Wexford and Thanks to Cliodhna Lyons and Paul Nic Cionnaith

Yep we are in Wexford as of probably today.

Book Centre,
5 Sth Main st Wexford Co. Wexford.
Phone: (053) 9123543

By the way must make a HUGE thank you to two people and that's Cliodhna Lyons http://www.ztoical.com/ (check out her live journal too she is really bloody talented http://ztoical.livejournal.com/ )who invited us to the Free Comic Book day as well as brought us along to Leeds last week (I think it was Leeds I could be wrong) and Paula Nic Cionnaith with Spraoi who makes posters as gaeilge http://www.spraoi-online.com/aboutus.asp who took our wares to a Gaelscoil conference last weekend. I didn't know it but the lads at Cúpla Focal did take us along too. So thanks to both groups of people as well as the people at Cúpla Focal www.cuplafocal.ie . Without the enthusiam of these people Rírá would not be doing as well as it has done.

Also I went selling the comic at a local school Clarecastle National School where their parents association were raising money for the school itself. We had a great auld success at it and met many a person there with an interest in comics as well as Rírá there was many a nostalgic chat had and tear shed over comics that have long since passed.

In Kilcock too.

Oh and another thing nearly forgot. We are also in Kilcock in County Kildare. I've been busy.

Kilcock Book Shop,
The Square, Kilcock, Co. Kildare
Phone: 01 6287106

And that really is it for the moment.

In Kilkenny City

Oh and before I forget we are also in the Book Centre in Kilkenny also part of a chain of shops in the south east we are already in the one in Waterford.

The Book Centre,
19 High St., Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny.
Phone: 056 7762117

So that means we are in 2 Sub City Comics, 1 Forbidden Planet (so far), 2 Book Centres (and possibly another within the week), 3 Easons (yay) and 10 Wise Owl Schoolbooks. Fingers crossed for more chains to take us on the more we are out there the more likely we can survive.

Rírá take on by Wise Owl Schoolbooks chain

Every time I up date this it is of news of where Rírá is available. I know I should be using this blog probably for more creative endeavours but right now I don't have the time. However I am delighted to announce that we have gone with a chain of schoolbook shops on the East coast of Ireland called Wise Owl Schoolbooks. They have a chain of 10 shops in County Louth, County Dublin and County Meath.

The list of shops are here:

http://www.wiseowl.ie/location.php

Wiseowl.ie
Unit 4, Block 4, Ashbourne Business Park, Ashbourne, Co Meath
Tel: 01 8353687

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Artaine Castle
Artaine Castle Shopping Centre, Artane, Dublin 5
Tel: 01 8512660

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Balbriggan,
Georges Hill, Balbriggan, Co Dublin
Tel: 01 6905800

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Ballinteer,
Superquinn Shopping Centre, Ballinteer, Dublin 16
Tel: 01 2962027

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Clare Hall Shopping Centre,
Clarehall Shopping Centre, Malahide Road, Dublin 17
Tel: 01 8482378

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Drogheda,
Laurence Centre, Drogheda, Co Louth
Tel: 041 9842847

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Drogheda,
West Street, Drogheda, Co Louth
Tel: 041 9832601

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Dundalk,
Carroll Village, Dundalk, Co Louth
Tel: 042 9333700

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Dun Laoghaire,
Patrick Street, Dunlaoghaire, Co Dublin
Tel: 01 2304675

Wise Owl Schoolbooks Stillorgan,
Lower Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan, Co Dublin
Tel: 01 2836477

Wise Owl Swords,
River Mall, Swords, Co Dublin
Tel: 01 8405470

More shops

Issue 2 is coming together slowly but surely. In the meantime we have more shops around the country on board by the end of the week Issue 1 will be in (3 new counties and adding to more in 2 others hopefully by the end of the week we will have a few more):

Eason, 64-66 Main St. Cavan, Co. Cavan. Phone: 049 4331118
cavan@easonfranchise.com

Eason, Coliseum Lane, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Phone: 057 8620466
portlaoise@easonfranchise.com

Novel Idea, Castle Street, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal. Phone 071 985 8124

Books and Charts, Main St., Dungloe, Co. Donegal. Phone 074 9522077

Scholars at the Book Centre, 25 Roberts Square, Waterford, Co. Waterford. Phone: 051 873823

Philips Bookshop, 34 Bank Place, Mallow, Co. Cork. Phone: 020 42471

Siopaí/Shops

All the shops we are currently might as well have em all in one place and don't forget we do have a shop on Coimicí Gael www.coimicigael.ie:

