Translation of Halifax author's work could become Canada's 1st Irish Gaelic graphic novel

A Halifax author is working to have her indie comic book series translated into Irish Gaelic, possibly making it the first graphic novel in Canada to be written in the language.

Nicole Slaunwhite, who writes under the pen name Nicola R. White, published her series Wild Rose in 2018.

The series, which reimagines an Appalachian Irish murder ballad, is set in 1790 and tells the tale of a young Irish woman who is seduced and betrayed by an English aristocrat — and her journey of revenge.

The story was originally written and published in English, but has since been translated into Scottish Gaelic by Bradan Press, a Dartmouth, N.S.-based publisher with an expertise in Gaelic and Celtic languages.

Slaunwhite said when the publisher approached her about doing an Irish version, she was thrilled. 

"I agreed immediately because it has such an obvious and strong connection to the book, the characters, the setting, the story," she said.

Slaunwhite said it made sense to have an Irish translation because it is partially set in Ireland, and because of Halifax's Irish culture and her family's own history of Irish immigration and settlement.

She said it will also be an important resource for Irish speakers and people who are learning the language. 

'First in Canada'

Slaunwhite said her story could become the first Irish-language graphic novel in Canada. 

"There aren't a lot of Irish-language graphic novels anywhere, to be honest, so to be the first in Canada is really exciting," she said.

She said the graphic novel has been a women-led project, with a woman publisher, translator and author. 

"Just to be given the chance to be part of something so groundbreaking and hopefully so meaningful to people who might pick up the book and relate to it, is really exciting," she said.

The Irish version of the graphic novel is set to be published by Bradan Press this fall.

Emily McEwan, the president of the publishing company, said she's been itching to do an Irish translation of Wild Rose since publishing the Scottish Gaelic version two years ago.

"The two languages have this common Gaelic history and have been cousins across the water for thousands of years, pretty close to thousands of years, and so we just thought it was a natural way to branch out," she said.

This will be one of their first novels published in Irish, McEwan said.

Slaunwhite said the graphic novel does deal with mature themes and is recommended for ages 15 and up.

"Anybody with an interest in Irish history, in languages or Irish culture and people who love just a good story … anybody who's interested in the history of women and the history of those who aren't represented often in historic fiction, I think would really enjoy this," she said.