A short story broadcast on Nationwide, RTE 1
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IMBOLC 2012 - Inspioráid na Bliana (Inspiration of the year)
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MUSIC
CHESS Úna was born and raised in the village of Duleek, County Meath, Ireland. Her father, Enda, taught chess to her and her siblings when they were young. Chess became an integral part of family life for Úna, with two older brothers who were only too happy to exploit her tactical weaknesses as a beginner. As a young adult Úna worked as a product designer in New York, London and Dublin, where she now lives. Chess took a back seat for some years and in the 1990s music was to become her main creative outlet releasing several albums to critical acclaim (unaoboyle.net). Úna returned to chess a few years later and began participating in competitions throughout the country. She represented Ireland at the Chess Olympiads in Dresden in 2008 (where she won the Women’s Candidate Master title) and Khanty Mansiysk in 2010. At the same time she also started teaching in Irish language schools. It was in these classes that she got the inspiration for the Irish language version of this book, FICHEALL. Úna has brought an innovative style to teaching and promoting chess, and to date has run numerous highly successful national events for young players in various schools and notably in Dublin’s Mansion House. For many years Úna has been at the core of chess in Ireland through her work on the executive of the Irish Chess Union. She was central in bringing the legendary grandmaster Garry Kasparov to Ireland in 2014, which led to a fresh upsurge of Irish media interest in chess. Úna has also tutored in the prison system in Ireland where chess is now flourishing. She continues to work in Irish Chess and in schools motivating further generations to play and be enthralled by this wonderful game. |
CEOIL
FICHEALL Cé go raibh cáil bainte amach ag Úna cheana féin i saol an cheoil (i 1997 bronnadh Gradam Ceoil Hot Press Heineken uirthi as a cuid oibre leis an disreach ceoil Hyper[Borea]), anois tá sí tar éacht eile a dhéanamh – an chéad leabhar faoin gcluiche ársa sin Ficheall as Gaeilge a scríobh. Rugadh agus tógadh Úna i nDamhliag, Co. na Mí. Thosaigh laethanta oibre Úna mar Dhearthóir Táirgí i Nua Eabhrac, i Londain agus i mBaile Átha Cliath. Nuair a tháinig glaoch an cheoil chuici ní fada go raibh domhain an Ealaíontóra fágtha ar gcúl aici. I 1997 bronnadh Gradam Ceoil Hot Press Heineken uirthi as a cuid oibre leis an dísreach ceoil Hyper[Borea], a raibh dearcadh nuálaíoch á chur chun tosaigh acu ina gcuid ceapadóireachtaí ceoil. Tar éis cúpla dlúthcheirnín ó Hyper[Borea] lean Úna le turas ceoil dá cuid féin agus tugadh “one of Ireland’s great voices” uirthi ag an bpointe sin. Timpeall an ama seo d’fhill Úna ar an bhFicheall. Mhúin a hathair Enda, an ficheall di nuair a bhí sí níos óige ach bhrúigh cúrsaí staidéir agus scolaíochta an ficheall i leataoibh go ceann roinnt blianta. Chonacthas bua na fichille inti agus í ina páiste, ach mar is dual do dhéagóirí tháinig nithe ‘níos tábhachtaím’ isteach ina saol, agus lig sí maidí na fichille le sruth ar feadh scathaimh. Fuair Úna blas ar an bhficheall arís cúpla bliain ó shin agus thosaigh sí ag glacadh páirte i gcomórtais thart ar an tír. Ag an am seo chomh maith thosaigh Úna ag múineadh fichille i nGaelscoileanna. Ins na ranganna is ea a thosaigh síol an leabhair seo ag borradh agus ag fás. Agus í i mbun a cúraimí teagaisc tuigeadh di nach raibh aon fhoinse eolais ar bith ann sa Ghaeilge maidir le himirt fichille de, taobh amuigh de chorrthéarma i bhfoclóir agus tagairtí sa litríocht. Is dá bharr sin a tháinig an saothar seo ar an saol. Idir an dá linn, i 2008, roghnaíodh Úna ar fhoireann ban na hÉireann do chomórtas Oilimpiad na fichille i nDresden na Gearmáine. Ba ansin a ghnóthaigh sí an gradam ‘Ábhar Máistir Mná’/WCM (= Woman’s Candidate Master) mar thoradh ar a chruthaigh sí le linn an chomórtais. |