Siopaí/Shops:

Mumhan/Munster:

An Clár/Clare:

Ennis Bookshop, 13 Abbey St., Ennis, Co Clare. http://www.ennisbookshop.ie/ Phone: 065 6829000 Email: books@ennisbookshop.ie

Art and Craft Company, Merchants Square, Ennis, Co. Clare http://www.artandcraft.ie/ Phone: 065 6821559 Email: info@artandcraft.ie

Custy’s Traditional Music Shop, Cookes Lane, Ennis, Co. Clare http://www.custysmusic.com/ Phone: 065 6821727 Email: custys.ennis@eircom.net

Scéal Eile Bookshop, 16 Lower Market St, Ennis, Co. Clare http://www.scealeilebooks.ie/ Phone: 065 6848648 Email: scealeilebooks@gmail.com

Abbey Newsagency, Abbey St., Ennis, Co. Clare Phone: 065 6821171

O’Callaghans News, Main St., Corofin, Co. Clare. Phone: 065 6827047

McLoughneys Newsagent, Unit 10, Shannon Town Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare Phone: 061 362067

Hurleys Newsagent, Main St., Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. Phone: 065 7084040

Lahinch Bookshop, Main St., Lahinch, Co. Clare. Phone: 065 7081300

Dalcassian Shopping Centre, Ruan, Ennis, Co. Clare Phone: 065 6837741

Ciarraí/Kerry:

Dingle Bookshop, Green Street, Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland Phone: 066 9152433Website: www.dinglebookshop.com

Litriocht.com, Cill Chúile, Baile na nGall, Trá Li, Co.Chiarraí Gréasán: www.litriocht.com Fón: (0) 66 9155237

Corcaigh/Cork:

Macroom Bookshop, Fitz-Gerald Street, Macroom, Co. CorkWebsite: http://www.macroombookshop.com/Phone:+353 (0)26-41888 Email: jackie@macroombookshop.com

Luimneach/Limerick:

Siopa Leabhar, Conradh na Gaeilge, 18 Sráíd Thomáis, Luimneach (in aice le Tony Clarkes School Books) Fón: 061-417895 / 061-409557 Rphost: conradhluimnigh@gmail.com

Eason, Sráid Uí Chonaill, Luimneach Fón: 061 419 588 Rphost: limerick@eason.com

Connacht/Connaught:

Gaillimh/Galway:

An Spailpín Fánach, Ceardlann an Spidéil, An Spidéal, Co. na Gaillimhe, ÉireFón: +353 (0) 91 553343 www.spailpin.com

ABC Schoolbooks, Corbettcourt Shopping Centre, Williamsgate St., Galway www.abcbooks.ie Phone: 091 561950 corbettcourt@abcbooks.ie

Sub City Comics: Corbett Court, Eyre Square Shopping Centre, Galway Phone: 091 565994

Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Cornstore Mall, Middle Street, Galway
Phone: +353 91 561 766 Web: http://www.charliebyrne.com/

Dubray Books, 4 Shop Street, Galway Phone: +353 (0) 91 569070
Website: http://www.dubraybooks.ie/galway.asp


Laighean/Leinster:

Átha Cliath/Dublin:

Siopa Leabhar, Conradh na Gaeilge, 6 Sráid Fhearchair, Baile Átha Cliath 2. Fón: +353 (0) 1 475 7401 Rphost: eolas@cnag.ie

Crow Street Comics, 8 Crow St., Dublin 2 (around the corner from Filmbase in Templebar)

Sub-City Comics 2 Exchequer Street Dublin 2 Phone: 01 6771902 .

Forbidden Planet, 5-6 Crampton St., Dublin 2 Phone: 01 6710688

Cill Mhantáin/Wicklow:

Cúpla Focal, 15/16 Cosán Ailbhe, Bré, Co Chill Mhantáin/Co WicklowWebsite: http://www.cuplafocal.ie/ Phone: 01-2765120

Ulaidh/Ulster:

Aontriom/Antrim:

Ceathrú Póilí, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, 216 Bóthar na bhFál, Béal Feirste, BT12 6AHFón: +44 (0)28 9096 4180Gréasán: http://www.culturlann.com/

Doire/Derry:

An Carn Siopa, An Carn, Tirkane Road, Maghera, Co Derry BT46 5NHWebsite: http://www.ancarn.org/facilities/an-carn-siopaFón: 0044 (0)28 7954 9978


