Gary Hastings
Genres: Translator, Folklorist, Spiritual writer
Rugadh agus tógadh Gary Hastings in Oirthear Bhéal Feirste. (Féach ‘Tig an Brachán fríd an Bhláiche’, Oghma 1989). Cé go raibh tóir aige ar an Ghaeilge, ní raibh teacht aige uirthi agus é óg. Sa bhliain 1978 chuaigh sé go hOllscoil Uladh, chun cúrsa ab initio Gaeilge a dhéanamh. Bhain sé amach céim sa Léann Éireannach agus thosaigh sé ag seinm ceoil traidisiúnta ar an fheadóg mhór. Bhí a lán ceoltóirí ag gabháil don Ghaeilge sa tréimhse sin. Rinneadh sagart Anglacánach de sa bhliain 1993. D’oibir sé mar Reachtaire i gCathair na Mart, i gcathair na Gaillimhe, agus anois i gCill Iníon Léinín. I rith an ama sin, choinnigh agus d’fhorbair sé a chuid suime sa Ghaeilge agus sa cheol. Glacann sé páirt i gcláracha Gaeilge ar Raidió na Gaeltachta agus ar TG4. Ón uair a oirníodh é, bíonn sé ag tacú le hobair Chumann Gaelach na hEaglaise chun níos mó deiseanna a chur ar fáil ag pobal na hEaglaise an Ghaeilge a úsáid, trí théacsanna Gaeilge a sholáthar le haghaidh liotúirge an Domhnaigh agus seirbhísí ócáide. Chuir sé aistriúchán ar fáil ar leagan úr de Leabhar na hUrnaí Coitinne sa bhliain 2004 (an chéad uair a rabhthas in inmhe an leagan Béarla agus an leagan Gaeilge a sheoladh ag an aon am amháin). Tá rún aige leanúint den obair sin. Tá sé anois páirteach i dtogra éacúiméineach chun athchló den Bhíobla Naofa a chur ar fáil sa bhliain 2021.
Roinnt foilseachán:
‘Tig an Brachán fríd an Bhláiche’, Oghma, 1992.
With Fife and Drum, 2003, Blackstaff Press.
Leabhar na hUrnaí Coitinne, 2004, Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise
An Comaoineach Naofa agus Seirbhísí eile de Chuid Eaglais na hÉireann, 2013, Columba Press.
Going up the Holy Mountain: a Guide and Handbook to Prayer and Pilgrimage, 2017, Columba Press.
Gary Hastings hails from East Belfast. (See ‘Tig an Brachán fríd an Bhláiche’, Oghma 1989). Although he was interested in learning Irish, it was not available to him in his school years. In 1978, he went to the University of Ulster to study ab initio Irish and completed a degree in Irish Studies. He also learned to play the traditional flute, as many musicians at the university were doing Irish at that time. He was ordained an Anglican priest in 1993, serving as Rector in Westport, Galway and now Killiney. Since ordination he has developed his interest in Irish and in music, recording with various musicians and appearing in programmes on Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4. He supports the work of Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise in providing Irish texts for use in Sunday worship and in special services. In 2004, he translated the new Book of Common Prayer into Irish, the first time the Irish and English texts were launched at the same time. He hopes to continue with this work. He is a member of an ecumenical project to reprint An Bíobla Naofa in Irish in 2021.