartha – agus dá n imeoidís leo sa charr? Sin é go díreach a tharlaíonn do Smuf, laoch an úrscéil seo. Cad atá i ndán do Smuf – saol anróiteach nó saol an mhadra bháin? Scéal spraíúil spleodrach is ea Smuf ó pheann Alan Titley.

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

4. Cathal le Aoife Ní Dhufaigh

Nuair a bhaineann drochthimpiste d’athair Chathail socraíonn a thuismitheoirí go mbogfaidh siad as Baile Átha Cliath siar go Gaillimh. Cé go bhfuil amhras ar Chathal faoi chinneadh a thuismitheoirí ní deir sé dada leo faoi. Tuigeann sé go bhfuil a thuismitheoirí faoi bhrú. Ach tá Cathal féin faoi bhrú anois agus é ag dul i ngleic lena shaol nua. Tá sé ina chónaí faoin tuath, cé gur buachaill cathrach é. Tá a chairde ar fad i mBaile Átha Cliath agus tá seisean i nGaillimh. Ní fheiceann sé a thuismitheoirí rómhinic de bhrí go bhfuil siad gafa le cúrsaí oibre agus le cúrsaí ospidéil. Agus tá rud éigin aisteach faoin tobar atá istigh i mbuaile síos an bóthar ón teach nua …

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

Young Adults Top 4

1. Cúpla le Ógie Ó Céilleachair

Fifteen year-olds Sharon and Éile are twins. They may look alike but the two girls couldn’t be more different. Éile is a quiet and studious girl who does well in school. Sharon, on the other hand, is wild and always in trouble of one kind or another. It’s nearly time for the girls to sit their Junior Certificate and time for the troublesome twin to hit the books, but one day she sees something that shakes her to the core. Study is the furthest thing from her mind as she tries to forget her shocking discovery. Meanwhile, Éile is stunned and terrified as she watches Sharon spiral out of control. Can Éile help her twin sister? Or is it too late?

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

2. Na Trí Mhíoltóg le Micheál Ó Conghaile

If you’re not strong then you’d better be clever, so says the proverb, and in these stories, retellings of tales from Eastern folklore, the underdog always wins the day.

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

3. Morf le Orna Ní Choileáin

Ba bhreá le Eric dá mbeadh cara aige. Bíonn Mam agus Daid chomh gafa sin lena dheirfiúracha óga nach mbíonn siad ábalta an oiread sin ama a chaitheamh leis-sean.  

Nuair a thagann Morf, áfach, níl Eric róchinnte an é an cineál sin carad a theastaíonn uaidh in aon chor. Deir Morf go bhfuil sé ag iarraidh cabhrú leis, ach an é leas Eric atá á dhéanamh aige i ndáiríre?

Úrscéal nua do dhaoine óga é Morf leis an údar aitheanta Orna Ní Choileáin. 

Bhuaigh Morf Duais Oireachtais in 2015.

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

4. Na Lucha ag Rince le Micheál Ó Ruairc

This is a new collection of short stories aimed at Leaving Certificate students. After winning the lotto, Tomás Ó Sé finds himself living life amongst the rich and famous and quickly forgets his old friends. Now as the money runs out, does he have anyone left to turn to? Or what about Pádraigín? With the mounting pressure of the Leaving Cert., without any space or time to herself and all the housework to do, it’s no wonder she struggles. Will she get fair play or will things get even worse? And then there’s the young boy who excitedly awaits his presents every Christmas only, this year, to uncover not a present but a truth – a cold, horrible truth that means Christmas will never be the same again …Heartbreak, loneliness, hope, forgiveness, revenge, happiness and more .. as well as twenty-four interesting and enjoyable stories, this book gives useful tips and guidelines on planning and writing stories.

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

Adults Top 3

1. Scáil an Phríosúin le Anna Heussaff

This is the third crime novel by Anna Heussaff. 

Both murders happened in the same place but 100 years apart. Something connects both crimes, but what is the connection? 

“Seo an tríú húrscéal coiriúlachta do dhaoine fásta le Anna Heussaff. Scéal mistéire fíorspéisiúil a lúbann anonn is anall go dtí an leathanach deireanach. Baineann an scéal seo le dhá dhúnmharú faoi leith san áit chéanna. Príosún Chill Mhaighneann i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tréimhse céad bliain idir an dá choir ach cén ceangal atá eatarthu? “

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

2. Teachtaireacht le Colin Ryan

The stories touch on travellers, criminals, soldiers, the dead, people who have gone missing, people who are searching for others, and those who are being searched for. Like a dream, or a surreal alternate universe, never really sure where we stand and our only option is to look again and revisit these perceptive stories. 

Ionmholta malairt bhisigh, a dúirt an file fadó, agus an té a thabharfaidh faoin gcnuasach gearrscéalta seo ón Domhan Thíos, beidh siad ar aon intinn leis. Sa leabhar seo, an chéad chnuasach le Colin Ryan, cuirtear cor i nGaeilge na hÉireann lena chur in oiriúint do chúinsí na hAstráile. Déantar trácht ar lucht taistil, ar choirpigh, ar shaighdiúirí, ar na mairbh, ar dhaoine a chuaigh amú, ar dhaoine atá ag cuardach daoine eile nó a bhfuiltear sa tóir orthu féin. Mar a bheadh aisling ann, nó domhan osréalach éigin, déantar ionramháil ar théamaí ar nós an ghrá agus fhuatha, bás agus beatha, brón agus buairt ionas nach mbímid cinnte riamh cá seasaimid – agus níl de rogha againn ach na sárscéalta seo a léamh an athuair.

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox

3. An tIriseoir le Michelle Nic Pháidín

Foréigean baile, saol scriosta, pósadh cliste. Éalaíonn Bríd ó Ghaoth Dobhair le dul i mbun iriseoireachta i mBaile Átha Cliath. Iriseoir díograiseach, ábalta agus cumasach í, a mhúchann na cuimhní cráite le tréan oibre. Titeann saol Bhríd as a chéile agus í ag fiosrú scéil ar a fód dúchais nuair a aithníonn sí go bhfuil a mac féin ina chroílar. 

Bríd escapes from Gweedore to embark on life as a journalist in Dublin. She is a dedicated and capable journalist, and she finds solace and forgetfulness by throwing herself into her work to the exclusion of all else. But her life falls apart when she starts investigating a story in her hometown, only to discover that her own son appears to be deeply implicated in it.

Available to borrow as an ebook on Bolinda Borrowbox