Dún na nGall/Donegal:

Teach Thomáis, Ard na gCeapairí, Doirí Beaga, Leitir Ceanainn, Contae Dún na nGall Phone: 074-953 1054

Oideas Gael, Gleann Cholm Cille, Contae Dhún na nGall, Éire Fón: 074 9730248 Rphost: eolas@oideas-gael.com Gréasán: www.oideas-gael.com

Thar Lear/Abroad:

Sasana/England:

London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Sq., London, NW1 9XB, United Kingdom
Website: http://www.londonirishcentre.wordpress.com/
Email: culture@irishcentre.org
Phone: 0044 (0) 20 7916 2222

Ceanada/Canada:

Scoil Gaeilge, 2342 E.27th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V5N 2X2
Email: irelandmonumentvancouver@hotmail.com
Website: www.irelandmonumentvancouver.com

In Irish Student Press next issue

Am in Irish Student Press, well the next issue anyway. Couple of days ago the editor asked me to write an article in Irish and two book reviews and also provide strips in Irish. One wet his pants but agreed to do it. I kind of suceeded (with a lot of help from Gabriel Rosenstock (Go raibh maith agat Gabriel) who proofed my bad Irish but I think I am getting there). All very short notice so I looked back in my file of comic strips and stuff to see what I could come up with. I threw something together anyway with old stuff from years ago and used it as a way to promote Coimicí Gael as it's distributed directly to secondary school students. To be honest I wish I had time to redraw them but here they are:

How do you do that link thing that everyone seems to be able to do on this thing. As in to see the images better. I have not used this that much for images. I think that's going to change soon as I am itching to get drawing again I haven't drawn anything consistently in months.

Issue 2 is coming together and we are on Facebook

Hiya all. Issue 2 is coming together slowly but surely. We should have the second issue out within the month, fingers crossed and all that malarkey. However I am pleased to announce a fan page has been set up for Rírá on Facebook. I will not take credit for starting it up. It was Mike Lynch our esteemed writer/co-creator of Dúréalta (Blackstar) a new Irish superhero strip in Rírá (he is also published in Futurequake www.futurequakepress.blogspot.com who do science fiction comics as well so check that out too). If you wish to check it out click on this line of blue writing: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Ri-Ra/109857627861?ref=mf

Also the kind people of Oideas Gael in Donegal have put us on their shelves. Oideas Gael provide imersion holiday breaks or courses for people to go and speak Irish on a regular basis in a spectacular area of Donegal ( so we are now available to buy from them also in their shop. I was talking to Liam on the phone there and he seems like a really nice fella had a great chat. They cover everyone from the very beginner in Irish to the intermediate level speakers so if you've any interest at all give them a bell. If anyone is in their area check out:

Oideas Gael, Gleann Cholm Cille, Contae Dhún na nGall, Éire Fón: 074 9730248 Rphost: eolas@oideas-gael.com Gréasán: www.oideas-gael.com

So that's it for now I think. Um apart from I am writing and speaking Irish more and more. I know I haven't done any Irish language blogs here but I will in the near future. I swear. Beidh siad ann go luath.

Rírá in and around Clare

Okay Clare County Library have taken ten copies to feature in magazine stands in their branches around the county. If you want to know where they are ask your local librarian and also you can email them mailbox@clarelibrary.ie or give them a call to know where it is available to read Phone: 065 6821616

Around County Clare we are currently in 10 shops or outlets and I do know it is the home county of Coimicí Gael but the support has been fantastic so far here are the list of shops it is in around the county:

Ennis Bookshop, 13 Abbey St., Ennis, Co Clare. http://www.ennisbookshop.ie/ Phone: 065 6829000 Email: books@ennisbookshop.ie

Art and Craft Company, Merchants Square, Ennis, Co. Clare http://www.artandcraft.ie/ Phone: 065 6821559 Email: info@artandcraft.ie

Custy’s Traditional Music Shop, Cookes Lane, Ennis, Co. Clare http://www.custysmusic.com/ Phone: 065 6821727 Email: custys.ennis@eircom.net

Scéal Eile Bookshop, 16 Lower Market St, Ennis, Co. Clare http://www.scealeilebooks.ie/ Phone: 065 6848648 Email: scealeilebooks@gmail.com

Abbey Newsagency, Abbey St., Ennis, Co. Clare Phone: 065 6821171

O’Callaghans News, Main St., Corofin, Co. Clare. Phone: 065 6827047

McLoughneys Newsagent, Unit 10, Shannon Town Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare Phone: 061 362067

Hurleys Newsagent, Main St., Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. Phone: 065 7084040

Lahinch Bookshop, Main St., Lahinch, Co. Clare. Phone: 065 7081300

Dalcassian Shopping Centre, Ruan, Ennis, Co. Clare Phone: 065 6837741

I will be doing this for every county and adding a stockists link to http://www.coimicigael.ie/ soon to show where we are around Ireland and the world (yes I did say world mad isn't it).

