DUBLIN—Islam’s holy book, the Koran, is to be translated into Irish in an ambitious project aimed at bringing Ireland’s Gaelic-speaking and Muslim communities closer together, organizers say.
Lesley Carter of the Dublin-based Islamic Cultural Centre, which will oversee the project, said on Tuesday the translation would benefit Irish-speakers from both cultures.
“There are a number of Muslims among the Irish-speaking community—people who were born or reared here and learned Irish in school. And also for those [non-Muslims] who have an interest in Islam then the Koran will be available in the language they prefer,” she said.
The Islamic community is currently the fastest-growing religious minority in Ireland, with around 18,000 Muslims living in the country—most of them in the capital Dublin.
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Clarence Sexton | 8/31/2009
