''Al Liamm'' (
Breton language
Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic language still widely in use on the European mainland, albeit as a member of t ...
for "The Link") is a bimonthly magazine of culture and literature in the
Breton language
Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic language still widely in use on the European mainland, albeit as a member of t ...
.
History
The first issue of ''Al Liamm'' was published in 1946. The initial magazine was created in Paris by Pêr ar Bihan and Andrev Latimier, and then merged with two other cultural magazines, ''Kened'', and then ''Tír na nÓg'', in 1948.
Ronan Huon, who was, along with
Pol Le Gourrierec, the editor of ''Tír na nÓg'', took charge of the fusion. He directed the resulting magazine, ''Al Liamm-Tir na nÓg'', for about half a century.
One of his sons, Tudual Huon, has taken his place at the head of the magazine. In 2013, the magazine had 600 subscribers and a circulation of 700.
Profile
Every issue offers a selection of short stories, poetry and literary essays entirely in Breton. Numerous authors of modern
Breton literature
Breton literature may refer to literature in the Breton language (''Brezhoneg'') or the broader literary tradition of Brittany in the three other main languages of the area, namely, Latin, Gallo and French – all of which have had strong mutual ...
, such as
Abeozen
François Eliès, born Fañch Eliès Garzanti p. 1 and better known by the pseudonym Abeozen, (1896 Saint-Sauveur, Finistère – 1963 La Baule) was a Breton nationalist, novelist and dramatist who wrote in the Breton language. Abeozen was also ...
,
Per Denez,
Youenn Drezen
Youenn Drezen (14 September 1899 – 17 February 1972) is the Breton language name of Yves Le Drézen, a Breton nationalist writer and activist. He is also known as Corentin Cariou and Tin Gariou.
Youth
He was born in Pont-l'Abbé, Finistère ...
,
Xavier de Langlais
Xavier de Langlais (April 26, 1906 in Sarzeau – June 15, 1975) was a Breton painter, printmaker and writer. He usually signed his work with the name Langleiz, a Breton language version of his surname.
Early career
Langlais studied art in Nante ...
(Langleiz), Anjela Duval,
Reun Ar C'halan, Maodez Glanndour,
Youenn Gwernig
Youenn Gwernig (10 May 1925 – 29 August 2006; born in Scaër, Douarnenez) was a Breton-American poet, writer and singer. He was a painter, sculptor and a TV presenter on the French channel France 3.
He was born in 1925 in the town of Scaër ( ...
,
Roparz Hemon
Louis-Paul Némo (18 November 1900 – 29 June 1978), better known by the pseudonym Roparz Hemon, was a Breton author and scholar of Breton expression. He was the author of numerous dictionaries, grammars, poems and short stories. He also found ...
,
Ronan Huon,
Paol Keineg
Paol Keineg (born February 6, 1944) is a Breton American, Breton-American writer and poet born in Quimerc'h (Brittany).
He worked in several places in Brittany as a supervisor before becoming a teacher in Morlaix. He was fired without any official ...
, Kerverzioù,
Meavenn Meavenn (1911–1992) was the pen name of Francine Rozec, also known as Fant Rozec, a Breton language poet, novelist and playwright linked to Breton nationalism.
Early life and education
She was born in Saint Marc, then a village, which is now mer ...
, Youenn Olier, and Yann-Ber Piriou have made contributions to the magazine with poems, short stories, essays, and studies. Breton poets and singers who were directly involved in the revival of the
music of Brittany Since the early 1970s, Brittany has experienced a tremendous revival of its folk music. Along with flourishing traditional forms such as the bombard- biniou pair and fest-noz ensembles incorporating other additional instruments, it has also branched ...
, such as
Milig ar Skañv (Glenmor),
Youenn Gwernig
Youenn Gwernig (10 May 1925 – 29 August 2006; born in Scaër, Douarnenez) was a Breton-American poet, writer and singer. He was a painter, sculptor and a TV presenter on the French channel France 3.
He was born in 1925 in the town of Scaër ( ...
, or Bernez Tangi, have also published poems and songs in ''Al Liamm''.
As emphasised by Welsh author and editor
Meic Stephens
Meic Stephens (23 July 1938 – 2 July 2018) was a Welsh literary editor, journalist, translator, and poet.
Birth and education
Meic Stephens was born on 23 July 1938 in the village of Treforest, near Pontypridd, Glamorgan. He was educated at ...
, ''Al Liamm'' is "the principal platform for just about every Breton writer of note to emerge during the post-war period".
Poems from ''Al Liamm'' authors have often been put to music and songs by Breton singers, such as Véronique Autret,
Nolwenn Leroy
Nolwenn Le Magueresse (; born 28 September 1982), known by her stage name Nolwenn Leroy (), is a French singer-songwriter, musician and actress.
Originally classically trained (violin and opera singing), she rose to fame after winning the second ...
,
Yann-Fañch Kemener
Yann-Fañch Loeiz Kemener (April 7, 1957 – March 16, 2019) was a traditional singer and ethnomusicologist from Brittany, born in Sainte-Tréphine, Côtes-d'Armor, France. Known in French as Jean-François Louis Quémener.
He took part in rev ...
,
Gilles Servat
Gilles Servat is a French singer, born in Tarbes in southern France in 1945, into a family whose roots lay in the Nantes region of Brittany. He is an ardent promoter ardent of the Breton culture, and sings in both French and Breton, as well as ...
and
Alan Stivell
Alan Stivell (; born Alan Cochevelou on 6 January 1944) is a French, Breton and Celtic musician and singer, songwriter, recording artist, and master of the Celtic harp. From the early 1970s, he revived global interest in the Celtic (specifically ...