I've been away for a while

Hi all.

I am sorry it has been so long since I have updated this I have been really busy but we have been here there and everywhere. Since the last post we are online in an online store called www.litriocht.com based in Tralee, County Kerry. The page we are on this website is:

www.litriocht.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=5890

The excellent Comics on 2 Crow St., Dublin 2 has also taken on copies of the comics. This comic shop is absolutely fantastic filled with loads of old school stuff and I usually arrive at it's doors when it is closed from Ennis. It is open from 12 - 6 most days and from 3 - 6 on Sundays. If you remember any old comics from when you are a kid they probably have them you name it they have. Heaven. It is based in Temple Bar just around the corner from Filmbase. It is a class comic shop if in Dublin check it out.

Forbidden Planet also took us on as well so if you go to 5-6 Crampton St., Dublin 2 you will find us there as well. Phone: 01 6710688

Um, is there anything else I can think of worth mentioning. Um, had a great day going around Dublin today. Also am off to Belgium tomorrow so that should be fun. Oh and nearly forgot to mention Rírá has a facebook page now so if you have faceybook type thing try and check out

www.facebook.com/home.php?*/pages/Ri-Ra/109857627861?ref=mif

Oh and very very important for those of you from Canada we are selling Rírá in Vancouver and donating some of the proceeds from sales at the Scoil Gaeilge in Vancouver to The Irish Monument in Vancouver. Check out

http://www.irelandmonumentvancouver.com/welcome-failte/teanga-na-gaeilge-i-vancouver/ri-ra/

Also we are down as contributing corporate supporters which is mad when you see down at the bottom who is also down as corporate supporters from Ireland. Never thought of ourselves at corporate anything but I suppose we are:

www.irelandmonumentvancouver.com/contributing-supporters

Also people have been reviewing the comic or just talking about the comic here and there so here is one in Irish/as Gaeilge I will add others later:

miseaine.blogspot.com/2009/07/rira.html


That's all for now. I will let you know if anything else is happening next week.

We have landed in London

Hi there would you believe it? We have been put on sale at the London Irish Centre in the capital city of the old United Kingdom. For those of you who happen to be based there you can contact them here:

London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Sq., London, NW1 9XB
Website: http://www.londonirishcentre.wordpress.com/
Email: culture@irishcentre.org
Phone: 0044 (0) 20 7916 2222

Also Moloneys Shop in Ruan village has taken on a few copies. Being my home parish am delighted they have taken it on. Hurleys Newsagents in Miltown Malbay have also taken on a few copies they took it on for the Willie Clancy Festival but have decided to keep it for the Summer to see how it goes.

We are tipping away slowly.

In Macroom in Cork

Yep, the comic is on the shelves in Macroom Bookshop. We had a minor glitch on our siopa/shop online but it should be all sorted now. But here is the details of Macroom Bookshop in Cork:


Macroom Bookshop, Fitz-Gerald Street, Macroom, Co. Cork
Website: http://www.macroombookshop.com/
Phone:+353 (0)26-41888 Email:us@ouremail.com

We have now got a foothold in Cork county and will hopefully take more of the Rebel County soon.

Caint Campaign Check it Out

A man by the name of Paul Feeney has set up a website where his vision of more Irish people speaking Irish on a regular basis is an achievable thing. The website is www.caintcampaign.com and he is a man after my own heart. He is all about people giving it a go and helping people who have an interest in the language. He is not trying to teach Irish or force it on people but just make it more accessible, fun and give people the chance to use whatever little they have. I think it's great. Check out his website. They have t-shirts and all sorts of Irish language related fun stuff on it. He has actually put a little button with us on it on his site which is class and thanks to him for giving us a spot on it.

