Lá Mór na Gaeilge – 15 Feabhra 2014
Eanáir 28, 2014
Coláiste beo beathach
Eanáir 28, 2014
Tá na coláistí samhraidh do dhaltaí scoile athraithe ar fad.
Sa sean-am bhí córas an-dian i bhfeidhm i gcoláistí áirithe. Má labhair dalta Béarla, cuireadh abhaile é.
Ach, d’ainneoin sin, bhain na daltaí sult as na cúrsaí Gaeltachta agus tháinig siad ar ais bliain i ndiaidh bliana.
Tá borradh agus biseach ar na coláistí anois agus is léir ó chláracha teilifíse go mbíonn na daltaí sna coláistí uilig ó Mhacaire Rabhartaigh go Corca Dhuibhne ag déanamh aoibhnis ar a laethanta saoire ansin.
Tá na háiteanna go léir don samhradh seo i gColáiste Lurgan, Conamara lán ó bhí an Nollaig ann! Mura bhfaca tú daltaí an Choláiste ag ceol ar an Late, Late Show, gabh chuig YouTube anois!
Canann siad leithéidí ‘Amhrán na gCupán’ agus ‘Is tú is áille ’tá beo’(aistrithe ón Bhéarla).
Tá an cóiriúchán ar fheabhas. Fuair siad na milliúin buille ar YouTube.
Cuireann Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill agallamh ar bhainisteoir an Choláiste, Mícheál Ó Foighil san eagrán reatha de beo.ie.
Tugann Mícheál freagraí gan cham. Is breá liom a bharúlacha ar theagasc na Gaeilge.
Deir sé go bhfuil na billiúin euro caite gach bliain ar an Ghaeilge, nócha faoin chéad de sin tríd an chóras oideachais.
Ach caitear an deich faoin chéad eile ag iarraidh dul i ngleic leis an dochar atá á dhéanamh taobh istigh den chóras oideachais!
Aontaím leis dá mba rud é go raibh múineadh na Gaeilge ceart agus go raibh a cur i láthair ceart nach mbeadh an méid sin eagraíochtaí ‘ Gaeilge’ gan mhaith atá againn de dhíth.
Baineann an Coláiste an-úsáid as an teicneolaíocht nua.Tá áis nua d’fhoghlaimeoirí curtha amach aige: Oide.
Teanglann ar líne atá ann: tá an foghlaimeoir in ann taifead a dhéanamh agus tá an múinteoir ábalta éisteacht leis ar líne agus é a cheartú.
Tá Coláiste Lurgan i dtiún leis an 21ú haois ach ar an drochuair, níl an Rialtas.
Déanann an Coláiste an sárobair seo gan an tacaíocht atá tuillte aige.
www.derryjournal.com
Gradaim Idirlín do Scoláirí Óga
Eanáir 27, 2014
Spriocdháta d’iarratais ar an gcomórtas idirlín do scoláirí óga sínte go dtí 7 Márta 2014.
Beidh Gradaim na nDamhán Alla de chuid Eircom ar siúl i gCumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath (RDS) ar 1 Bealtaine 2014. Is comórtas é seo a thugann aitheantas do shaothar teicneolaíochta dhaltaí scoile agus a múinteoirí i mbunscoileanna agus in iar-bhunscoileanna na tíre.
I measc na gcatagóir uile, tá gradaim ar leith don suíomh Gaeilge is fearr, bíodh sin ina suíomh Gaeilge amháin, nó ina suíomh dátheangach. Is féidir láithreán gréasáin nó blag a chur san áireamh don chomórtas seo, ach go mbeidh an Ghaeilge á húsáid ann ar bhealach cruthaitheach agus nuálach. Tá an catagóir don ‘Suíomh is Fearr’ urraithe ag Foras na Gaeilge.
Roinntear an comórtas i réimsí ar leith: MEGA do bhunscoileanna; GIGA d’ iar-bhunscoileanna, blianta 1-3; agus TERA d’iar-bhunscoileannta, blianta 4-6. Faoi gach aon réimse tá catagóirí ar leith d’ábhar áirithe.
