It’s pointless keeping Irish on this sentimental life support
Meitheamh 17, 2013
ANDREA finished her honours Irish Leaving Cert paper in central Dublin this week – and last night the latest offering in an endless library on what life was like on the Blasket Islands was launched in the depths of Dunquin, Co Kerry.
The common thread linking both events is, of course, the Irish language.
But for Andrea, that linkage is now over and done with forever. Once she put her final full stop on the Irish paper, it marked the end of any kind of active involvement she will have with the language for the rest of her life.
Not that this is something to which she has ever given much thought. Her more immediate and primary concern is to bag enough CAO points to study medicine at Trinity College Dublin.
Given that her teachers had long branded her ‘ linguistic’, she figured it was a no-brainer to include Irish as one of her Leaving Cert heavy-hitters.
As it transpired, she did exceptionally well in both the oral and written examinations and, at the end of it all, could achieve a much-needed A1 result.
But despite having spent more than 12 years studying the subject to such a high level, Andrea would be the first to admit she still cannot speak it with any great degree of ease or fluency. Her Irish conversations are far too stilted and exam-based.
In that sense, she is reflective of a teaching strategy, which for almost 100 years, has been a singular failure by way of ensuring the language is more widely spoken. And she is among the academic elite.
What about all the time, effort, and vast amounts of money spent teaching Irish to hordes of other school leavers of lesser ability who will leave it behind forever come the end of this exam season?
Yet the charade continues. And in the Census returns a few years hence, many of these same school leavers will still insist – for a multiplicity of reasons, including sentiment and emotion – that they have some fluency in a language they never speak.
Maybe it is all part of the self-delusion that has been the backdrop to our attitude to the Irish language since 1922.
Then there was a sort of vague dream shared by so many of the State’s founding fathers that running our own affairs would help make us a bilingual country.
We have battled mightily to preserve as much as possible of the Gaeltacht areas. But even here, anecdotal evidence suggests Irish as a spoken language is in relentless retreat among the Facebook generation – much more so than official Ireland will admit.
However, all is not completely bleak. TG4 produces countless television programmes with flair, imagination and quality.
And the ingenuity of subtitles means the great unwashed, whose knowledge of the language is lost in the distant memory of schooldays, can relate to them just as if they were fluent.
There are also the Gaelscoileanna, with their driving academic focus, now outperforming many of the country’s elite schools in the Leaving Cert examinations.
It is unfortunate that some parents and children – who attend these bastions of the language – radiate a kind of self-righteous cultural superiority, which can be off-putting to say the least for somebody not of their tribe.
In any case, perhaps none of these musings matter very much. Can we not trundle along and continue churning out Leaving Cert Irish As, Bs and Cs year after year? So what if it all seems like an increasingly circular and meaningless merry-goround, by way of having any relevance to spoken Irish?
We can even have our tokenism, such as the endearing and slightly quaint practice of GAA managers, who may be incapable of stringing together even the standard ‘cupla focal’, having ‘Bainisteoir’ tagged on their tracksuits.
But in any case, in Dunquin last night, ‘The Great Blasket – A Photographic Portrait’ was launched by one of the few remaining islanders alive. It follows on from the recently issued paperback translation of ‘The Islandman’ by Tomas O’Crohan.
One is loath to sing the praises of this book, given that another Blasket Islander – Peig Sayers – provided a whinefest for generations of Leaving Cert students with her stories of unremitting rustic gloom.
However, O’Crohan was a very perceptive man and he could see that a way of life on that isolated and mystical island was in its death throes when he gave us his thoughts back in 1923: “I have written minutely of much that we did, for it was my wish that somewhere there should be a memorial of it all.
“And I have done my best to set down the character of the people about me, so that some record of us might live after us.
“For the likes of us will never be again. “No bheidh a leitheid aris ann.” So, perhaps, none of it matters. Let the annual ritual of garnering CAO points – using Irish as a prop wherever necessary – continue unabated.
And so what if O’Crohan wanted to chronicle the beginning of the end for the Gaelic-speaking world? Would modern-day realists not argue that there are only three world languages – methods of communication, if you like – that really matter? And we Irish are fortunate to be reasonably adept at them all.