I myself am learning Irish again with good reason of course, there is Rírá but I don't want to lose the bit of teanga I have at the moment (another reason I started Rírá I wanted to read more Irish language comics because I do read French and Dutch comics when I get my hands on them). I once sat an Irish interview for a job and surprised myself when the Irish interview went better than the job interview (I didn't get the job one lousy double meaning question anyway I digress) but when the results came back I had scored high in Irish. I punched the air I hadn't spoken any Irish since school which was four or five years before. When I lived in Canada for a bit I found that I spoke more Irish than I did here for the longest time. I met a really nice lad at my work from Quebec who's first words to me were 'Conas tá tú?' and I used to have disjointed but long conversations in Irish with him. I am out of practise again but I am improving everyday. I am making many mistakes and sometimes when talking to people I get embarrassed instead of just talking through it instead of thinking 'Jaysus, my Irish is awful and they are judging my Irish,' when I can murder French and be quiet happy with myself. In time though you do get better.

Caint Campaign is a non-profit group. I like their idea and I have a list of info here below for anyone interested in advertising or helping the campaign out on www.caintcampaign.com :

TO ADVERTISE ON WWW.CAINTCAMPAIGN.COM

The Caint Campaign can provide irish businesses a unique portal to all lovers of the irish language whether they speak the language or not. The Caint Campign promotes the irish language daily to everybody through a youthful marketing strategy.

ONLINE ADVERTISING
Reach thousands of people worldwide through 'caintcampaign.com'
One Month €10
Six months €45
Per Year €70

The Caint Campaign keeps its advertising prices low as to encourage as many irish groups, organisations and businesses to advertise on its website to help promote the irish language. The Caint Campaign was not created for profit and all proceeds go towards maintenance of the site and store.

FREE DESIGN SERVICE
Don’t have your own designer? We’ll design your ad for free.

The Caint Campaign is updated and promoted daily.
Email 'paul@caintcampaign.com' for more information.

The Shop Online is Alive and We are in a shop in County Derry

Hi all. For those of you dropping in and out to see what's happening with Rírá Issue 1 finally we have a shop set up online on http://www.coimicigael.ie/

So tell your friends, family, teachers, auditors, taxi drivers, anyone who'll listen we have the shop up and running. However for those of you who prefer to go into your local shop we have another shop where it is on the shelves and that is:

An Carn Siopa, An Carn, Tirkane Road, Maghera, Co Derry BT46 5NH
Website: http://www.ancarn.org/facilities/an-carn-siopa
Fón: 0044 (0)28 7954 9978

Also Fingal County Library is putting in twelve branches across Fingal soon so watch out.

Thanks to the kind people at Summer Edition 09 for fitting us in last weekend. Muireann our graphic designer was there selling and promoting Rírá. She had a blast meeting people and got some stuff for me to look over so am up to Dublin probably next week so am looking forward to reading the goodies she acquired.

What did we do before computers?

Right that's it the computer is going out the window. Either that or I find the evil little gremlin that hides in this godforsaken nest I call an office. I'd swear when I come home from there's one here who turns my computer on and then fiddles with the keys mucking up some tiny little thing that makes some sites (like www.coimicigael.ie) inaccessible to me and ruining my evening followed by the air turning blue everytime I see this:


Network Error (tcp_error)
A communication error occurred: "Operation timed out"
The Web Server may be down, too busy, or experiencing other problems preventing it from responding to requests. You may wish to try again at a later time.
For assistance, contact your network support team.

I'd swear I can hear the little dingbat snickering in the pile of books, paper and god knows what in the corner that I call a filing system. It's lucky I'm too bloody tired to bother looking and destroying the very carefully laid out system I have too.

Anyway on the plus side we have confirmed that twelve branch libraries under Fingal County Library are going to be featuring the magazine on their magazine stands. So that's a bit of good news. Apparently the shop is nearly done but I can't see it because my computer is giving me the evil eye. I just don't know what to do with it.

Limerick City

Yes now we are in Limerick in the shop of the Limerick branch of Conradh na Gaeilge. They will gladly sell you a copy. Details here:

An Siopa Leabhar, Craobh Chathair Luimnigh de Chonradh na Gaeilge, Halla Íde, 18 Sráid Thomáis, Luimneach
Phone: +353 (0)61 417895 or +353 (0)61 409557
Email: conradhluimnigh@gmail.com

They will be more than happy to help you with getting a copy on Thomas Street in Limerick City.