Anuraidh ba iad Coláiste Íosagáin, Baile Átha Cliath a thóg leo an duais TERA don suíomh Gaeilge is fearr leis an suíomh ‘Níos Aclaí Anois’ agus bhí an bua ag Coláiste Cholmáin, Maigh Eo sa chatagóir céanna ag leibhéal GIGA lena suíomh ‘Irish Exam Guide’.
Glacfar le hiarratais ó scoláirí agus ag scoileanna ar na Gradaim go dtí 7 Márta 2014 agus eiseofar an gearrliosta ar an 28 Márta 2014. Bronnfar na gradaim ag ócáid speisialta ar an 1 Bealtaine 2014 san RDS i mBaile Átha Cliath 4 áit a mbeidh deis acu siúd ar fad a bhain an babhta ceannais amach a láithreáin ghréasáin a chur os comhair an phobail ag an ócáid.
Tá tuilleadh eolais faoin gcomórtas seo ar fáil ar www.juniorspiders.ie agus is féidir póstaer a íoslódáil agus a phriontáil do do scoil féin ach gliogáil ar an nasc seo: Póstaer don Scoil.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Stinging European criticism highlights need for Irish Language Act
Eanáir 27, 2014
IT’s now time to set a date for the introduction of an Irish Language Act, according to a local Irish language group.
The call comes in a week that the Stormont Executive came in for stinging criticism over how it promotes Irish here and in a week when some of the North’s leading Irish language groups lost key funding (see story above).
A report by the Council of Europe – a human rights organisation with 47 member states – said that more should be done to promote Irish, including in the courts, education, the media and in the Assembly. Every three years the Council uses information provided by various governments to compile a report on the state of minority languages. However, despite repeated requests, the Northern Ireland Executive has been unable to reach a consensus on its submission regarding Irish.
Reacting to the report, Janet Muller, CEO of Pobal, the umbrella organisation for the Irish language community in the north, said the report strongly urged that the Irish Language Act be introduced.
“It is in our opinion time to publish an agreed target date for its introduction and more forward” she added.
Agreement
Culture Minister Carál Ni Chuilín said she is committed to bringing forward legislation for an Irish Language Act.
“An Irish Language Act was agreed as part of the St Andrews Agreement, however this continues to be blocked by the unionists,” she said. “I am continuing to seek all party agreement around the Executive to bring forward the legislation as that is the only way it will be successful. The continuing growth of Irish medium education and the cross-community success of the Líofa initiative has shown that there is a demand for the rights of the Irish language speakers to be recognised and safeguarded in law. I will continue to work for an Acht na Gaeilge.”
West Belfast Sinn Féin MLA and the party’s spokesperson on the Irish language, Rosie McCorley, said the Council for Europe report highlights unionist “intransigence” when it comes to Irish.
“The Council for Europe report is saying what we already know. unionist politicians refuse to accept the rights and needs of the Irish language community,” she said.
Niall Comer, president of Comhaltas Uladh of Chonradh na Gaeilge, said he welcomed the support of the Council of Europe for the use of Irish in the courts and on bilingual street names in the north.
“The lack of political consensus on the Irish language and the persisting hostile climate in the Assembly, as noted in the report of the Council, has long hindered the development of a much-needed Irish Language Act to protect the rights of Irish speakers on this island,” he added.
Andersonstown News
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
‘Irish language policy risks being seen as a sham’
Eanáir 27, 2014
Only six of the 16 officers responsible for the use of Irish in Government departments can speak the language themselves, the outgoing Irish language commissioner has said.
Seán Ó Cuirreáin pointed the fact out to TDs and senators who he addressed about his decision last month to resign from the job in February. He said he is stepping aside two years ahead of schedule because he can do no more for the language rights of Irish speakers and Gaeltacht communities. After 10 years in the role, he said Government policy on Irish is in danger of being seen as a sham with inadequate access to public services and departments self-auditing compliance with legal requirements. The job was advertised publicly last week, but Mr Ó Cuirreáin told the Oireachtas sub-committee on the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language the same problems will exist for his successor.
