Cló Iar-Chonnachta is an Irish language book publisher and traditional Irish music label founded in 1985 by the writer Micheál Ó Conghaile. The company has, to date, released over 150 music albums and some 300 books, predominantly in Irish. Ó Conghaile's motivation in establishing the company was the lack of recognition accorded to the work of Gaeltacht

Gaeltacht

is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...

 writers and singers. His aim was to provide a platform for Gaeltacht

Gaeltacht

is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...

  writers and also to record the sean-nós

Sean-nós song

Sean-nós is a highly ornamented style of unaccompanied traditional Irish singing. It is a sean-nós activity, which also includes sean-nós dancing...

 singers of Connemara to ensure that future generations would have access to their songs. The company is based in the Sailearna Business Park, Indreabhán, approximately four miles west of Spiddal

Spiddal

Spiddal is a village on the shore of Galway Bay in County Galway in Ireland. It is west of Galway city on the R336 road. Spiddal is on the eastern side of the county's Gaeltacht near Connemara, and is a tourist centre with a scenic beach, harbour, and shore fishing.-The village:The Mac...

, in Connemara

Connemara

Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...

, Co. Galway, where it currently employs four people. Cló Iar-Chonnachta is the largest private Irish language

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

 publishing house, and one of the few that is run on a full-time basis.

External links

• Cló Iar-Chonnachta
• Cathal Ó Searcaigh
  Cathal Ó Searcaigh
  Cathal Ó Searcaigh is an Irish poet who writes in the Irish language .Ó Searcaigh was born in Gort a' Choirce, a town in the Gaeltacht region of Donegal, and lives at the foot of Mount Errigal...