We are in Galway City itself and a few more Libraries

All I seem to be doing is putting up stuff about where the mag Rírá is on shelves at the moment. I haven't time to do much else lately magazine is taking up my waking hours which is not really a bad thing but we are now in Galway city itself in the following shops:

Sub City Comics: Corbett Court, Eyre Square Shopping Centre, Galway
Phone: 091 565994

Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Cornstore Mall, Middle Street, Galway
Phone: +353 91 561 766
Web: http://www.charliebyrne.com/

Dubray Books, 4 Shop Street, Galway
Phone: +353 (0) 91 569070
Website: http://www.dubraybooks.ie/galway.asp

One town at a time I guess. Hitting Limerick on Monday and see what happens. Speaking of which Limerick City Library Headquarters are taking on some copies for their libraries around the city. Leitrim County Library are taking it on in their main branch in Ballinmore (I think) in Leitrim and Tipperary County Library is passing thirteen around to branches around the county in the next week so ask them if you happen to be in their libraries you can have a look and see what they are like when or if you happen to be in one of their fine establishments. They should be on their reading magazine stands. If you can't find them ask the librarian at the counter.

Oh and before I forget we are also in the Art and Craft Company shop in Ennis. Anyone who has ever dabbled in art in Ennis has been through Shane's doors. He said he would like to have it on his counter so must mention his shop too:

Art & Craft Company, Merchants Square, Ennis, Co. Clare
Tel: +353 65 6821559
Website: http://www.artandcraft.ie/

So thanks to all who have taken us on so far.

We are in Dingle!!!

The good people at Dingle Bookshop are going to have copies of the comic on their shelves:

Dingle Bookshop, Green Street, Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Phone: 00353 (0)66 9152433
Website: http://www.dinglebookshop.com/

And we are getting nice feedback here and there from people so fingers crossed more and more people will be spreading the word. There is a possibility we are getting a distributor in the next few weeks for the newsagents around the country fingers crossed.

Another shop and Please Help Save Foinse

We are now in:

An Siopa Leabhar, 6 Sráid Fhearchair, Baile Átha Cliath 2
Website: https://cnag.ie/index.php?page=shop
Phone: +353 (0) 1 475 7401

And will be there at the end of the week. By the way Foinse the Irish language newspaper is in trouble it seems and if you could go to http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/SaveFoinse09/index.html

They gave us a massive review there about two weeks ago (bowled me over when I read it). I used to pick it up every now and again just to see what's what (and how my Irish was). It is our only weekly Irish language newspaper, the countries flagship Irish language print media outlet it would be a disaster if it was to go.

This paper has been very good to us, gave us an excellent and totally unexpected good review in Foinse 14 Meitheamh 2009 (just last weeks edition of the paper). Please sign before the 26th of June.

More shelves

So we are now in two more shops from next week on:


Teach Thomáis, Ard na gCeapairí, Doirí Beaga, Leitir Ceanainn, Contae Dún na nGall Phone: 074-953 1054

Cúpla Focal, 15/16 Cosán Ailbhe, Bré, Co Chill Mhantáin/Co Wicklow
Website: http://www.cuplafocal.ie/
Phone: 01-2765120

Also Cork County Library, Kildare County Library and Kerry County Library will be featuring the magazine in some of their magazine stands in some of their libraries around their respective counties.

Where we are on the shelf so far

We are making a small presence on the shelf so far (am trying to get us on more) here:

Ennis Bookshop, 13 Abbey St., Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland Phone: +353 (0)65 6829000 http://www.ennisbookshop.ie/

Scéal Eile, 16 Lower Market St., Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland
Phone: +353 (0)65 6848648
http://www.scealeilebooks.ie/

Custys Traditional Music Shop, Cookes Lane, Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland
Phone: +353 (0) 65 6821727
http://www.custysmusic.com/

Abbey Newsagency, Abbey St, Ennis, Co. Clare

An Spailpín Fánach, Ceardlann an Spidéil, An Spidéal, Co. na Gaillimhe, Éire
Fón: +353 (0) 91 553343
http://www.spailpin.com/

Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, 216 Bóthar na bhFál, Béal Feirste, BT12 6AH
Fón: +44 (0)28 9096 4180
http://www.culturlann.com/


So a start has been made. The online shop has to be sorted yet on http://www.coimicigael.ie/ but we are getting there and hopefully we will have more copies in a bookshop or some establishment near you or maybe you can recommend to me some place to show them to. We are in Belfast and Galway now which is nice. So far all have been really friendly and open to this which is good especially the people from Irish language areas. An Spailpín Fánach and the bookshop in the Cultúrlann in Belfast were really friendly (so was everyone else but they deal in Irish almost exclusively so wasn't sure what they would think). Thanks to Stephen Downey for suggesting I ask the Cultúrlann.