He said the amalgamation of the work of his office later this year into the Ombudsman’s office was never discussed with him before being announced two years ago. Mr Ó Cuirreáin said there is no possibility of success for a new system to increase the number of civil servants fluent in Irish; and the system to develop language plans or language schemes in State bodies is in a sorry state because of ineffective implementation. He said it is more than two years since a review of the Official Languages Act began, but first steps to amend it have not yet been taken by publishing heads of a bill, now due before the summer.
“If the State can not provide assurances, when the legislation is being amended, that it will ensure that it can communicate in Irish with Gaeltacht communities without terms and conditions, and that it will have adequate staff in public administration with proficiency in Irish, then I believe that its policy will be viewed as a sham,” he said. He said the 16 officers nominated by Government departments to implement the act and liaise with his office were all very talented and diligently carry out their responsibilities. But only six out of the 16 officers in question have Irish themselves, he said. Sinn Féin senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh said this was scandalous when there are people in the public service with Irish who would be happy to use it in their day-to-day work but do not get the chance.
Mr Ó Cuirreáin said it was no good if a department returns a call with someone who can speak Irish but has no knowledge of the subject the caller wanted to discuss. Sub-committee vice- chair, Fianna Fáil’s senator Labhrás Ó Murchú, said minister of state Dinny McGinley will be given a chance to respond when he appears before it soon. Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín said they should also bring in secretaries general of each department and Education Minister Ruairi Quinn. The commissioner said two cases investigated by his office caused concern about the Department of Education’s attitude. In one, the department had directed a Gaeltacht primary school to appoint a teacher from a panel of teachers up for redeployment who said they did not have enough Irish to teach there. In another case, he said the department refused to provide the option to study subjects through Irish up to Leaving Certificate at a school in the Donegal Gaeltacht. Mr Tóibín said it was disrespectful to the commissioner and to people in the Gaeltacht that there was no Government TD at the hearing. The absent coalition members were committee chair Michael McCarthy and Kevin Humphries (both Labour TDs), and Fine Gael senator Hildegarde Naughton.
www.irishexaminer.com
Aip dhátheangach d’Eamhain Mhacha
Eanáir 27, 2014
Tá aip dhátheangach thurasóireachta deartha ag grúpa déagóirí i gcontae Ard Mhacha don láthair oidhreachta, Eamhain Mhacha.
Bronn banc HSBC maoiniú ar Cairde Teo le hoiliúnt fhiontraíochta a sholáthar i gcathair Ard Mhacha agus chuir an Roinn Oidhreachta agus an Crannchur Náisiúnta airgead breise ar fáil le tionscnaimh thuarasóireachta a mhaoiniú.
Díríonn aip na ndéagóirí ar eachtraí Chú Chulainn sa cheantar. Tuigtear gur ón cheantar a d’eascair béaloideas na Ruaraíochta.
Thug Meon Eile cuairt ar na fiontraithe óga agus iad i mbun oibre.
Féach an físeán ar www.meoneile.ie.
Éirí as an Choimisinéara Teanga cíortha ag Fochoiste Oireachtais
Eanáir 27, 2014
An fhírinne shearbh inste ag Seán Ó Cuirreáin
Chuir an Fochoiste Oireachtais um Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge agus Rudaí Gaolmhara fáilte roimh an gCoimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, inniu áit ar pléadh éirí as an Choimisinéara ar 23 Feabhra 2014.
D’fhógair Seán Ó Cuirreáin don Chomhchoiste um Fhormhaoirsiú ar an tSeirbhís Phoiblí agus Achainíocha ag tús mhí na Nollag go mbeidh sé ag éirí as a ról mar Choimisinéir Teanga de bharr theip an Rialtais i leith chur i bhfeidhm beartais reachtaíocht teanga ag leibhéal an Stáit. D’fhógair an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an tseachtain seo go bhfuil léirithe spéise á lorg anois do ról an Choimisinéara.
