Rírá agus Stan Lee Eagle Awards

Tá na Stan Lee Eagle Awards againn an bhliain seo.  Má tá suim agaibh tá sibhse abálta vótáil a dhéanamh anseo Téigh go dtí Favourite European Comicbook agus clic ar Rírá má taitníonn Rírá libh.  Ba mhaith linn a bheith ar an ghearrlíosta.  Bhuel, bhíomar ar an ghearrlíosta roimhe leis an Eagle Awards nuair a thosaíomar ag obair ar Rírá.  Bheadh sé go hiontach a bheith ann arís.

The Stan Lee Eagle Awards for comics are with us this year.  So, if you are interested you can vote for Rírá here.  Go to Favourite European Comicbook and click on Rírá if you like Ríra.  We would love to get on the shortlist.  Funnily enough we got on the short list before with issue 1.  As a group anthology comic it would be great for an Irish language comic, by a ton of Irish based talent, to get on the shortlist again.  

Alma Ryan Rírá 4 Cover (Yay!!!!!)

So am back at work in the Ennis Bookshop again full-time and still am putting the comic together.  Finishing touches are being put on the comic this week.  Just to get everyone drooling over a nice cover from Alma Ryan and the design from Muireann Lalor that makes the whole thing pop.  Being back at work has been great but me joints have been aching so this kinda has made me walk on air a little.  So excited about the interior work.

Alma Ryan Rírá 4 cover inked

So Alma has been really busy (everyone else has too, am always amazed at the work handed in).  And here is the cover to Rírá #4 inked so far.  I think it's great looking forward to slapping the Rírá banner on it and seeing the finished piece.

Rírá 4 ag teacht go luath/Rírá 4 on the way.

Tá Rírá #4 ag teacht.  Seo iad cúpla rudaí a bheidh istigh san iris.  Rírá 4 is coming.  Here are a couple of things (samples) that will be in it.

Davy Francis has a great strip handed in.

Phil Barrett has Nícol Óg back up to her eyes in gaming.

These are just two examples of the types of stuff that will be within the pages.  Should have more soon.

Alma Ryan cover for Rírá 4 (Initial sketch of design)

Hi all.  People all over this island are working frantically on their comics, getting them all polished and ready for Rírá 4.  Alma Ryan is different however.  This issue, her sole duty is to provide the cover.  Here is the approved design sketch for the cover.  There were others but this just stood out.

This is just sketch stage, so looking forward to seeing the end result.

Rírá 4 Talent in the Next Issue.

Right so, Rírá 4 has been given the green light.  The last few issues were really well received and I am gonna name the people who have gotten on the list.  God, I wish I could get everyone in the pages of the comic but here is a list of Irish talent involved:

Bob Byrne, Alan Nolan, Philip Barrett, Maeve Clancy, Mike Lynch, Michael Ball, Alma Ryan, Alan Ryan, Eoin Ryan, Stephen Downey, Elida Maiques, Paddy Lynch, Davy Francis, Fintan Taite

And that's just the art and writers.  The background people are the talented Muireann Lalor who is our graphic designer head honcho.  And Gabriel Rosentock will be keeping an eye on the language.

And me?  I will be steepling my fingers grinning like a Bond villain saying, 'Let them come.  We are ready,' but that's another movie.  I can't believe the talent we have in the Irish comics scene, this is only the tip of the iceberg.  We plan to sink a few ships with this team though (not really but you get my meaning I hope).

Coimicí Gael New Project 4

So have coloured the first page to see how it looks of the younger kiddies book.  And there you go.  Far from complete but there will be lettering and I'm not 100% convinced about the clouds.  So another 59 pages to go.

Coimicí Gael New Project III

Here's a few more pages from that project I am working on alongside the fact that Issue 4 of Rírá is being put together.  The team of people for Rírá 4 have been assembled.  I will get all their thingymebobs and edit and put Rírá 4 out in October.  The stuff that has been seen so far looks great.  These are two more pages from that project that hopefully we will release in November on top of that.  So it is for younger readers so hopefully it appeal to Mammies and Daddies who like to read to their kids.

Look to the right

At the top right hand corner of the page there is a list of places you can get Rírá online.  Like our own shop.  Litriocht.com's shop and the digital editions where you can get Rírá 3 for a variety of digital formats.  Yay!

Éist liom ar Bosca 106/Listen to me on Bosca 106

Bhí agallamh agam ar Bosca 106 agus má tá suim ag éinne tar anseo chun éist leis.  I had an interview last week on Bosca 106 in Irish about Rírá and comics in Irish, if anyone is interested in hearing it come here.