. The close relationships between modern
celtic nations
The Celtic nations are a cultural area and collection of geographical regions in Northwestern Europe where the Celtic languages and cultural traits have survived. The term ''nation'' is used in its original sense to mean a people who shar ...
and the various branches of
celtic literature
Celtic literature is the body of literature written in one of the Celtic languages, or else it may popularly refer to literature written in other languages which is based on the traditional narratives found in early Celtic literature. Backgrou ...
have also led to contributions from Welsh and Irish authors, and to Breton translations from
Welsh literature and
Gaelic literature
Gaelic literature ( ga, Litríocht na Gaeilge; gd, Litreachas na Gàidhlig) is literature in the vernacular Gaelic languages of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.
Gaelic literature is recognised as the third oldest literature tradition of Eu ...
(
Thomas Gwynn Jones
Professor Thomas Gwynn Jones C.B.E. (10 October 1871 – 7 March 1949), more widely known as T. Gwynn Jones, was a leading Welsh poet, scholar, literary critic, novelist, translator, and journalist who did important work in Welsh literature, Wel ...
,
Sorley MacLean,
Seán Ó Ríordáin
Seán Pádraig Ó Ríordáin (3 December 1916 – 21 February 1977), sometimes referred to as an Ríordánach, was an Irish language poet and later a newspaper columnist. He is credited with introducing European themes to Irish poetry, and is wi ...
, and
Kate Roberts).
Al Liamm publishing company
The ''Al Liamm'' publishing company, associated with the magazine, has published numerous novels and memoirs:
* ''Emgann Kergidu'', by Lan Inisan
* ''Tristan hag Izold'', by
Xavier de Langlais
Xavier de Langlais (April 26, 1906 in Sarzeau – June 15, 1975) was a Breton painter, printmaker and writer. He usually signed his work with the name Langleiz, a Breton language version of his surname.
Early career
Langlais studied art in Nante ...
(Langleiz)
* ''E skeud tour bras Sant Jermen'', by Yeun ar Gow
* ''Skol-Louarn Veig Trebern'', by
Youenn Drezen
Youenn Drezen (14 September 1899 – 17 February 1972) is the Breton language name of Yves Le Drézen, a Breton nationalist writer and activist. He is also known as Corentin Cariou and Tin Gariou.
Youth
He was born in Pont-l'Abbé, Finistère ...
(foreword by
Pêr-Jakez Helias
Pêr-Jakez Helias, baptised Pierre-Jacques Hélias, ''nom de plume'' Pierre-Jakez Hélias (1914–1995) was a Breton stage actor, journalist, author, poet, and writer for radio who worked in the French and Breton languages. For many years he direct ...
)
* ''An Teirgwern Pembroke'', by Jarl Priel
* ''Pirchirin Kala-Goañv'', by
Abeozen
François Eliès, born Fañch Eliès Garzanti p. 1 and better known by the pseudonym Abeozen, (1896 Saint-Sauveur, Finistère – 1963 La Baule) was a Breton nationalist, novelist and dramatist who wrote in the Breton language. Abeozen was also ...
* ''Plac'hed o lêr rous'', by Yann Gerven
as well as plays, by
Tanguy Malmanche
Tanguy Malmanche (7 September 1875 – 20 March 1953) was a French writer involved in the revival of Breton culture. His first name also appears as Tangi.
The son of Gustave Malmanche, a ship's purser based in Paris, and Marie Louise Piédalu ...
and by
Roparz Hemon
Louis-Paul Némo (18 November 1900 – 29 June 1978), better known by the pseudonym Roparz Hemon, was a Breton author and scholar of Breton expression. He was the author of numerous dictionaries, grammars, poems and short stories. He also found ...
, and collections of poetry, by Anjela Duval and by
Youenn Gwernig
Youenn Gwernig (10 May 1925 – 29 August 2006; born in Scaër, Douarnenez) was a Breton-American poet, writer and singer. He was a painter, sculptor and a TV presenter on the French channel France 3.
He was born in 1925 in the town of Scaër ( ...
.
Further reading and listening
*
William Calin
William Compaine Calin (born April 4, 1936 in Newington, Connecticut, died May 20, 2018 in Lake City, Florida) was a senior scholar of Medieval French literature and French poetry at the University of Florida. His work has focused on Occitan Stu ...
, "Minority literatures and modernism: Scots, Breton and Occitan, 1920-1990", University of Toronto Press, 2000, .
*Georges Cadiou, "Emsav, dictionnaire critique, historique et biographique : le mouvement breton de A à Z", Coop Breizh, mars 2013, .
*Francis Favereau, "Anthologie de la littérature bretonne au XXe siècle : 1945-1968", "Tome 3 : La littérature d'esprit national : Al liamm Tír na nÓg / Dans le sillage de la Résistance : Brud et Brud nevez", Skol Vreizh, 2008, .
*
John T. Koch
John T. Koch is an American academic, historian and linguist who specializes in Celtic studies, especially prehistory and the early Middle Ages. He is the editor of the five-volume ''Celtic Culture. A Historical Encyclopedia'' (2006, ABC Clio). He ...
, "Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia", ABC-CLIO, 2006, .
*
Bernard Le Nail et Jacqueline Le Nail, "Dictionnaire des romanciers de Bretagne", Keltia Graphic éditions, 1999, .
*
Alan Stivell
Alan Stivell (; born Alan Cochevelou on 6 January 1944) is a French, Breton and Celtic musician and singer, songwriter, recording artist, and master of the Celtic harp. From the early 1970s, he revived global interest in the Celtic (specifically ...
, "Trema 'n inis", Keltia III / Phonogram, 1976.
References
{{reflist
Breton-language mass media