About Cló Iar-Chonnacht

Cló Iar-Chonnacht was established in 1985 and since then, has published over 300 music albums and nearly 500 books. We are one of the largest publishing companies in Ireland and the largest private Irish-language publisher employing five people full-time.

We purchased Cois Life in 2020 and we also manage the imprints An Clóchomhar and Sáirséal agus Ó Marcaigh.

Cló Iar-Chonnacht serves as a guardian, patron, advocate, and custodian of the culture, music, and literature of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. We recognise the great importance of preserving this rich culture, and we aim to encourage and support musicians and writers by giving their voices a platform.

CIC publishes a wide range of literature, including poetry collections, short stories, and song anthologies, as well as novels, books for teenagers and children, academic theses, and history books. We have also published several books in English, the majority of which are translations of significant works originally written in Irish. A substantial number of these works are available on CD and cassette, with some featured in the acclaimed series An Béal Beo.”

In terms of music, CIC’s primary purpose at its founding was to record the musicians of Connemara, especially the traditional sean-nós singers, so that their rich heritage would be widely and permanently accessible. That original purpose is still carefully maintained, although our scope of work has expanded considerably. CIC’s current catalogue includes sean-nós recordings from all over the country, as well as outstanding solo musicians and traditional groups, Cajun music, country gaelcheol, and Cape Breton music.

The company was founded in 1985 by the writer Micheál Ó Conghaile when he was a 23-year-old university student. He is a prolific and accomplished writer, with a collection of literary awards won across various fields. After thirty-five years at the helm, Micheál stepped down from his duties in 2021 and sold the company. Deirdre Ní Thuathail is the new owner, having spent many years as the company’s manager before taking on this role.

Deirdre Ní Thuathail is the Managing Director, Bridget Bhreathnach is the Marketing Manager, Colette McKeown is the Sales Manager, Emer Ní Neachtain is the Sales Assistant, and Lochlainn Ó Tuairisg is the Literary Editor.

Company Directors

Deirdre Ní Thuathail – Managing Director and Company Secretary

Originally from Árainn, Deirdre has worked with Cló Iar-Chonnacht for many years and has extensive experience in all areas of the publishing industry.

Ferdia Breathnach – Director and Chairperson of the Board

Ferdia Breathnach, originally from Tír an Fhia, Leitir Móir, holds a Bachelor of Civil Law and a postgraduate diploma in business from the National University of Ireland, Galway (BCL and DBS). He has also earned a postgraduate diploma in Applied Irish and Translation, along with advanced training in the translation of legal and other official documents. Ferdia qualified as a barrister at King’s Inns, Dublin (BL), and is currently practising law. He has a keen interest in sports, particularly the GAA, and plays Gaelic football for his local club, Naomh Anna Leitir Móir.

Transparency Principles

Cló Iar-Chonnacht is committed to compliance with the Arts Council’s Code of Conduct and Principles of Good Fundraising.

Cló Iar-Chonnacht Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Cló Iar-Chonnacht (CIC) is an Irish language publisher, established in 1985 in An Spidéal, Conamara. Our mission is to sustain and develop Irish-language literature, and to provide a platform for traditional musicians and singers, supporting their cultural expression and sharing it with a broad audience In doing this, we provide visibility for the voices and cultural contributions of Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht communities.

We recognise the Irish-speaking community as a linguistic minority whose culture and creativity merit support.
Within this remit, CIC is committed to ensuring that equality, diversity, and inclusion are reflected in the way we work with staff, authors, musicians, translators, and collaborators.

We acknowledge that many diverse voices and experiences exist within Irish-language and traditional music communities, encompassing gender, region, dialect, age, disability, and background, and we strive to reflect this diversity in our publishing and music projects.

CIC does not discriminate based on gender, marital or family status, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, disability, age, or membership of the Traveller community, in line with Irish equality legislation. Our approach is to treat everyone we work with fairly and respectfully.

We will review this policy regularly and remain open to feedback, and take practical steps to address barriers to participation where possible, in line with the size and resources of our organisation.

Cló Iar-Chonnacht’s Climate Change Action Plan and Policy

Cló Iar-Chonnacht is committed to reducing the company’s climate impact and promoting sustainable practices in the publishing sector. As a small business that relies on resources such as paper and energy, we recognise the need to take meaningful action to combat climate change and reduce our carbon footprint as much as we can. This climate action plan outlines our goals, strategies and commitments to support these goals.

GOALS

Reduce our carbon footprint – reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving energy efficiency and evaluating renewable energy sources.

Use sustainable paper – Prioritise responsibly sourced, recycled and FSC certified paper for our printing needs.

Eco-friendly printing practices – Use printers that use eco-friendly inks, printing methods and digital alternatives.

Operations – reduce our waste through responsible packaging, digital receipts and implement recycling initiatives.

Staff interaction – provide training to staff and support activities related to climate change.

STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES

Energy efficiency & renewable energy

Convert office spaces and resources to energy-efficient lighting and appliances. Change the store lighting to LED bulbs.

Explore the possibilities of switching to a renewable electricity provider.

Implement energy conservation policies such as automatic computer and appliance switch-offs.

Sustainable Paper and Printing

Use printers that use paper certified by the FSC or another equivalent organisation.

Increase our use of recycled paper

Work with printers that use eco-friendly printing processes.

Consider digital printing and e-books where appropriate to reduce paper usage.

Reduce print runs where possible to reduce paper waste and pulping.

Reduce the amount of paper used in the office by promoting digital documents.

Recycling and waste reduction

Reduce packaging and promote recycling throughout the office for paper, cardboard, ink and packaging materials.

Support the reuse of paper and other materials where possible.

Reduce plastic use in the office by providing paper bags in the bookstore

Encourage customers to bring their own bags for the items they purchase.

Staff Engagement and Awareness

Promote staff training and support online courses for staff on sustainable practices.

Support sustainable office practices such as digital documentation and remote working

Promote a sustainable culture in the workplace

Monitoring and Evaluation

To assess our progress:

We will monitor energy usage and waste reduction efforts.

We will seek feedback from customers and staff on sustainable initiatives.

We will adjust the strategy based on new research and best practices.

Cló Iar-Chonnacht’s aim with this climate change action plan is to participate in a more sustainable publishing sector. We recognise our responsibility to mitigate climate change and are committed to taking action towards a greener industry.