I have the English translations of Fiche Bliain ag Fas and An tOileanach, but would like to have a go at reading one of the Blasket books as Gaeilge, but don't know which one to start with.

Ta comhairle a lorg agam, ce nach bfhuil an Ghaeilge ro-liofa agam

GRMA

Cá bhfios dom, An tOileánach is the most challenging piece of Munster literature. People are recommended usually to start with Mo scéal féin, to proceed with Peig, Fiche Blian ag Fás and only then to An tOileánach.

p.s. Fiche takes "blian", not "bliain"!

Seconded.

Fiche Blian ag Fás is lighter.

You might also try
Dinnseanchas na mBlascaodaí

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Allagar Na hInise

http://www.litriocht.com/shop/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=202 0

There are both by Tomás Ó Criomhthain, but they are more episodic than An tOileánach, and so easier to get into.

I read An tOileánach this winter and I didn't think it was too bad. (No harder than Cré na Cille for a fledgling Connemara speaker, at any rate.) Plus if you've already read it in English you'll have a leg up.

The old Helicon edition (1980?) is fairly heavily standardized, so it might be a bit easier going for you than the current (2002) edition.

I haven't read any of the others Róman mentions...

quote:

I didn't think it was too bad

Le hanam Dia! Níor duairt éinne gurbh olc an leabhar so! Is iontach an leabhar é, gan dabht, ach níl sé ina leabhar shimplí.

quote:

No harder than Cré na Cille

Your bar for comparison is impossibly high

quote:

I haven't read any of the others Róman mentions...

"Mo scéal féin" is really easy, as "Cleasaí" is too. Ach táim chun "Séadna" a léaghadh (leagan neamh-búitséartha!) ar dtúis.

quote:

No harder than Cré na Cille

Ní dóigh liom gur gearrcach tú níos mó....

"Mo scéal féin" is not Blasket literature, but it is in the same vein.

http://www.litriocht.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=2237
(Ní thaithneoidh an t-eagrán seo le Rómán, is baolach!)

I had to read Peig at school, but I have recently read and enjoyed Machnamh Seanmhná

http://www.litriocht.com/shop/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=224 1

Peig was illiterate, and therefore the books depending heavily on the people taking dictation and editing.

The others wrote their own books (although others edited them)

If you want light literature, a Shuaimhneas, you'd do worse than to read some of your neighbour Maidhc Dainín's novels!

http://www.litriocht.com/shop/advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1 &inc_subcat=1&keywords=Maidhc+Dain%EDn&categories_id=&manufacturers_id=

Maidir le Séadna, cheap mé go chuagh an scéal chun leadrán.

Ró fhada, gan an dóthain forbairt ar an bplota.

An diocfadh le duine ar bith insint dom, cá háit a dtiocfadh liom cóip de Cré na Cille a cheannach?

Níl faraor! Tá mise á chuartú freisin le fada an lá.

Scriobh Aonghus:
Ní dóigh liom gur gearrcach tú níos mó....
Ba mé nuair a léigh mé é! B'in an chéad úrscéal Gaeilge a léigh mé riamh, timpeall agus bliain ó shin. Fuair mé na dlúthdhioscaí RTÉ ar iasacht ó mhúinteoir a bhí agam, agus insint an fhírinne, is éard a spreag mé chun an leabhar a léamh ná gur theip orm na cainteoirí a thuiscint.

Cuirtear san áireamh freisin gur léitheoir sách réchúiseach mé (nuair is úrscéal atá i gceist, ar a laghad). Mura dtuigim focal nó dhó, ní bhíonn aon drogall orm iad a thuairimiú ón gcomhthéacs agus luí isteach ar an scéal.

Scriobh F na mB:
Le hanam Dia! Níor duairt éinne gurbh olc an leabhar so! Is iontach an leabhar é, gan dabht, ach níl sé ina leabhar shimplí.
Difríocht chanúint Bhéarla atá faoi deara é, is dóigh. Ní hé olcas a bhí i gceist agam ach deacracht.

An-leabhar é gan dabht - is mór an taitneamh a bhain mé as, cé gur cheap mé go mbeadh na "do"-anna do mo mharú sa gcéad cúpla caibidil!

quote:

Scriobh F na mB:
Le hanam Dia! Níor duairt éinne gurbh olc an leabhar so! Is iontach an leabhar é, gan dabht, ach níl sé ina leabhar shimplí

Ní mise a dúirt -- Rómán a bhí i gceist.

Oops! Gabh mo leithscéal as sin.

Tá Cré na Cille as cló faoi lathair de bharr deacreachtaí idir uinéirí an chóipchirt agus an foilsitheoir.

An é sin an fáth? Nara fada go socrófar eadarthu mar sin.

Go raibh maith agaibh go leir. Bainfidh me triail as Maidhc Dainin chomh maith