Ag cruinniú an lae inniu chuir an Coimisinéir síos a thuilleadh ar an imeallú atá á dhéanamh ar an nGaeilge ag údaráis an Stáit. Dúirt sé go gcreideann sé go bhfuil daoine sa státchóras a thacaíonn go láidir leis an nGaeilge ach “go bhfuil fórsaí níos láidre agus níos forleithne fós ann ar cuma leo ann nó as dár dteanga náisiúnta”.
Níorbh i láthair an chruinnithe inniu ach Teachtaí Dála agus Seanadóirí ó lucht an Fhreasúra amháin agus cháin baill an Choiste easpa ionadaíocht an Rialtais go géar le linn an chruinnithe.
Agus cur i bhfeidhm na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge faoi chaibidil inniu, dúirt an Coimisinéir gurb é meon an Rialtais i leith phobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta, mar a fheictear dó, ná “labhraígí Gaeilge le chéile ach ná labhraígí linne í”.
Foilsíodh an Straitéis sa bhliain 2010 leis an bpríomhaidhm go n-ardófar an líon daoine a labhraíonn Gaeilge gach lá lasmuigh den chóras oideachais ó 83,000 go 250,000 agus an líon daoine a labhraíonn Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht gach lá a ardú faoi 25% tríd is tríd. Naoi réimse gnímh atá i gceist léi agus leagtar amach inti spriocanna ar leith faoi gach aon réimse.
Inniu an tríú huair don Chomhchoiste teacht le chéile agus dar leis an gCoimisinéir níl aon iniúchadh ná léirmheastóireacht neamhspleách á dhéanamh ar fheidhmiú na Straitéise, “féin-mheastóireacht” amháin atá i gceist, dar leis.
Dallamullóg
Ag tagairt do chaint a thug Seosamh Mac Donncha, OÉ, Gaillimh, ag Tóstal na Gaeilge anuraidh, “fo-rannóg” a tugadh ar an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta atá ag feidhmiú ag bun an tslabhra cumhachta, agus dar leis an gCoimisinéír, ag cur dallamullóg orainn féin atá muid má cheapann muid go bhféadfadh an Ghaeltacht a tharrtháil ná a chaomhnú faoi na cúinsí sin.
Maidir le cúrsaí pleanála teanga, mhaígh an Coimisinéir gur bhronn Acht na Gaeltachta cúraimí pleanála teanga nár iarr siad féin ar phobail na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge ach ní fhágfaí an fhreagracht ar phobal ar bith maidir le pleanáil eacnamaíochta ná cinntí faoi fhorbairt tithíochta, bóithre ná cúrsaí comhshaoil – “Ach cúrsaí teanga”, a dúirt sé, “bhuel, sin scéal eile”.
Léiríodh an-imní maidir leis an gcaoi a gcaitheann an Roinn Oideachais leis an nGaeilge, go háirithe agus áit chomh lárnach ag an gcóras oideachais sa Straitéis, agus an dearcadh oifigiúil a léirigh an Roinn le linn dhá imscrúdú fhoirmiúla a bhí ar siúl ag a Oifig mar thoradh ar ghearáin ón bpobal.
I gcás amháin cuireadh brú ar scoil Ghaeltachta múinteoir a cheapadh ó phainéal ar a raibh farasbarr múinteoirí, cé gur chreid na múinteoirí sin agus údaráis na scoile nach raibh dóthain Gaeilge ag aon duine acu le teagasc i scoil Ghaeltachta.
Sa chás eile dhiúltaigh an Roinn ábhair an churaclaim a theagasc trí Ghaeilge go leibhéal na hArdteistiméireachta do dhaltaí scoile as ceann de na ceantair Ghaeltachta is láidre atá fágtha i dTír Chonaill. Chuir an Roinn argóintí dlíthiúla agus praiticiúla i láthair i dtaca leis an dá chás. Mhaígh an Coimisinéir gurb é “bun agus barr na faidhbe againn nach bhfuil aon cheangal ceart déanta againn idir foghlaim agus úsáid na Gaeilge sa tír seo”.
