Bliain nua sa Naíonra i gCeatharlach
September 11, 2013
Ciorcail Chomhrá do mhicléinn i gCeatharlach
September 11, 2013
Call for Irish speakers to help visually impaired
September 11, 2013
Childvision is looking for volunteers with Irish language skills to support its DAISY project and provide Irish language resources to the visually impaired.
The volunteers will be taking part in the project where sound files will be recorded to accompany digital talking books. DAISY stands for digital accessible information system and is a digital talking book which is a multimedia representation of a print publication.
National Braille Production at ChildVision is based in Drumcondra in Dublin and was established to meet the educational needs of children with a visual impairment attending either mainstream or special education at both primary and secondary level.
Volunteers will need to have fluent Irish, a good speaking voice, basic computer literacy and available to volunteer during working hours in-house.
For further information contact project manager Aisling mcDonagh at amcdonagh@childvision.ie.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
End of an era for Foinse as publication ceases
September 11, 2013
Móinear Teo. have announced Foinse will not be available in shops across the country later this month, as was initially intended.
Foinse was established in 1996, and a weekly Irish language newspaper was available nationally until summer 2009, subsidised with funding from Foras na Gaeilge. When the funding from Foras na Gaeilge came to an end, Foinse was relaunched in autumn of 2009, with a new look and a new distribution system.
Until recently, Foinse was available as a supplement with the Irish Independent each Wednesday, and was very popular, especially with school students across the country and with Irish language learners.
In addition to the printed weekly newspaper, Móinéar Teo. also launched many online services over the past number of years including the information website www.foinse.ie and a grammar blog. Foinse added greatly to the content being shared through social media online, on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
While a printed edition of the newspaper will no longer be available, educational material like Foinse Óg and Foinse sa Rang will still be available online at www.foinse.ie.
At the beginning of the year, Foras na Gaeilge announced a decision to cut all funding for the weekly Irish language newspaper ‘Gaelscéal’ before the contract was due to end officially.
A low sales rate was the main reason given by Foras na Gaeilge for this action, with an average amount of 1,300/1,400 hard copies sold in shops weekly.
In a statement last February, CEO of Foras na Gaeilge stated: “There are difficulties with sales and distribution of newspapers worldwide. The Board and the Committee will now be looking at these questions as we move towards founding a new news service for the Irish Language community.”
The latest development means there is no longer any Irish language newspaper available for the Irish speaking community. Foras na Gaeilge held public consultation meetings last spring, as well as a series of focus groups to discuss what form the publication which would replace Gaelscéal would take. No results of this research have been issued as yet.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Smarmore summer camp a great success
September 10, 2013
Now in its second year, Gael Champa took place at Smarmore Castle just a few miles from Ardee in the middle of August.
“We had 24 children from the ages of 5- 13 who attended and participated in the Irish language summer camp,” said Clodagh McClean, who has BSA in Irish. Clodagh and Kenny Rabbitt supervised and co-ordinated the camp, assisted by Éadaoin McClean, Aelish Lambert, Andrea Meade and Claire McGrory. “The idea behind this summer camp was to encourage children to welcome and enjoy the Irish language as a fun and funtional means of communication. As the week progressed, the children were speaking more and more Irish and their confidence grew as they practiced and experienced Irish as a practical language. “The week consisted of many activities for the children. From table quizes to treasure hunts and relay races to ‘Capture the Flag’. “Fun through Irish was always the prime concern.
“Throughout the course of the week, the children were divided into four teams: Eireann, Na Buaiteoirí, Club Chorcra and Daoine Gan Stóp, and could earn points for their teams by succeeding in the activities, team spirit, good sportsmanship and through their use of the Irish Language. Despite the close competition thorughout the week. It was Club Chorcra that finished in first place of the leaderboard at the end of the week. “By the end of the week, each child went home with prizes for their excellent use of Gaeilge throughout the week,” said Clodagh. Clodagh McClean, would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s camp a success, especially Smarmore Castle for their use of their grounds, to all of the people who helped out with the camp over the week and to all of the children who were an absolute pleasure to have for the week.
A special word of thanks goes out to all of the parents who encouraged their children throughout the camp to speak through Irish.Gael-Champa is a summer sports camp as Gaeilge, providing cultural, educational and sporting activities for children through the medium of Irish! Séan Óg Ó hAilpín launches Gael-Champa! The camp caters for children from English speaking schools as well as Gaelscoileanna. Activities include Gaelic football, hurling, rugby, volleyball, soccer, etc. If you would like more information about Gael Champa 2014, please contact Clodagh at clodagh.mcclean2@mail.dcu.ie
www.dundalkdemocrat.ie
An tÁisaonad ag ceiliúradh 15 bliain ach neamhchinnteacht ann faoin todhchaí
September 10, 2013
All-Irish language ethos protected under draft Education Bill
September 10, 2013
The language ethos of all-Irish primary and secondary schools will be recognised under the Admission to Schools Bill 2013.
There are concerns however, regarding the implications for the quality and experience of Irish medium education as a result of measures detailed in the draft Bill.
The Admission to Schools Bill has been drafted with a view to remove any discriminatory practices from the Ireland’s school admissions system, both ar primary and secondary level.
Proposals within the draft Bill include a limited application period for all schools, strict rules regarding entry fees and the clearing of waiting lists over a set period of time.
Education groups welcomed last week’s publication of the draft Bill by Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn. Certain aspects of the draft Bill however, have caused concern within the education sector and the Irish medium education sector has expressed deep concern regarding the effects some measures within the draft Bill could have on the ethos of all-Irish schools.
While the sector welcomed the decision not to block all-Irish schools from giving preference to children from Irish-speaking households, and the decision not to discount the preference for gaelscoileanna as feeder schools, other aspects of the draft Bill could create huge challenges for Irish-medium education.
As it stands, the draft Bill proposes the removal of any interview process with parents or children before enrolment. However, according to Gaelscoileanna Teoranta, the primary organisation within the Irish-medium education sector, an interview process is a common practice in schools where demand exceeds places as an interview process may be used to assess the language ability and habits of a family during the enrolment process.
Concern was also raised by the lack of recognition given to early immersion learning with in the draft Bill. It proposes that gaelscoileanna may not give preference to those who attended Naíonraí or Irish language pre-schooling, an important aspect in the current enrolment process.
The draft Bill will go to an Oireachtas Committee for consideration where recommendations for amendments will be heard. Chief Executive of Gaelscoileanna Teo., Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin said that the organisation looks forward to taking part in the consultation process which is due to begin in the next few weeks and schools across the country and welcomes schools across the country to make their thoughts regarding the practical implications known.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
BEO 2013 – Comórtas d’amhráin nuachumtha as Gaeilge
September 9, 2013
Futa Fata Newsletter
September 9, 2013
Croí Éanna Events Sept – Dec 2013
September 9, 2013