They are, of course, English, soccer and Google.
www.independent.ie
New Coláiste Ailigh set for November opening
Meitheamh 14, 2013
The new Coláiste Ailigh, due to open on Nov. 7th, will not only offer students and staff first-class facilities, but will also address all the school’s needs on the same site for the first time.
As well as classrooms, the new school will include a library, outdoor teaching areas, an art room, rooms for woodwork and technical graphics, a music and drama room, science rooms, a special needs room, a computer suite, kitchenette, fitness centre, GAA and soccer pitches, basketball and tennis courts and a gymnasium that can also be used for school events.
The Irish-language secondary school has operated in a very compressed space since opening in 2000, said the school’s principal, Micheál Ó Giobúin. The new school, “is no more than the kids and staff deserve”, he said.
Coláiste Ailigh, housed in Sprackburn House and prefabs on Letterkenny’s High Road, now has 219 students and will have 245 next year. The new school was designed to anticipate growth and will accommodate 350 students. There is also space on the 8.5-acre Carnamuggagh site for the building to expand.
Mr. Ó Giobúin; Pádraig Walsh, contract manager for Bam Contractors; and Brian Moore, safety officer with Bam; toured the site recently with the Donegal Democrat/Donegal People’s Press, and Tonia Kiely, an English and French teacher at the coláiste.
One of the most striking aspects of the design is the way each room has access to natural light, through creative use of space, windows and skylights. Prior to construction, the site was also contoured so that the two-story building will not obstruct the views of those on the upper side of the school.
Construction began last November, and there were 60 Bam staff on site the day of the tour, though there are up to 120 at peak times. Mr. Walsh said Bam endeavours to employ mainly local contractors.
Currently, the school holds physical education classes at the Letterkenny Community Centre and also uses GAA facilities. They have held events at the Mount Errigal Hotel, An Grianán Theatre and the Regional Cultural Centre. Mr. Ó Giobúin said the school was grateful to them all for their assistance over the years.
While touring the building, Ms. Kiely saw the room that will be her classroom. “I think it’s amazing,” she said. “This year I’ve been teaching in a prefab, so it’s going to be very different.”
Mr. Ó Giobúin also wanted to thank the Donegal Vocational Education Committee for their support and credited the cooperation and professionalism of Bam throughout the process.
As the principal walked through the site, pointing out and identifying each of the different rooms, it was easy to imagine the school in a few months’ time, bustling with students, teachers and staff.
Ms. Kiely said the new building will enable the coláiste community “to feel much more connected as a school”.
“It’s going to be much better to have everything here,” Mr. Ó Giobúin said.
www.donegaldemocrat.ie
There is still time to express your interest in Knocknacarra’s bilingual community national school
Meitheamh 14, 2013
Due to the level of interest to date, the City of Galway VEC has extended the deadline for receiving expressions of interest for Galway’s first bilingual community national school in Knocknacarra.
Expressions of interest can be made at www.cgvec.ie/cns before 12 noon on June 14.
The proposed bilingual model delivers the Department of Education and Skills’ primary education curriculum through two languages, Irish and English, to enable progression to post primary education through the medium of either Irish or English, and welcomes children from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
It is intended that children completing their primary education in the City of Galway VEC’s bilingual community national school will be competent to progress to Coláiste na Coiribe, City of Galway VEC’s coláiste lán-Ghaeilge in Knocknacarra, which recently topped The Sunday Times table for university progression in Connacht, should they wish to do so.
Community national schools deliver the Goodness Me! Goodness You! programme, a multibelief programme which caters for children of all beliefs and none. It forms part of the daily teaching and learning in the school and full information can be found at www.cgvec.ie/cns
If successful, the City of Galway VEC’s bilingual community national school will open in Knocknacarra in September 2014.
The City of Galway VEC has a proven track record in delivering first-class education through both Irish and English across Galway city for more than 80 years from second level to further education, music education to lifelong learning, in its schools and via its many programmes.
