Information night for parents re the new gaelscoil in Stepaside, 20 March 2013
March 6, 2013
A new Gaelscoil will open in the Stepaside area in 2013 under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta. The new Gaelscoil will be an Irish-medium school that is co-educational with a multi-denominational spiritual characteristic.
The new school will be located in Aiken’s Village. An Foras Patrúnachta is still accepting applications for places in the new school. Parents who are interested in this school can get an application form here.
The application form should be completed and posted to An Foras Patrúnachta, Bloc K3, Campus Gnó Mhaigh Nuad, Maigh Nuad, Co Chill Dara as soon as possible.
An information evening for parents whose children will be starting at the school in September 2013 will be held in Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Stepaside, on Wednesday 20th of March. The meeting will start at 7pm.
An Foras Pátrúnachta, the new school’s patron, campaigned for a Gaelscoil in the Stepaside area in 2011 and received great parental support. An Foras Pátrúnachta then submitted an application for patronage of the new school in October, 2011.
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn announced in March 2012 the patronage for the new primary schools opening in September, 2012 and September, 2013. An Foras Pátrúnachta is delighted to be the patron of three new Gaelscoileanna, including Stepaside, opening in 2012 and 2013.
An Foras Pátrúnachta is the largest patron of Irish-medium schools in Ireland. It currently has 61 primary schools and 5 secondary schools under its patronage.
An Foras Pátrúnachta :: +353-1-6294110 :: eolas@foras.ie
Buaiteoirí Scléip 2013 – Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Doire, 1 Márta 2013
March 4, 2013
Roinn na Gaeltachta grants to attend Coláiste Ghobnait
February 28, 2013
Roinn na Gaeltachta awards grants on an annual basis to students from the mainland attending Coláiste Ghobnait. We look forward to accepting more students for the school year 2013-2014.
The Department grant covers the student’s accommodation
Coláiste Ghobnait has many benefits:
- The student will be lodging with a family on the island where Gaeilge is the everyday language
- Students will have a great opportunity to improve their Gaeilge. Gaeilge is the spoken daily among the islanders and the school community. This opportunity provides the perfect total immersion environment for a safe and positive experience in the Gaeltacht. (40% of the examination marks are allocated for the Oral Irish examination at Leaving Certificate Level)
- There is a bonus mark awarded to students who do their examinations through Irish
- Wide range of subjects available
- Low pupil teacher ratio
- All modern facilities available
- Net books are used by all the students in the Junior Certificate Cycle and first year students in the Leaving Certificate Cycle
- Video conference facility available in the college
- Astroturf pitch available
- Football pitch
- Basketball courts
- Tennis court
- Volleyball
- Handball
- Everybody lives within close proximity to the school
- All facilities are close by.
Programme for Transition Year
- The main aim of the transition year programme is to foster the student’s love and respect of the Irish language and culture through total immersion.
- Due to the fact that they are living on the island they gain self independence and confidence.
- As you are aware 40% of the Leaving Certificate Examination is allocated to the Oral Irish Examination.
- They reside with families where Irish is the spoken everyday language of the family.
- The students enter the BT Young Scientist competition.
- They do projects in all subjects.
- They interact with the elders – for example they have been involved in a project called Wiseways with the elders this year.
- They write and perform a play for the Christmas Show. The Christmas Show is attended by the entire school and the community of Inis Oírr.
- We begin the Christmas Holidays with the celebration on Mass. The national school and the local community also attend.
- They learn set dancing.
- They go on a school tour.
- They visit an activity centre in Petersbourg in Conamara.
- There is a football pitch, astroturf, basketball courts, tennis courts, handball alleys and volleyball facilities available on the island.
- The students participate in a P.E class every week.
- They enter various competitions: music, debates, creative writing, art.
- They help and participate in The French Day and Lá na Gaeilge which are held annually in the school.
- They do two weeks work experience with an employer of their choice with regards to their future careers.
- The ECDL Examination is provided in the college. On the successful completion of the ECDL Examination each student is awarded a Certificate.
It is worthwhile visiting the following websites:
- www.inisoirr-island.com
- www.colaistelaichtin.ie
Further Information:
Coláiste Ghobnait, Inis Oírr, Oileáin Árann, Co. na Gaillimhe.
Teil/faics: 099 75016
Ríomhphost: priomhoide.cg@cogalvec.ie
Public meeting re Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh, new school in Dundrum
February 27, 2013
A public meeting will be held on Thursday, 14 March 2013 – 8.00pm, in Bewleys Hotel Leopardstown, regarding the establishment of Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh in September 2014.
Welcoming the decision of the Department of Education and Skills to sanction a new Gaelcholáiste under the patronage of Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna lánGhaeilge Mr Lorcán Mac Gabhann, Chair of the founding group said,
“In September 2014 Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh will open its doors to pupils from Dundrum and its surrounding areas. For many years there has been an over supply of pupils from primary schools wishing to attend existing All-Irish Schools that could not be catered for.”
It has been very evident that this problem has become more acute in recent years and Mr Mac Gabhann is certain that Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh will overcome this problem.
Parents and interested parties are welcome to attend the public meeting on the 14 March, where they will receive further informaion regarding Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh and All-Irish second level education generally. Enrolment forms for Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh will be available on the night.