I was a tiny bit nervous and bit breathless but overall had a bit of fun in the end.

Rírá/Coimicí Gael on film

A few years ago a few lads from Merchants Gate Films took over my old (and I do mean old looking ) kitchen and made me scribble on paper, walk about the place a bit and hand over a box of comics to a shop on film.  Now they have put this along with interviews with other people in comics in the West of Ireland for a short documentary called Éirí na GComicí that will be part of the Galway Film Fleadh.  The Fleadh itself is a great event (Galway always know how to do things well).  A showcase of film for all.

The bit I am doing as I recall is As Gaeilge.  Apparently, the short film is showing this coming Sunday at 9.00am as part of a series of shorts being shown together.  Yep, that's 9.00am.  I would love to go actually but I cannot make it.  However if you should wish to go please feel free and attend.  I wish the lads all the luck in the world with their documentary.

For further details please go here

Rírá 3 Eagrán Digiteach/ Rírá 3 Digital Edition

Má tá suim ag éinne rinneamar eagrán digiteach de Rírá 3 freisin.  Tá siad ar roinnt de na siopaí digiteach ar an idirlíon anois.  Tá an líosta anseo/  If anyone is interested we have also made a digital edition of Rírá 3.  The list of places it's available from are here:

iTunes/iBookstore (má tá iPad, iPhone nó iPad agat/if you have the iPad, iPhone or iPod)
Amazon Má tá Kindle Fire agat/If you have a Kindle Fire try here (if UK based or other you will be directed elsewhere.
Nook Má tá Nook Color/Tablet/Android (Tablet) agat/ If you have a Nook Color/Tablet/Android (tablet)
Graphicly easy to use with Google Chrome and on Facebook.

Sin é.  That's it for now.  It will be available from Google Books soon, when that happens I will let you know.  Google Books as far as I know is only available in the States so far.

Rírá anseo 2012/ Rírá is here 2012

Líosta beag faoi na siopaí ina bhfuil Rírá a fháil. Má níl siad sna siopaí nuair a chur tú cuairt ar, cuir glaoch orm.  Just a quick list of the shops Rírá 3 or all of Rírá are in at the moment.  If they are not there just let me know.

Here we go:

Dublin:

ForbiddenPlanet Dublin 5/6 Crampton Quay, Dublin (01) 671 0688

SubCity Comics Dublin  2 Exchequer St., Dublin 003531 6771902

An Siopa Leabhar Conradh na Gaeilge, 6 Sráid Fhearchair, Dublin 2 00 353 1 478 3814

County Clare:

Ennis Bookshop Abbey St., Ennis 065 6829000

Scéal Eile Bookshop, The Market Ennis (065) 684 8648

Custys Music Shop, Cookes Lane Ennis (065) 682 1727

McLoughneys Newsagent Shannon 

County Kerry:

Killarney Bookshop, Main St., Killarney (064) 663 4108

Polymath Bookshop, Tralee 00 353 66 712 8148

Litriocht.com, Trá Lí +353 (0) 669 155 237

County Cork:

Other Realms, Paul St. Shopping Centre Cork City (021) 422 2224

High Street Books, Douglas Shopping Centre Cork (021) 489 7899

County Galway:

Kennys Bookshop, Lisbaun Retail Park, Tuam Rd., Galway City +353 91 709350

Charlie Byrnes Bookshop, Galway City +353 (0)91 561 766

ABC Bookshop Corbett Court Galway City (0)91 561950

An Spáilpín Fánach, Ceardlann an Spidéil, An Spidéal, Co. na Gaillimhe 091 553343

County Donegal:

An Siopa Gaeilge, Gleann Cholm Cille, Donegal (074) 973 0500

Belfast:

ForbiddenPlanet Belfast, 52-54 Ann Street, Belfast 01159 484 122

An Ceathrú Póilí, 216 Bothár na Bhfál, Béal Feirste, BT12 6AH (028) 9032 2811

These are the main ones Rírá are in at the moment.  Other shops have taken the comic on in the past but these are the main ones.  We would like to get out to more shops around the country. 

 

Starting online webcomic

Once a week a webcomic in Irish will be drawn and thrown up and will be called Agus Sin Sin.  It is an experiment at the moment and the first of the comics is up now.  An English language version called And That's That will also be put up once a week.  So we will see how it goes.

Cover for Rírá 3

This is roughly I think what Issue 3's cover will look like.