Register your interest at www.cgvec.ie/cns
You can also contact the City of Galway VEC on 091 549 400.
www.advertiser.ie/galway
Aisling dhornálaíochta Éireann Christina tagtha chun réadúlachta
Meitheamh 13, 2013
“Mian mo chroí i gcónaí ariamh é”. Sin go díreach mar a mhothaíonn dornálaí Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí, Christina Ní Dheasúna, a piocadh chun ionadaíochta a dhéanamh ar fhoireann na hÉireann le déanaí agus a thabharfaidh aghaidh ar an Ungáir an mhí seo chugainn chun dul san iomaíocht i gCraobhchomórtas Eorpach na mBan.
Fuair Christina, atá in aois 17, cuireadh ar dtús dul i mbun traenála le foireann sóisearach na hÉireann i mBaile Átha Cliath tar éis di na teidil náisiúnta faoi 16 agus faoi 18 a ghnóthú ceann i ndiaidh a chéile ag an Staidiam Náisiúnta an mhí seo caite. Lena cuid stíle imithe i bhfeidhm ar an lucht stiúrtha le linn traenála, roghnaíodh an dalta ó Choláiste Ghobnatan, a thabharfaidh faoin Ardteist an bhliain seo chugainn, don fhoireann náisiúnta le dul i mbun dornálaíochta in Keszthely, an Ungáir ar an 2ú-7ú Iúil. Beidh Christina, ar seaimpín dornálaíochta náisiúnta faoi aois é a deartháir Micheál chomh maith, mar bhall d’fhoireann náisiúnta na mban in éineacht leis an seaimpín Oilimpeach Katie Taylor, a casadh léi i mBaile Átha Cliath an tseachtain seo caite.
Tá Christina, ó Chúl a’ Bhucaigh, Cill na Martra, i mbun dornálaíochta ó aois 12 i leith agus mhínigh a máthair, Helen, go bhfuil sé mar mhian fadsaoil aici a bheith roghnaithe d’fhoireann na hÉireann. “Tá sceitimíní an domhain uirthi ina leith agus tá sí thuas i mBaile Átha Cliath an tseachtain seo ag traenáil leis an bhfoireann náisiúnta. Táimid ar fad thar a bheith sásta di toisc gur é mian a croí é dornálaíocht ar son na hÉireann,” a dúirt sí.
www.eveningecho.ie
Taifeadadh dlúthdhiosca Mhúscraí mar infheistíocht dúbailte san óige
Meitheamh 13, 2013
Tá grúpa de dhéagóirí Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí ar tí leas a bhaint faoi dhó as tionscadal nuálaíoch inar dhein siad a ndlúthdhiosca féin a thaifeadadh agus a léiriú.
Ní hamháin gur tugadh deis do na ceoltóirí agus na hamhránaithe óga páirt a ghlacadh mar aíonna taifeadta, ach tugadh seans dóibh chomh maith teicnící stiúideo a fhoghlaim i dtionscnamh nuálaíoch maoinithe ag Comhpháirtíocht Forbartha Iarthar Chorcaí. Agus, i gcoinne timpeallacht reatha na ciorrúchán maoinithe, tá cuid den mhaoiniú Euro 4,000 a tugadh do thaifeadadh ‘Fuaim an Stáisiúin’ le hathinfheistiú chun leasa ógánaigh an cheantair ar feadh na blianta le teacht, leis an t-airgead ó dhíolachán na ndlúthdhioscaí á chur i dtreo áiseanna óige sa cheantar. Tháinig an smaoineamh don dlúthdhiosca ó theacht le chéile amhránaithe agus ceoltóirí óga ar bhonn seachtainiúil trí Chlub Óige an tSuláin i gCúil Aodha agus a tháinig le chéile i mbun ceoil faoin ainm ‘Ceoltóirí Óga Mhúscraí’.
