Since its first publication in 1990, Marita Conlon-McKenna's Under the Hawthorn Tree has broken all records for sales of an Irish-published children's book, has won national and international awards, and has been translated into Danish, Swedish, Dutch, French, German, Japanese as well as selling editions in the US. It tells the story of three children left to fend for themselves during the horror of the Great Irish Famine.
Now, for the first time, the book is being made available in the Irish language, as Faoin Sceach Gheal, translated by Máire Nic Mhaoláin.
Scéal éachtach ar an Drochshaol, agus ar thriúr óga a sháraíonn gach guais lena linn.
I ndaichidí an naoú haois déag tá Éire I ngreim ag an ngorta. Nuair a imíonn mí-ádh ar a dteaghlach féin, fágtar Eibhlín, Micheál agus Peig le déanamh as dóibh féin. Le héalú ón ocras agus ó theach na mbocht, cuireann siad sa siúl. Is é a n-aon dóchas dul chomh fada leis na seanaintínú a mbíodh a máthair ag scéalaíocht orthu.
Tugann siad aghaidh go misniúil ar an aistear fada anróiteach, agus gnó acu ar feadh an achair dá bhfuil de shracadh agus de ghrá agus de dhílseacht ina gcroí.