We got reviewed yay!!!

Here is the review: http://comicrelated.com/news/1628/rira-review

Again if you want to contact me about getting it or whatever let me know at coimicigael@yahoo.ie or eolas@coimicigael.ie

I got the comic

Rírá is done and printed. I got 3000 copies of the mag there Tuesday evening. It's now a matter of getting it all out there for everyone to see and buy really.

Easier said than done as my internet has decided to die on me Tuesday night. Oh the irony. Always happens when you really need something to work like when a character says I have never been happier than I have been with you and then watches as their loved one gets hit by a meteorite smack between the eyes in a British soap. Anyway...

We have been featured on a nós* magazine's (like Hot Press but in Irish) website and in the April edition of the magazine itself. If you want to read the article click on this link: http://www.nosmag.com/clo/gael-ghreannan-chugainn/

We are also going to be featured on www.comicrelated.com in the next few days and we have a start made on the website which we are hoping to get going properly now in the next few days www.coimicigael.ie

Was going around my hometown of Ennis today and yesterday sold about 40 copies to the local gaelscoil here and the Ennis Bookshop took on 20 copies to have on their shelves. In total over two days we have managed to sell about 100 copies so so far so good. I would love if the response in every county is as good.

All important though is getting that internet sorted. Grr. I have never before felt so helpless in all my life, like the poor sods on the other end of the line in the I.T. Crowd (which I love).

Yes I switched it off and on. Yes I have checked to see if it was plugged in. I have...

Working for Art in the Classroom in the Times

Yes in between stuff I have been up to work for the Irish Times again through Muireann Lalor and have been handing in comic strips for the Art in the Classroom section. I was asked to do three sample strips for the supplement for kids to use as an example. I was given three art related jokes to do. Now kids are handing in their very own comic strips based on characters in the strips here. I know all very basic but apparently after seeing these they received loads of comic strips that's what I like to hear more comic artists giving it a go:

And I also did a colouring picture based on Gullivers Travels.

All fun.

French rugby comic strip

I know I know, I have been guilty of neglecting this blog but the comic is going to print in the next week so I am excited. Very excited as we have a cool rugby strip from France called Leo Passion Rugby for the magazine. Here is the cover for the second volume. We also have two other strips from France in the comic but this is a bit of a coup for us. This is created by Loic Nicoloff and Phillipe Fenech and published by Soliel Productions in France.

I've been busy

Sorry for not being on in about 4 to 5 weeks. I am not sure anyone noticed but I have been very busy with life in general but any glitches that were in the cover for what is now 'rírá' (we had to go from Rí-Rá to rírá because I was informed it was wrong) have been rectified and here it is. Bob's cover still looks class.

Anyway I am back to the grindstone and am ploughing ahead with this again. Apologies to those who are waiting for this but have had some hiccups over the last month. People have handed in work like Bob Byrne, Mike Lynch + John Cullen, Stephen Downey, Alan Nolan, Philip Barrett and others so am just trying to tie up loose ends. Should be printing in 2-3 weeks hopefully.

Rí-Rá Coimicí Gael mock up issue 1

Hi there. Getting busy now with the anthology comic. The cover has been kindly drawn by Bob Byrne. Cheers man for your time and Muireann Lalor laid out the mock up for the cover. I just said I would post it here for you all to look at it and see what you think. If there are any mistakes they will be altered. Also it won't cost €2.95 to buy it will be €2.50. Glór in Ennis are having a launch for Seachtain na Gaeilge and we have a table booked there for 27th of February so I guess we are going to be going hell for leather to get it out for then. I just love the look of this.

Lady talking on phone

Some people are just plain odd. I was in town today just gawking around the place seeing what there was to see and happened to venture into a card shop. A lady in her mid-thirties was there. She happened to be talking to the shop assistant at the counter. I have no idea why I was there to be honest, cards are not my thing. However, there I was looking at cards of varying degrees of sappiness all provided by mostly the big guns of card world, Hallmark, Gibson, Carlton and so on.

Anyway, the lady was looking for filo-fax refills for her, um, filo-fax I imagine. The assistant being the professional that she was pointed out that they were in the corner above the padded envelopes and that they were running low on them, as there was rush on the yokes since the start of the new year. She practically skipped her merry way to the stone age version of an iPod, iPhone or whatever it is people use now to file away notes, dates and appointments that couldn't be forgotten on pain of death.