Focal scoir
Más ann don Straitéis, is gá tosú leis an staid réalaíoch, bunaithe ar an bhfírinne, dar leis an gCoimisinéir, in áit ródhóchas bréige gan chúis. “Níl ról ar bith ag grúpsmaointeoireacht i ngnó chomh tábhachtach le beatha teanga”, a dúirt sé.
Agus ré Uí Chuirreáin ag teacht chun críche, is cinnte gur thráth na cinniúna é seo don Rialtas i leith cheist na Gaeilge.
“Deirim an méid seo go cinnte libh inniu anseo i dTithe an Oireachtais”, a dúirt sé, ” gur le croí trom a thabharfas pobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta aghaidh ar chomóradh 100 bliain Éirí Amach na Cásca, faoi cheann dhá bhliain eile, mura bhfuil inár dteanga náisiúnta ach teanga shiombalach agus, seachas í a bheith ina croíchuid dár gcultúr agus dár n-oidhreacht bheo, go mbeadh sí brúite ar leataobh, fágtha ar an imeall agus in áit na leathphingine i saol an náisiúin seo”.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Tráth na gCeist Bórd Feachtas i gColáiste na Coiribe, Gaillimh
Eanáir 24, 2014
Beidh tráth na gceist boird á reáchtáil ag Feachtas do scoláirí dara leibhéal i i gColáiste na Coiribe, Gaillimh ar 29ú Eanáir 2014 ag 19.00. Má tá spéis agaibh foirne a chur chur isteach, déanaigí teagmháil le Ciara Ní Bhroin (ciara.feachtas@gmail.com), Oifigeach Forbartha Feachtas, chomh luath agus is féidir chun áit a dheimhniú ann. Bronnfar boinn agus teastais ar bhuaiteoirí na hoíche agus rachaidh siad ar aghaidh chuig ag gcraobh a bheidh ar siúl i mí an Mhárta.
Irish language ‘being driven to margins of society’, commissioner asserts
Eanáir 24, 2014
Seán Ó Cuirreáin: “Language rights are permanent rights.”
Irish Language Commissioner Seán Ó Cuirreáin has said the language is being continuously driven to the margins of Irish society in a process accelerated by the inaction of Government, the civil service and the public sector.
Mr Ó Cuirreáin announced late last year that he would be stepping down from his position as Coimisinéir Teanga in February because of Government and public service inaction in preserving and promoting the language.
He used his last appearance yesterday before the Oireachtas sub-committee on the 20-year strategy for the Irish language to roundly condemn of the State and Government’s attitude.
Mr Ó Cuirreáin said he believed there was “no possibility” that a new system to increase the number of civil servants fluent in Irish would succeed.He said he had calculated that the scheme would take some 28 years to increase the number of fluent speakers in a core Government department for Irish to just 3 per cent from its present rate of 1. 5 per cent.
‘No importance’
Nobody knew if it was being implemented, because its progress was measured by self-assessment, and “no importance” could be attached to this, he said.
He gave as an example a claim by the Revenue Commissioners that a third of their press releases were being issued in two languages. But when his office checked, it emerged that they were being issued in only one.
Then, once a year, it was getting four months’ worth of press releases translated in one go.
While acknowledging that some progress had been made in the 10 years since the enactment of the Official Languages Act, Mr O Cuirreáin pointed to the fact that 10 of the 16 Irish language officers nominated to implement the Act across Government departments do not speak Irish themselves.
He said the State had two simple choices – to look back at Irish as our lost language, or forward with it as a core part of our heritage and sovereignty.
“It is with heavy hearts that the people of the Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking community in general will approach the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising in two years’ time if our national language is to be merely a symbolic language … that is pushed aside, marginalised and left in the halfpenny place in the life of this nation,” he said.
“The support required for the Irish language within this country’s public service should not and could not be viewed as an optional extra,” he said.
“Language rights are permanent rights; they are not concessions or privileges granted at times of prosperity.”
No TD or Senator from either Government party attended the meeting.