Le pleananna le haghaidh áis óige i gceantar Bhaile Mhúirne curtha i leataoibh go fadtéarmach, tháinig smaoineamh an dlúthdhiosca mar thionscadal níos gearrthéarmaí ó éascaitheoir Billy Ó hÉalaithe.Mhol sé an smaoineamh do cheoltóirí óga, ina measc siúd Diarmuid De Bhulbh, a ghlac ról lárnach i dtaifeadadh agus léiriú ‘Fuaim an Stáisiúin’ agus a dhear an clúdach don dlúthdhiosca 12 traic chomh maith. “Dhein Diarmuid gach rud, ón taifeadadh agus máistriú go dtí gníomhú ina fhear léiriúcháin agus caidreamh poiblí,” a mhínigh Billy. “Bhí an smaoineamh agam agus éascaíodh é ionas go bhféadfadh daoine óga an seans a bheith acu ceol a sheinnt le chéile. Theastaigh uaim go bhfaighidís tuiscint chomh maith ar cé chomh deacair atá sé dlúthdhiosca a chur le chéile agus an ualach oibre a bhíonn i gceist leis.” Thug Tadhg Ó Céilleachair ó Sulán Studios taithí a chuid saineolais taifeadta agus léiriúcháin siúd do na déagóirí, ar dhaltaí iad iar fad de chuid Coláiste Ghobnatan i mBaile Mhic Íre agus Scoil Mhuire i mBéal Átha ’n Ghaorthaidh.
Mar thoradh na hoibre bhí ‘Fuaim an Stáisiúin’ meascán de stíleanna ceoil agus teangacha a nascann ceol traidisiúnta na hÉireann le rac-cheol agus punc-cheol, ag léiriú stíleanna ceoil na ndaoine óga a bhí páirteach sa tionscadal. “Leaganacha bunaidh iad na hamhráin ar fad agus tá siad go seoigh ar fad. Táid i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla agus i seánraí iomlán difriúil,” a dúirt Billy. Téann an ceol ar an dlúthdhiosca sa raon ó cheol an racghrúpa BatCountry (David Douw, Bobby De Bhulbh agus Arran Bradstock) agus punc-cheol (Darren agus James Faul) go stíleanna traidisiúnta (Síle Ní Shuibhne; Diarmuid agus Colm Ó Meachair; Doireann Ní Lionáird), pianódóirí (Shauna Willems; Diarmuid De Bhulbh), agus amhránaithe agus giotáraithe (Heloise O’Sullivan; Denis O’Sullivan; David Twomey; Diarmuid De Bhulbh, Róisín agus Máiréad Ní Chéilleachair agus Emer Ní Chuana; Amhlaoibh Mac Suibhne).
Bhí Diarmuid, mac an amhránaí-an chumadóra Ger Wolfe, lán de mholadh do na deiseanna a thug an taifeadadh do dhaoine óga sa cheantar. “Ó thaobh na foghlama de bhí sé fíorshuimiúil agus tá buneolas tugtha aige dom ar an bpróiseas taifeadta agus measctha trí chéile,” a dúirt sé. “Bhí sé go maith chomh maith daoine a thabhairt le chéile chun éachtaint a fháil ar an méid atá á dhéanamh ag daoine eile ar bhonn ceoil, agus ceapaim gur oibrigh sé gan dabht. “Tá meascán mór stíleanna ann agus chuaigh na ceoltóirí féin i mbun scríofa nó aistriúcháin na dtraiceanna uile, seachas i gcás an cheoil thraidisiúnta,” a dúirt sé. “An smaoineamh a bhí leis an dlúthdhiosca ná go bhfoghlaimeoimis conas dlúthdhiosca a chur le chéile agus chabhraigh Tadhg Ó Céilleachair ar bhonn gníomhach sa phróiseas ar fad. “In ionad íoc as áis óige, infheistíodh an t-airgead sa cheol, agus an smaoineamh atá ann ná go gcuirfear an t-airgead a thagann ón dlúthdhiosca i dtreo láthair cruinnithe na n-óg,” a dúirt sé chomh maith. “Is mór an buíochas atá tuilte ag Billy agus ag Tadhg Ó Céilleachair, agus Tomás Ó hAodha ag Comhpháirtíocht Forbartha Iarthar Chorcaí as maoiniú an tionscadail a eagrú, a chlúdóidh léiriú agus scaipeadh an dlúthdhiosca, mar aon le Don Ó Laoire sa Mhuileann as cead a thabhairt don ghrúpa an taifeadadh a dhéanamh ann saor in aisce, agus as an seoladh a reáchtáil ann chomh maith. Seolfar ‘Fuaim an Stáisiúin’ sa Mhuileann i mBaile Mhúirne ar an Domhnach 23ú Meitheamh le barbaiciú agus ceol beo ó aíonna an dlúthdhiosca, mar aon le ‘aoi náisiúnta’ atá cinnte le bheith i láthair ann chomh maith. Beidh an dlúthdhiosca ar díol sna siopaí áitiúla ar chostas Euro 10.