Stuff

Well it's been a busy few weeks. We are putting the final bits together of Issue 3 of Rírá thank goodness. And we have already made a start on Issue 4 which is due out in November. So all good there.

We are trying to get out the Wire and Gas War Anthology which is the brainchild of Mike Lynch
www.mikeplynch.blogspot.com and Martin Greene with art by Anthony O'Neill, Michael Ball and myself.

I have published two stories with Kindle just to see what that's like. So if you want to download the sample pages to your Kindle which can be downloaded easily to your computer, phone, etc. One story is http://www.amazon.com/Two-Short-Stories-Squatter-ebook/dp/B0055PNQT2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&m=A2HD1FRBBEUS3N&s=books&qid=1308605751&sr=8-3 called 'Two Short Stories: Sandra Dwyer and The Squatter' and the other is http://www.amazon.com/Spoons-and-Feathers-ebook/dp/B0054TQMXQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=A2HD1FRBBEUS3N&s=books&qid=1308606248&sr=8-1 called 'Spoons and Feathers'.

We also have another few projects coming up and will be keeping you updated.

Cork City has finally opened her doors to us

Two fine Cork City bookshops have taken Rírá to their hearts. If you live in Cork or happen to shop where they are feel free to ask for Issue 1 and 2 there:


Liam Russell Bookshop,
49/50 Oliver Plunkett Street
Cork
Co Cork
Fón: 021 4270981

Other Realms,
Paul Street Shopping Centre
Paul Street, Cork, Co. Cork
Fón: 021 422 2224
www.otherrealms.com

Feedback on Rírá from Ohio

Right we got a little feedback on Rírá from a reader in Cleveland Ohio:

A Chairde,

Tá áthas an domhain orm go bhfuil coimic ar fáil faoi dheireadh i
nGaeilge! Comhghairdeas libh! Tá beirt pháiste agam anseo i
gCleveland, Ohio, agus tá mé á dtógáil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá siad
seacht agus cúig bhliain d'aois. Fuair muid RíRá eagrán 1 agus 2 sa
phost dhá lá ó shin agus tá siad ag caint faoi RíRá ó shin! Tá mé ag
léamh RíRá leo le linn an bhricfeasta agus roimh dul a luí agus
iarrann m'iníon orm na scéalta a insint agus mé ag tiomaint sa charr.
Bíonn orm cur síos a dhéanamh ar gach pictiúr di.!! Is iontach an
deis cainte dúinn é.

Hello all the people who are making RíRá possible!
Congratulations to you all from Cleveland, Ohio!
I am from Donegal, a teacher by profession, I spent five years
teaching the Irish language at the University of Wisconsin,
Milwaukee. I have two children to whom I only speak Irish. They are
completely bi-lingual, as their Daddy speaks English to them. My son,
Conall, is seven, and my daughter, Aisling, is five. Eagrán 1 and 2
of RíRá arrived at our house two days ago! The children haven't
stopped talking about it! RíRá has taken over the bedtime stories and
breakfast time for the past two days, with both kids sitting on my
knee and eating their cereal while I read to them from RíRá! My son
is using RíRá to teach himself to read in Irish! He has also resumed
drawing his own comic strips!
My daughter makes me describe the comic strips in RíRá frame by frame
and tell her what the speech and thought bubbles say from memory as I
am driving to and from various places! It may help me ward off
cognitive difficulties in old age!

Rírá 2 is Out Next Week

It's true I've been quiet here over the last few months but have actually been busy behind it all. The next issue of Rírá has finally gone to the printers and next Wednesday I will have boxes of them delivered to Coimicí Gael. We should have the shop up and running then too for the next issue (as well as the previous issue for those who haven't gotten it yet).


Since I last put up stuff here we have been featured on RTE's Nationwide with John Cullen the artist behind Blackstar/Dúréalt. Mike Lynch and I made brief appearances in the report as well. Loads of people saw the mag on the telly and are asking about it now which is the main thing. If you feel like seeing the results check it out here:



Also we were invited to talk at the Ennis Book Festival http://www.ennisbookclubfestival.com/index.php along with Declan Shalvey of 28 Days Later and Frankenstein fame was there, Gerry Hunt the creator behind Blood Upon the Rose, Stephen Coffey of Celtic Knights and Dave O'Leary comic journo from http://www.comicrelated.com/ was there asking us questions in front of an audience who for the most part wouldn't have attended a comic or graphic novel panel. It was a great experience and was fun talking with Declan, Gerry, Stephen and Dave there.

So with all that I reckon I will be back posting here on a regular basis again but keep in mind next issue is out soon.

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.