Irish Times
Jobs to go as Foras cuts northern funds
Eanáir 24, 2014
Two leading West Belfast Irish language organisations have reacted angrily to a new rationalisations plan that will result in them losing key funding.
Foras na Gaeilge, which was set up after the Good Friday Agreement to promote the Irish language has said it will cut the number of Irish language groups to whom it provides core funding across Ireland from 19 to six. However, none of the six organisations that will continue to be funded are based in the north.
The changes will come into effect in July with Pobal, Iontabhas Ultach, Forbairt Feirste and Altram set to lose a significant portion of their budgets.
Pobal, the advocacy organisation for the Irish language, says that as a result of Foras na Gaeilge’s decision, it will lose four out of five full-time posts.
“The result of the ending of Pobal’s core funding will mean a loss of services and support for Irish speakers and a loss of expertise and experience,” said the group’s CEO Janet Muller.
“None of the organisations Foras na Gaeilge has selected for continuing funding do the work Pobal does, and none of them have the crucial expertise around legislation, rights, equality, special-needs and whole range of other areas affecting the development of Irish in the North.
“Not one single organisation selected by Foras na Gaeilge is based in the north. None of them have the long-standing relationship with the same variety of key players that we have. Whilst Foras na Gaeilge says the six organisations will have to employ some people in the north, the reality is that there would be fewer jobs than at present. Many more people will be laid off than will be re-employed”.
“There will be a massive drop in the authoritative directorial roles for norther workers, which means it will be very difficult for them to determine or influence organisational policy, to negotiate with politicians and service providers or to structure a work plan according to the specific needs of the north. All these things will be decided in Dublin.
“In recent months, all 19 core-funded organisations have condemned Foras na Gaeilge’s proposals because they will severely damage the language throughout the country. Pobal believes that the worst effect will be felt in the north. We have always carried out co-ordination research and project work on an all-Ireland basis, but we believe that both parts of the island need expert approaches because in the north the infrastructure is less developed and the social political and legislative position of the language is completely different from that in the south. As well as that, there is a vibrancy to the community in the north, yet Foras na Gaeilge has selected only Dublin-based organisations to survive the axe”.
Forbairt Feirste Director, Jake Mac Siacais told the Andersonstown News that the Irish language community’s infrastructure in the north will be ‘decimated’ by the Foras decision.
“If the bald truth be told, it has been a rationalisation and cuts agenda which Foras has been slavishly following in recent years whilst all the while adding to its own wages bill”, he said. “And it is a cuts agenda which they will be implementing under these arrangements without any regard to the impact and the implications for the Irish speaking community across the island, but mos particularly here in the north where the Irish language community’s infrastructure, skills base, experience, investments and painstaking partnership building will be decimated by the Foras approach”.
“Back in 2003, when the 26 county government initiated this policy of cuts with a savage 11 per cent cut in the Foras budget, the board of Foras na Gaeilge issued a strong statement saying among other theings, that Board members agreed that the status and repurations of Foras an Gaeilge as a cross-border agency had been weakened and the credibility of the Foras as an all-island language body was in doubt”.
“Ten years further on it is difficult to give any credibility to the Foras contention, made without a hint of irony, that this latest move heralds a new era for the Irish language when the status and reputation of the Foras as a cross-border agency is weakened and when there is now, more than ever, doubt about the credibility of Foras na Gaeilge as an all-island language body”.
“Having said that, Forbairt Feirste has long been engaged in pioneering work, creating an approach to using the Irish language as a regeneration catalyst which is unique on the island and we will endeavour to secure this work of driving forward the development of the Gaeltacht Quarter and the continued underpinning of the development of the Irish language community in Belfast.
“It is much too important to be allowed to go the wall and much too important to be left to the mercies of Foras and its new funding arrangement which are lacking in both the experience and imagination necessary for the work in hand”.
Raidió Fáilte and An tÁisaonad, both based on the Falls Road and which also receive funding from Foras na Gaeilge, will continue to be funded under separate arrangements.
Andersonstown News