www.eveningecho.ie
Scoláireacht Uisce ar Do Ghuth
Meitheamh 13, 2013
Tá an clár raidió Do Ghuth, clár Chonradh na Gaeilge ar Galway Bay FM, ag teacht le chéile le Coláiste Uisce chun scoláireacht a chur ar fáil do chúrsa nua atá á eagrú ag Coláiste Uisce do dhéagóirí san aoisghrúpa 14 – 16 bliana d’aois.
Is cúrsa cinnireachta atá sa chúrsa nua, a bheidh ar siúl ón 31 Iúil – 14 Lúnasa. Tá Coláiste Uisce lonnaithe i dtuaisceart Mhaigh Eo agus eagraíonn siad cúrsaí samhraidh bunaithe ar eachtraí uisce. Ina iomlán is fiú €960 an scoláireacht seo, scoláireacht faoinár bhféidir le beirt chara freastal ar chúrsa ar leathphraghas. Chun cur isteach ar an gcomórtas níl le déanamh ach na focail Coláiste Uisce agus do shonraí teagmhála a chur chuig 087 0961661, uimhir théacs an clár Do Ghuth. Tá an cúrsa cinnireachta nua dírithe ar dhéagóirí na Gaeltachta mar aon le déagóirí le sár-chumas Gaeilge. Beidh na déagóirí ag glacadh páirte i seoltóireacht, clársheoltóireacht, cadhcáil, tonnmharcaíocht agus eile. Beidh oideachas forbartha pearsanta i gceist leis an gcúrsa seo freisin agus díreofar ach go háirithe ar scileanna cumarsáide agus ar na freagrachtaí atá ar phobal óige na Gaeltachta maidir le todhchaí na Gaeilge.
Tá tuilleadh eolas le fáil ar an gclár Do Ghuth, clár a chraoltar gach oíche Mháirt ó 9.00 – 11.00i.n. ar Galway Bay FM nó ó www.colaisteuisce.ie Ní mór d’iarratas a dhéanamh ar an gcomórtas don scoláireacht seo roimh Dé Domhnaigh seo chugainn, 16 Meitheamh.
www.advertiser.ie/galway
Stiúrthóir Naíonra – Sord
Meitheamh 13, 2013
Tá stiúrthóir ag teastáil ó Naíonra nua atá beartaithe do cheantar Sord, Co. Átha Cliath. Uaireanta oibre: 9.15r.n. – 1.00i.n. (Luan go hAoine) 38 seachtain sa bhliain.
Is gá go mbeadh taithí 2 bhliain agus líofacht na Gaeilge (labhartha agus scríofa) ag an iarrthóir mar aon le cáilíocht CDBO Leibhéal 6 i gCúram Leanaí ar a laghad bainte amach ina iomláine.
Moltar go mbeadh na cáilíochtaí seo a leanas ag iarrthóirí chomh maith, nó iad a bheith sásta tabhairt faoi:
• TEG B2
• Dianchúrsa FNT
• Traenáil gharchabhrach
• Traenáil Chosaint Leanaí
Is gá go gcuirfeadh an iarrthóir 2 theistiméireacht scríofa ar fáil.
Má tá suim agat sa phost seo téigh i dteagmháil le Clodagh ar 087 9714370.
Dáta Deiridh: Dé Céadaoin, 31 Iúil, 2013
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Feighlí leanaí
Meitheamh 12, 2013
Feighlí Leanaí le Gaeilge ag teastáil don samhradh.
