Twitter as Gaeilge
June 12, 2013
A chara,
– Peter McGuire (“G’tweet? G’wan ourra that, say students”, June 6th) will be glad to know that members of the Irish language community have been arguing about a good Irish version of “tweet” for several years now.
The official recommendation is “tvuít”, which is in line with the Irish phonological system, but most of us have gone with the ungaelicised “tweet” (“Tá Peadar ag tweetáil arís”). A creative rearguard insist on “giolcach”, however, since that’s what a bird actually does!
This will all come as news to the Department of Education, which assumes we don’t exist and simply makes up words to suit its presentation of Irish as an unauthentic and artificial second language. Its presentation is, alas, grist to the mill of uninformed journalists, who tell us without evidence that “Irish has always struggled to fit in with the popular kids” and who apparently see the language as little more than Peig and a few seanfhocail.
In fact, Irish is spoken vigorously across the country and around the world. We have our own cool kids, thank you very much, and don’t feel the remotest need to “fit in” with speakers of other languages.
– Is mise,
BRIAN Ó BROIN,
PhD,
Department of English,
William Paterson University,
New Jersey, US.
www.irishtimes.com
Celebration in Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, Kildare’s new school
June 11, 2013
The children who will be starting in Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, Kildare Town in September 2013 will be coming together at the new school on Wednesday 19th of June at 4pm to meet the school’s principal, Norma Ní Chonchúir.
Further information: eolas@foras.ie or 01 6294110
Scoil Chaitlín Maude, Tallaght, demands a school building
June 11, 2013
For the last twenty-eight years, Scoil Chaitlín Maude has been successfully providing primary education through the medium of Irish for the community of Tallaght West. Despite this, Scoil Chaitlín Maude still does not have its own school building. The school has educated hundreds of children since it was established in 1985 in unsuitable accommodation. The school continues to grow and it cannot meet the demand for places resulting in a waiting list.
Scoil Chaitlín Maude has been accommodated on a site in Knockmore, Killinarden, Tallaght since 1990. The Department of Education led the school to believe in 1990 that this would be a temporary arrangement and that permanent accommodation would become available in Knockmore. This did not happen, however. As the school grew, temporary prefabricated accommodation was provided. This accommodation is now unsatisfactory and should be demolished due to its unsuitability and the health and safety risks associated with it.
In 2010, it became clear that there was no possibility of permanent accommodation on the site in Knockmore. The school has spent the last three years in on-going discussions with Department of Education and Skills and South Dublin County Council trying to identify a suitable site for the school in the Tallaght West area. All parties agree that permanent accommodation is essential, however, these talks have become protracted, with the result that we have now reached an accommodation crisis. The school may have no choice in September, but to rent classrooms at a location situated approximately 2km from Knockmore. The school would then be divided into three different locations leading to extreme hardship for all concerned.
Representatives from the school community will meet outside the offices of the Department of Education and Skills in Marlborough St at 14.30 on Wednesday, 12th June, to call on the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD to finally take responsibility for finding a permanent site for Scoil Chaitlín Maude after 28 years.
An Foras Pátrúnachta seeks support for new Gaelscoil in Sandymount / Ringsend
June 11, 2013
The Department of Education and Skills has announced that a new primary school will open in the Sandymount/Ringsend area in September 2014. An Foras Pátrúnachta is the largest patron of Irish medium education. An Foras Pátrúnachta would like to cater for the demand for Irish medium education in the area and is therefore applying for the patronage of this new school. However, the support of the community is needed.
An Foras Pátrúnachta is the only patron which was set up specifically to promote Irish medium education. It works hard to support the 67 schools under our patronage and to set up new schools.
Parents choose a Gaelscoil for the children as they receive and excellent standard of education there. Research conducted on bilingual education shows:
• Children perform better academically
• Children find it easier to learn a third and a fourth language
• Children achiever higher scores in English and Maths
The community will be given a complete overview of the advantages of Irish medium education at this meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Further information on An Foras Pátrúnachta is available on their website, www.foras.ie . You can complete an expression of interest form on the website to show your support for a new Gaelscoil in this area.
For more information please contact:
Orla Bradshaw
An Foras Pátrúnachta
eolas@foras.ie
01-6294110
Gaelscoil Cheatharlach ag Féile Peile Gael Linn
June 11, 2013
A Busy July ‘as Gaeilge’ for young people in Carlow
June 11, 2013
A very impressive summer programme of events ‘as Gaeilge’ suitable for all age groups from tiny tots to teenagers will be run by Glór Cheatharlach for Summer 2013.
A full diary will include a Coláiste Samhraidh for teenagers, Campa Samhraidh for primary school children and Campa na nÓg for preschoolers and infants.
Coláiste Samhraidh/ Summer College 2013 offers second level students the opportunity to have a taste of the Gaeltacht experience without leaving home. The Coláiste Samhraidh will consist of a two week course from 9.30am to 1.00pm daily commencing on the 1st of July and running until July 12th. Coláiste Samhraidh will once again be based in Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach and will welcome participants ranging from 6th Class pupils to Leaving Cert students. In addition to daily Irish classes there will be a variety of fun activities including debating and singing, sport and games, dance and céilithe all conducted through Irish. The Coláiste fee is €200 and a deposit of €50 is necessary to reserve a place. Registration is almost full so anybody interested in taking part is advised to enrol as soon as possible as numbers are limited.