I had moved on from sappy cards and I was looking through some rather amusing ones. I had found a quite nice example for ladies birthdays that involved being able to touch one's toes without having to bend over any longer. She came back again to the young woman behind the counter and as she was about to pay for the item she thrust at the assistant it occurred to her that she needed a New Years card. The cards she sought happened to be beside me. I glanced down at them. I shuddered slightly at the thought of being on the receiving end of a New Years card, then went back to another card about projectile vomiting and drinking but not in that order.

The assistant pointed over at me and said much the same as she said about the New Years cards as she had about the filo-fax refills. There was a mad rush on them seeing as the New Year is nearly not new any longer. The lady twittered with delight. She gushed thanks at the assistant, turned and made her way towards me where she stared at the wall trying to find the New Years cards.

I looked up from the card I was holding with an image of a young man bent over facing away from a cake with hundreds of candles alight on top, his rump level with the candles and a look of concentration on his face (the title of the card said 'Puff up your cheeks and...' you can guess the rest). She nodded at me then went back to staring at the wall blind as a bat. I looked directly at the cards then back to her. She stared a little bit longer still not seeing anything and caught my eye again.

She knew I knew where the cards were but like all people who were in a situation like that she wasn't going to ask me to point them out. We continued our little dance for a moment or two longer before I returned to glancing at the New Years cards as I put back the card I held. I glanced long enough so she could follow my eye line but she still didn't cop it. The assistant tried to help by acting like the guidance system for the amusement arcade claw machine that picked out teddy bears: 'Left! Left! No too far left! Right! Right! Up a bit!'

I gave in and put my finger on them. She laughed and thanked me. While my hand rested upon another card as witty as the previous one I had held in my paws she looked at the few 'Happy New Year' cards that they had left. Now at this point I don't really know what kind of card it was I was holding in my hand (I assume it was about some bodily function failing due to onset of old age) as her phone started ringing as she was glancing through the selection. I had taken in the cover but to the left of me on one knee I could hear a cold business like voice come from below. I was just opening the card but had gotten distracted by this icy voice coming from the lady who a few seconds before was like your one at the end credits of 'Little House on the Prairie' skipping through the fields except on happy pills.

My ears pricked up:

'I rejected her application for membership.'

(Obvious pause for person on other end of the line.)

'Yes. I filed it and sent out a letter to her this morning. The reason I left a message on your phone this morning is you know your one that came in this afternoon?'

(Pause)

'Yes. Well she also fits the criteria. Didn't you go to school with her?'

(Pause)

'Well then I will leave it up to you. You can vouch for her membership?'

(Pause)

'Okay then. Well you can tell her then. You handle that.'

She went on for a few more moments and I tried to zone out of the conversation but this flip in personality change was immense. Her voice sounded stony. I eventually looked at the punchline within the card and didn't get it at all. I had forgotten the opening line as well as the cover artwork. I flicked it back but again I was distracted.

'I am going putting Sharon on probation.'

(Pause)

'Yes. Just like David.'

(Slight pause)

'He missed his flight.'

And after that she agreed that the probation would stick. I didn't hear anything else as my mind started to race I felt for these people. I wanted to know what did Sharon do to deserve this. Did David deserve to be put on probation? Where was he flying from? It might not have been his fault. Was he held up by traffic? He could have been kidnapped or even had local militant nationalists take him prisoner. What was his job? What are they members of?

She had hung up. I was looking down at her and I couldn't ask. I wanted to. Good god I needed to know. She had that grin on again like the world was lollipops, candyfloss and kittens. She went back to the assistant laughed that (now I found) chilling laugh following it up with very positive banter with the jaded assistant who looked like she was not enjoying this encounter at all. Overly positive people can be exhausting.

When she left out the door the assistant sighed like it was a relief. She looked in my direction and smiled the knowing smile of someone who sees all kinds of mad mental cases come in to her. I smiled back with an answering nod and shrugged too for effect.

'Assassin or life coach.' I said.

This went over her head as that jaded look came back on her face and I realised I just joined the ranks of the mental cases.

'She's probably one or the other.' I tried again.

This time the assistant found something better to be doing and picked up some cardboard that when pressed became a box. She went rooting behind the desk, stood up ripping back some parceling tape, looked in my direction with an expression that now said, 'Are you still here?'

I made my exit.