Triúr páistí (aois: 6, 4 & 2) ó 1 Iúil do 13 Lúnasa (7 seachtaine)
35 – 40 uair sa tseachtain i Muileann gCearr, Co. na hIarmhí.
Tuilleadh Eolais: Aoife Joyce – 0868638420 nó aoife.joyce@ucd.ie
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge Fheidhmeach
Meitheamh 12, 2013
An bhfuil cáilíocht aitheanta uait sa teanga?
Cuirfear tús leis an gcúrsa seo i mí Mheán Fómhair 2013.
Beidh deis ag na rannpháirtithe a gcumas agus a gcuid scileanna teanga a fhorbairt i rith an chúrsa chun cabhrú leo feidhmiú go héifeachtach trí mheán na Gaeilge i réimsí éagsúla den saol.
- Chomh maith leis an teanga féin, beidh gnéithe de litríocht agus d’oidhreacht na Gaeilge i gceist, mar aon leis an teanga sa saol comhaimseartha.
- Ceardlanna seachas léachtaí a bheidh i gceist den chuid is mó.
- Beidh páirt an-ghníomhach ag na rannpháirtithe féin sa chúrsa agus beidh deis acu a gcuid tuairimí a chur in iúl agus tarraingt as a dtaithí féin.
- Beidh béim láidir ar obair bheirte agus ar obair ghrúpa sna ranganna.
Tá an cúrsa seo dírithe ar an bpobal i gcoitinne agus beidh sé oiriúnach go speisialta do dhaoine sa tseirbhís phoiblí agus do dhaoine atá ag iarraidh barr feabhais a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge.
Ábhar an chúrsa
Cuirtear béim faoi leith sa chúrsa ar:
- Scileanna teanga (léamh, éisteacht, scríobh, labhairt)
Beidh roinnt ranganna/léachtaí bunaithe ar:
- An Ghaeilge sa saol comhaimseartha (na meáin chumarsáide, eagraíochtaí Gaeilge, an Ghaeltacht)
- Cultúr agus oidhreacht (logainmneacha, sloinnte, béaloideas, an amhránaíocht)
- Litríocht (filíocht agus prós)
Sprioclá Iontrála: 5:00 p.m. ar an Aoine, 16 Lúnasa 2013.
Gheofar eolas breise faoi na cúrsaí agus faoi na scoláireachtaí ó:
Kathleen Clune, Riarthóir na Gaeilge, nó Eimhear Ní Dhuinn
Ríomhphost: kathleen.clune@ucd.ie / eimhear.nidhuinn@ucd.ie
Tá tuileadh eolais faoin ar fáil ón mbróisiúr: http://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/DiopGF%202013_15%20UCD%20ScoilnaGaeilge_1.pdf.
Teileafón: + 353 1 716 8385 nó 716 8314
An Cháilíocht
Glacann An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta leis an Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge Fheidhmeach mar cháilíocht Ghaeilge don Chúrsa Iarchéime don Bhunmhúinteoireacht.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Stiúrthóir – Ionad luathoideachais
Meitheamh 12, 2013
Tá Stiúrthóir ag teastáil ón Early Years Education Centre i gCóbh, Co.Chorcaí.
Is gá go mbeadh líofacht na Gaeilge ag an iarrthóir (scrúdú TEG B2 molta), mar aon le céim Leibhéal 7 nó a 8 sna Luathbhlianta.
Ba chóir go mbeadh na cáilíochtaí seo a leanas ag an iarrthóir chomh maith, nó é a bheith sásta tabhairt fúthu:
– Dianchúrsa FNT
– Traenáil gharchabhrach
– Treanáil ‘Tús Áite do Leanaí’
Beidh gá le dhá theistiméireacht (scríofa) freisin agus le imréiteach a fháil ón nGarda Síochána.
Má theastaíonn tuilleadh eolais uait faoin bpost seo is féidir dul i dteagmháil le Margaret Barry-Murphy ar 0214814378 nó ar earlyyearscobh@gmail.com.
Is é an 12 Iúil 2013 spriocdháta an fholúntais seo.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