Tuilleadh eolais/Further information – Foras Patrúnachta na Scoileanna lánGhaeilge 01-6294110 or Lorcán Mac Gabhann 087-9790193.
http://www.gaelcholaiste.com/nua/
Buaiteoirí Scléip 2013 – Amharclann an Riverbank, Cill Dara, 26 Feabhra 2013
February 27, 2013
Buaiteoirí Scléip 2013 – Amharclann an Firkin Crane, Corcaigh, 22 Feabhra 2013
February 25, 2013
Graffiti Theatre Company is pleased to invite you to a family performance of An Fear Siúil le Jody O’Neill
February 19, 2013
Beidh léiriú teaghlaigh den dráma álainn An Fear Siúil le Jody O’Neill, á chur i láthair ag Graffiti Theatre Company, ar siúl sa Graffiti Theatre, An Linn Dubh, Corcaigh ar 3.00in. Dé Sathairn 23 Feabhra.
A family performance of An Fear Siúil, by Jody O’Neill, produced by Graffiti Theatre Company, will take place in Graffiti Theatre, Blackpool, Cork at 3pm on Saturday 23rd February.
Bíonn an Fear Siúil i gcónaí ag siúl, ag brostú ó seo go siúd, gan suaimhneas gan scíth, gan stopadh gan sos. Oibríonn sé go dian…ach lá amháin, imíonn sé ar thuras nua, i bhfad ón mbealach abhaile. Le ceol nua-chumtha beo, téimid ar thuras leis an aisteoir go dtí domhan an fhir shiúil.
An Fear Siúil (Walking Man) is always on the move, rushing headlong through life, determined to follow in his father’s footsteps to do the best job on the top floor of the tallest building in the entire city. But one day, his path takes an unexpected twist…
Is beag an domhan ach is mór an scéal!
“…Subtlety and sophistication…a production of magic and wonder” Irish Theatre Magazine
Aoisghrúpa: 6-10 bliain (6-10 year olds)
Teanga: Gaeilge (Performance will be in Irish)
To reserve your seats you must RSVP by 21st February to 021 43-97111 or graffiti@eircom.net
Buaiteoirí Scléip 2013 – Amharclann an Axis, Baile Átha Cliath, 18 Feabhra 2013
February 19, 2013
Recommendation: COGG should function as a satellite to the NCCA
January 29, 2013
As no financial savings have been attributed to the decision to collocate the offices of COGG and the NCCA, An Chomhdháil recommends COGG should function as an independent satellite.
The future of An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) has been discussed at length in the media over the past number of months since General Secretary of the Department of Education and Skills, Seán Ó Foghlú, first announced the decision to locate COGG and the NCCA in one building.
As the NCCA prepare to move offices this summer, it has been proposed by the Department of Education and Skills that the co-location should begin at that point.
At an educational conference in November, the Department of Education and Skills announced that no immediate change would occur to the functions of COGG. While this statement was presumably meant to reassure the educators present, the opposite was true as teachers left the conference of the opinion that “no immediate change” was tantamount to saying the functions were destined to change in the not too distant future.
The primary function of COGG is to support the specific requirements of education through the medium of Irish both in Gaeltacht areas and in Gaelscoileanna, and they therefore provide learning resources and teaching aids, as well as support and research to the relevant schools. The Department’s latest decision would see COGG concentrating more on their other functions in relation to the teaching of Irish as a subject in English speaking schools.
While addressing the Dáil in answering a parliamentary question on December 18th Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn assured the Dáil that COGG would be fulfilling their legislative functions as they have up until now, and that they would be doing so through Irish, and providing the same Irish language services to the public in the future as they are now.
A short number of weeks later, the Department changed their tune and wrote to the Chairperson of COGG informing him that staff would now have to revert to using English in their day-to-day jobs to facilitate liaisons with the staff of the NCCA.
Speaking about the decision of the Department of Education and Skills, Director of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, Kevin De Barra said “Until An Chomhdháil, Gaelscoileanna and Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta founded COGG, the structures did not exist to serve the unique requirements of Gaeltacht schools and Gaelscoileanna. Our sector is now afraid that this is the first step in the erosion of such support structures and services”.
De Barra contends the level of support COGG can provide Gaelscoil and Gaeltacht schools will deteriorate if COGG employees are obliged to concentrate specifically on the Irish language curriculum for English speaking schools.
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge have stated that the decision completely contradicts the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language, which supports the role of COGG and states:
• An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta will play a key role in the implementation of the Strategy in the education sector working in collaboration with existing agencies.
• The Council will be appropriately staffed and resourced to carry out its existing remit:
• The role of COGG will be strengthened to reflect the need to address various issues particular to the teaching and learning of Irish in schools operating through the medium of Irish, both inside and outside the Gaeltacht and the teaching of Irish in all recognised schools.
Kevin De Barra says an urgent meeting will be requested with the Minister of Education and Skills in which An Chomhdháil will urge the Minister to consider the practicalities involved in the decision.
De Barra said, “No financial saving has been attributed to this decision. The new office of the NCCA will be located a stone’s throw from the current COGG office. Certain services such as legal or technical support can and should be shared, and COGG should certainly provide advice to the Minister and the NCCA about the Irish language curriculum. However, the primary role of COGG, to support education through the medium of Irish in Gaeltacht and Gaelscoil schools, would be best served by COGG functioning as an independent satellite to the NCCA, 100% through the medium of Irish”.
GAELPORT.COM
Meeting – New Gaelscoil in Tallaght
January 28, 2013
IMPORTANT MEETING re new Gaelscoil opening in Sept. 2013 in FIRHOUSE, 05/02/13 (Tuesday) in Firhouse Community Centre, 7.00pm. Come along to support the new school!
