Oíche tiomsaithe airgid ar mhaithe le Scoil Neasáin
September 26, 2011
Athrú ar Dháta do Chomhdháil Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta
September 26, 2011
Leabhrán faoi aistriú do phaistí ón naíonra chuig an scoil lán-Ghaeilge
September 23, 2011
Mini-gaeltacht right in the heart of town
September 22, 2011
School aims to foster spoken Irish with Irish college link
September 22, 2011
Schools in neighbouring counties have developed a special relationship aimed at fostering spoken Irish.
Coláiste na Rinne in the Waterford Gaeltacht has developed a link with Gorey Community School, and will offer all first year students at the North Wexford school an opportunity to spend a weekend at Coláiste na Rinne, near Dungarvan, next Spring. The initiative was launched last week, when Liam Siupéal, bainisteoir at Coláiste na Rinne visited Gorey Community School. He explained that the aim of the project is to give the students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the language for a few days and live in an environment where only Irish is spoken. During the stay, students will have lessons in spoken Irish, grammar and drama, taught by experienced teachers. Other activities over the weekend include sporting activities, quizzes, dance and nature walks – all in Irish.
‘The new Irish exams at Junior Cert and Leaving Cert have a greater emphasis on conversation and all first year classes in the school are adapting to this requirement. We see a Gaeltacht visit as an important part of this,’ said the Principal Michael Finn at the launch. ‘There are few enough opportunities for people to speak the language and this will go a small way to addressing this. I also see it as an incentive for students to learn, knowing that they will have this opportunity later in the year.’ The school has booked a number of weekends at Coláiste na Rinne and will bring first year students who wish to attend to improve their Irish. Any parents of first year students who wish to find out more about the initiative may contact the school at (053) 9421000.
Enniscorthy Guardian
Ardscoil Naomh Maolmhaodhóg (Stream)
September 21, 2011
Buntáiste Breise na Gaeilge on the road again!
September 21, 2011
Calling all schools in Leitrim, Monaghan, Limerick and Waterford!! Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge are soon to organise a seminar in your area on the Irish language and careers.
Once again this year Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge will host a series of seminars titled Buntáiste Breise na Gaeilge all over Ireland. As the Leaving Cert class of 2011 prepare to begin their college courses soon, it is apt that the dates and venues of Buntáiste Breise na Gaeilge are now being announced. Senior cycle students in secondary schools will be given the opportunity to attend seminars in Carrick-on-Shannon on 11th October, in Carrickmacross on 12th October, in Limerick on 22nd November and in Co. Waterford on 23rd November.
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge have organised many of these seminar all over the country, with seminars taking place in Killarney, Dublin, Galway, Cork, Carlow, Castlebar, Belfast, Letterkenny, and Tullamore to date.
‘The Added Advantage of Irish’ is the theme of the seminar, and guest speakers and well-known personalities will speak on the advantages which the Irish language has afforded them in their chosen careers.
As part of the seminars, questions from the students are welcomed, which give rise to lively debate about such subjects as the future of the language, Gaeltacht status, Irish as a compulsory subject, Irish at third level, and the Government’s support for the language.
Representatives from third level institutions attend with exhibition stands, to inform students of the various Irish language courses available to them after they leave school.
Students are welcome to attend these free events, but schools must register in advance. Further information: http://www.gaelport.com/bbnag
Junior Certificate results and Irish
September 21, 2011
Almost 4,300 students did a Junior Certificate Irish oral exam in 2011. Examination results for the Junior Certificate were received by 56,930 students who sat them this year and the statistics published by the Examinations board show interesting results regarding Irish.
A total of 48,349 students sat the Irish Paper (including Higher, Ordinary and Foundation level) last June. 80.6% of 23,931 students achieved a grade A, B or C in the higher level paper. Out of the 22,488 students who sat the ordinary level paper, 77.2% achieved a grade A, B, or C. A total of 76.3% of the 1,930 students who sat the Foundation level paper achieved a grad A, B or C.
The students who sat the Irish Paper in the Junior Certificate were given the option of doing an oral examination. This recently introduced option has seen an increase in students opting to do the oral test. An increase of 2,589 students from 1,687 students in 2010 to 4,276 students in 2011 opted to take the Irish oral exam. An increase was also noted in the amount of schools who offered the oral examination from 54 in 2010 to 94 in 2011.
The increase may be associated with students looking for experience in Irish language oral examinations before sitting the leaving cert which will place a greater emphasis on spoken Irish in the subject. A total of 40% of the marks will now go towards the Irish oral exam at leaving certificate level.
Commenting on the recently published statistics Saffron Rosenstock of Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge said ‘ Having oral Irish examinations at Junior Cert is great preparation for students sitting their orals in the leaving cert.’
Gaelport
New Aitheantas employee organises public meetings for Irish-Medium Education
September 21, 2011
Caitríona Bairéad is the new Development Officer for Aitheantas, the joint campaign for Irish-medium education, and she has organised a series of public meetings for establishing local all-Irish primary schools in Co. Dublin and in Co. Kildare next week.
In light of the lack of all-Irish schools opening in recent years, Irish organisations Comhluadar, Conradh na Gaeilge, Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge and Glór na nGael joined forces last year to form the Aitheantas campaign to redress the situation, and Caitríona Bairéad will now undertake to establish new Gaelscoileanna in different areas across the country in her new role with the campaign. Aitheantas are hosting public meetings with the aim of creating founding committees for local Irish-medium schools at Draíocht, Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, Monday, 26 September 2011; The Maldron Hotel, Whitestown Way, Tallaght, Tuesday, 27 September 2011; and Kildare Education Centre, Friary Road, Kildare Town, Wednesday, 28 September 2011, with each meeting running from 8.00 – 9.00pm.
Caitríona Bairéad, new Development Officer with the Aitheantas campaign said: “Irish-medium education has been central to the revival of Irish in recent years, and in my role as Development Officer with Aitheantas in the coming months, I hope to determine and support the demand that is out there for all-Irish education in various parts of the country, starting with the meetings in Leinster next week.” Caitríona is no stranger to working in the Irish-language sector as she took up the post of Administration and Support Officer with the Irish-language festival Seachtain na Gaeilge in 2008, a job she held for two years, after graduating with a degree in multimedia from DCU. She undertook a postgraduate diploma in Cultural Event Management in IADT, Dún Laoghaire while working for the national festival, and she is looking forward to taking on the challenge ahead of her now in her new job promoting all-Irish education with Aitheantas.
“Now that Gaelscoil na Mí has received official recognition from the Department of Education and Skills earlier this year, I can’t wait to build on that progress and to help support parents who wish to give their children an all-Irish education,” said the Dublin-born Bairéad. “In order to ensure the rights of those parents are upheld, Aitheantas is calling on the Department of Education and Skills to include the provision of Irish-medium education in the criteria used when selecting areas for all types of new schools in future, primary and secondary schools alike, to ensure that the national demand for all-Irish education is catered for.” Caitríona Bairéad will work from the offices of the national patronage system for all-Irish schools, Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge (An Foras Pátrúnachta) in Maynooth, where both she and the staff are available to speak to anyone interested in helping the campaign for Irish-medium education in any way.
Caitríona Bairéad
Development Officer, Aitheantas
+353 (0)86 3965045 / caitriona@foras.ie
Caoimhín Ó hEaghra
General Secretary, An Foras Pátrúnachta
+353 (0)86 1738044 / Caoimhin.OhEaghra@mie.ie
DVD chun cabhrú le siollabas nua Gaeilge
September 21, 2011