Always a popular addition to the broad range of Summer Camps on offer in Carlow, Campa Samhraidh 2013 will run from 15th to the 19th of July. It will be based in Gaelscoil Cheatharlach and will cater for 7 to 11 year olds from 10.00am to 2pm daily. The fee of €50 will cover all Campa activities including art and craft, sport and games, swimming and trips.
Carlow’s Irish Mini-Camp or Campa na nÓg, based at Naíonra Cheatharlach in Graiguecullen swimming complex, was a big success last year and will run once again this year for two weeks in July from July 8th-12th and July 15th-19th. Catering for 4 to 6 year olds Campa na nÓg will take place from10am to 1pm daily and include a variety of events and activities suitable for this particular age group. The fee is €40. Further details from Lorraine on 085 7377041 or from oifig Glór Cheatharlach.
Full details on all Gaeilge an tSamhraidh 2013 activities as well as application forms are available from Glór Cheatharlach on 059 9158105, 085 1340047 or emma@glorcheatharlach.ie.
www.carlow-nationalist.ie
Happy Irish students are delighted at range of essays
June 11, 2013
The essay titles were maybe a bit too easy, more like Junior Cert.
An “easy” Irish higher paper divided teachers’ opinions yesterday, but students were delighted with a range of accessible essay topics.
“I was delighted to see them happy coming out of higher Irish,” said Ruth Morrissey of St Michael’s Community College in Kilmihil, Co Clare.
“The students had loads of choice, and would have been well prepared for topics on sport, politics and tourism. We are trying to encourage more students to take Irish at this level and today’s paper was very positive in that regard.”
Too easy
Robbie Cronin of Marian College in Ballsbridge, Dublin, expressed concern that students looking for higher grades may have found the paper too easy. “The essay titles were maybe a bit too easy, more like Junior Cert questions. Students who want an A or B are looking for more of a challenge.”
Movies, holidays and free houses were “dream essay topics” for the 23,000 who sat the ordinary level Irish exam yesterday. More than half of all students taking Irish sit the subject at this level, with a further 3,329 taking the subject at foundation level.
The first part of yesterday’s exam was a listening comprehension that constitutes 10 per cent of the overall grade for Irish. Some ordinary level students complained that the audio was “too fast”.
“Both ordinary and higher level students listen to the same audio, although they are asked different questions,” said Mr Cronin. “Speed is often an issue for the ordinary level students and it’s something that should be looked at. It only counts for 10 per cent but it’s the first part of the exam and it’s unsettling if they can’t follow what they hear. I could see their faces during the exam and you could tell some of them were having difficulty.”
Ms Morrissey said that her higher level students struggled with section C of the aural exam because the speaker used an Ulster dialect. Accessible Overall, however, the written component of the ordinary paper was regarded as accessible, especially the essays.
“The essays were brilliant for the level,” said Mr Cronin. “They would have loved a topic like a party in the free house – the very thing we all dread.
“The letter was a bit more difficult. Many of the students would not have known the Irish for ‘talent show’. They should have used a programme title like The Voice to give the students an indication.
“It was notable that the examiners managed to avoid mentioning modern technology like emails, texts or tweets altogether.”
www.irishtimes.com
What’s a #Gtuít? Gaelport.com has all the answers!
June 11, 2013
Junior Cert students took to Twitter yesterday to express their confusion about a certain #Gtuít which featured in the higher level reading comprehension section. But what does the enigmatic hashtag actually mean?
Drumroll please… #Gtuít refers to the first Irish language Tweet Up organised by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge last September.
#Gtuít started trending on Twitter yesterday the minute after higher level paper one was handed up but students seemed more confused than anything about the word’s meaning. Not to worry though, Gaelport.com has all the answers!
In recent years the Irish language has reached new heights with the help of social media, Twitter in particular. Irish is mentioned as one of the top minority languages used on the social media with thousands of users messaging and connecting with one another as Gaeilge every day.
The ‘G-Tuít’ concept was developed by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge a year ago to launch the new mobile app m.gaelport.com. The event was an Irish language version of a ‘Tweet-up’, with the G standing for Gaeilge and also for Gaelport.com’s signature logo.
An invitation was extended to the Irish language ‘twitterati’ to come and socialise with one another in ‘real-life’ rather than hiding behind an online persona or @username. Although the social aspect of the event was a success, people had no qualms about escaping into cyberspace to send a tweet or 20 as seen in the following video:
Watch the clip on www.gaelport.com
Although yesterday’s tweets showed confusion at first about #Gtuít, it is clear from the latest feedback that young people are thinking positively about the Irish language in technology:
“Felt so weird hashtagging in Irish, in an exam #Gtuit”
“#Gtuít – Best Hashtag ever.”
“#Gtuít abú!!”
“Loved the Irish junior cert today wooo #Gtuít”
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge intends on organising more G-Tuít events in the near future that would bring together bloggers, developers, the Irish language community in general and those interested in technology. If this sounds like your kind of thing, send an e-mail to eolas@gaelport.com to express your interest.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Cumadóir cónaitheach
June 11, 2013
Stiúrthóir Cúnta ag teastáil ó Naíonra i gContae Lú
June 11, 2013
