TG4@10: Deich mBliana de TG4 - Ten Years of TG4 was launched this month in Áras na Gaeilge, NUI Galway by Michael D. Higgins TD, the Minister who gave the go-ahead for TG4. The station first came on air as Teilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG) in 1996. 

The book is published by Cló Iar-Chonnachta and edited by Dr Eithne O’Connell of Dublin City University, and Dr John Walsh and Professor Gearóid Denvir of NUI Galway.  

It is a collection of essays, complete with summaries in Irish, written both by academics and those working in the television industry. Topics under discussion include:

• the historical and political background to the founding of the station,
• TG4’s language policy,
• the social and economic impact of the station,
• the specific challenges of broadcasting in Irish,
• the use of immigrant languages and English.

The authors are drawn from all parts of the island, from the Waterford Gaeltacht to Portstewart and from Dublin to Connemara, and the main dialects of Irish are all represented.

“We felt sure that this book would make an impact”, said one of the editors, Dr John Walsh, lecturer at NUI Galway. 

“The essays are based on a seminar at NUI Galway organised with DCU in 2006 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of TG4, and the book is likely to appeal to anyone interested in the media, or in language and broadcasting issues. 

"We made a point of having full Irish/English interpreting services on offer at the seminar, and have translated sections of the book into English as well, so as to make it accessible to those who are interested but don’t have great Irish language skills.”

The book has been awarded an Oireachtas na Gaeilge literary prize of €1,000 for substantial pioneering work in Irish.