From Tintin to Asterix, from Na Draoithe to Scott Pilgrim, there are loads of graphic novels and comics available to help you slip into Gaeilge like you would a warm soothing seaweed bath. All the pleasure, none of the oiliness.
Some of these are for teens and adults but there are plenty you could read with kids and get back into the Gaeilge groove with regular reading.
Most commonly available are the Tintin and Asterix collections from publishers Dalen. Right now, you have access to 16 of the Tintin stories as Gaeilge.
There are 23 Asterix books currently available fully as Gaeilge. For those who are major fans, they likely have a good few in English already. Getting your hands on an Irish language version could see you picking up a lot of Gaeilge along the way.
In the same way you can pick up Flann O'Brien's An Béal Bocht, in graphic novel or comic form by Colmán Ó Raghallaigh, with fantastic illustrations by John McCloskey, published by Cló Mhaigh Eo, who have a decent selection.
You'll find an English language version of An Béal Bocht, The Poor Mouth, online or in your local library if you want to try it out as Béarla first and then see how you get on with the graphic version as Gaeilge.
Animated sketch of one of the famous scenes in An Béal Bocht - the most Gaelic of all Irish Gaels.
Ó Raghallaigh teams up with illustrator Barry Reynolds for versions of The Táin and with illustrator Micheal McGrath for An Tóraíocht (of Diarmuid and Gráinne fame).
There are also others on offer, in particular the Cú series based, as the name would suggest, on the epic tales of Cú Chulainn, and, similarly titled but quite different An Broc-Chú, published by Leabhar Breac.
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The list goes on - An Garbhán is the Gruffalo, and Dog Man, by Dav Pilkey is, well Dog Man, but he speaks Irish, as most dogs do when spoken to as Gaeilge.
These are only a few examples of the many on offer, but once you start looking, you'll uncover a treasure of great illustrated stories that will help you improve your Gaeilge vocab, most especially the madraí, thanks to the hurler-warrior boy-hounds, the little white Belgian terriers and the half-man half-dog cartoon cops.
