English only service available to Students
June 19, 2012
Students seeking information on financial support for further and higher education can now access a new website www.studentfinance.ie.
The website provides useful information on fees, grants as well as all terms and conditions associated with student grants. This helpful web site gives a detailed account into a range of options that can sometimes be difficult to understand and complex in nature. However, those wishing to avail of the service through Irish will be left disappointed as the website is not fully bilingual. The website offers an Irish language option available at the top of the screen, however, it only displays the page titles through Irish with the rest of the content available only in English. Upon contacting www.studentfinance.ie, the website operators said that the initial aim of the website was to go live. The website is an initiative of The Higher Education Authority (HEA) which is a public company that comes under The Official Languages Act 2003. The HEA also has a very informative website of its own, however it also has very limited Irish language content. The Higher Education Authority is obliged by its language scheme under The Official Languages Act to provide a fully bilingual website. However it does not seem that they are under obligation to provide an Irish version of any other website that is connected to the authority through Irish only the authority’s website itself. www.studentfinance.ie is expected to generate a high amount of interest over the coming period as students finish their exams and as a result of this the Minister of Education has recently asked those interested in applying for grants to do so as early as possible. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) was also launched lately by the Higher Education Authority. The Online application system for Student Grants for the 2012-13 caters for both official languages. This is due to the HEA duty under the Official Languages Act to provide interactive services through Irish and English. The service is quite difficult to find however unless you access it through www.studentfinance.ie. Once the user is using SUSI they are recommended to find further information in relation to the grants from www.studentfinance.ie. Unfournately, due to the fact the www.studentfinance.ie is primarily available in English this puts the Irish Language user at a severe disadvantage.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
School’s farewell events open to all
June 19, 2012
The principal of a primary school that is poised to move to a new building has issued an invitation to all to a series of farewell events.
Gabriel Ó Cathasaigh, the founding principal of Gaelscoil Uí Ríordáin in Ballincollig, Co Cork, will host a reunion for past pupils and their families tomorrow night.
It will be the first of several marking the end of the school’s three decades at Inniscarra Rd, close to the former home of poet Seán Ó Ríordáin — after whom the school is named.
Mr Ó Cathasaigh was the first teacher when the school opened in 1983 with 20 junior infants. By September, the 24 teachers will have 525 pupils. The new school building is due to be ready in September.
Mr Ó Cathasaigh invited anyone with a connection to the gaelscoil to attend tomorrow night’s reunion where old roll books and photos will be on display.
“We thought it would be nice to give people an opportunity to come in and walk around, and I suppose, just say goodbye,” he said.
There is a barbecue for neighbouring residents on Wednesday, and another event for sixth class pupils and their parents on Thursday.
“We have lots of fond memories of this school. But it’s the people that make the memories and they are all moving to the new school,” Mr Ó Cathasaigh said. Glenman Corporation is building a three-storey 24-classroom school on the Kilumney Rd, Carriganarra, under the department of education’s Rapid Build School Programme.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/
Chess players make all the right moves
June 18, 2012
A DROGHEDA school has scooped a major chess award for the second time in three years, becoming Leinster champions once again.
Scoil Aonghusa was the venue for the Drogheda Primary Schools Chess League final last Thursday. It couldn’t have been a more glorious, sun-drenched day for the Leinster Chess Championship for Irish language primary schools, gaelscoileanna Cúige Laighean.
Scoil Aonghusa was very proud to host the event, which saw schools from ever corner of Leinster travel to compete for the coveted Buanthrofaí Fichille (perpetual trophy) specially designed by Share Holland from Duleek Business Park.
Guest of honour Dr. Gearóidín Uí Laighleis, a well known chess champion in Ireland, appeared during the last round when tensions were high.
At 1 p.m. chief referee Brennan Corrigan counted scores for each school. Children gathered excitedly from all schools to see how they had done. Table drums rolled as the winners were announced.
Scoil Naoimh Pio from Knockcommon, Beauparc, proudly stepped up to receive first prize in the Fola section. It was a tough battle in the Banba section as last year’s winners Scoil Bhríde from Dublin with their star player Ciara (who was famous for already beating a chess master in blindfold chess in the Mansion House in November) hoped to lift the Buanthrofaí Fichille.
However, this was Scoil Aonghusa’s year, Leinster Champions once again having lifted the trophy previously in 2010.
The Rí Fichille (chess king) and Banríon Fichille prizes were lifted by two proud Scoil Naoimh Pio children.
A very special thank you has been extended to Naoise Ní Cathláin from fifth class in Scoil Aonghusa and Brendan Corrigan who worked tirelessly with Úna O Boyle to make sure everything went smoothly during the tournament.
– ALISON COMYN
DROGHEDA INDEPENDENT
Comórtas Fichille Cúige Laighean
June 18, 2012
Information and pre-enrolment for the new gaelscoil in Tallaght, 27 June
June 15, 2012
Information and pre-enrolment for the new gaelscoil in Stepaside, 26 June
June 15, 2012
Leaving Cert Irish – A student tells all
June 14, 2012
In this piece Leaving Cert student, Cathal Ó Céilleachar from Cork studying higher level Irish describes how he dealt with this year’s papers.
I was delighted with this year’s papers, I didn’t have much trouble at all.
I had some troublesome moments of course but I suppose everyone does. I’m pretty sure I did well in the listening comprehension except for when it came to place names – I couldn’t make out some of the places which were mentioned. A minor set back I suppose but it would be good to have known them.
It was pretty much the same story for the rest of that paper. I chose to write an essay under the title ‘Éire:tír oscailte fháiteach í’ (Ireland: An open, welcoming country’) as I felt there was plenty to write about and I was pretty prepared for it. There was another choice to write about crime but that wouldn’t have suited me.
There were no surprises in Paper 2, thank God! I was happy with the way I answered both reading comprehensions and then I had to pick out nouns and tenses which again I didn’t find too difficult. The story I had prepared, “Hurlamaboc” came up on the paper. I had previously answered on this story in my mock exams so I had an idea of what was expected of me – I had an advantage in that sense. I then answered a question on ‘modern life’ which was pretty easy.
Then a question on ‘An tEarrach Thiar’ came up and I thought I gave a good enough answer on that. Another question followed that on sounds and images the poet uses and a question about the poet’s life.
Finally I answered a question on the play ‘An Triail’. I found this part of the exam the most interesting as it was to do with women and hypocrisy. There was great scope for an in depth and creative answer in this section. It wasn’t long then until paper 2 was over which meant the end of Leaving Cert Irish for me.
In the end my school friends and I were very happy with the content in both exams. There were no surprises and they seemed quite fair. That however could have something to do with the fact that we attend a Gaelscoil. I feel I may have had an advantage going into the exam with fluent Irish having used the language everyday in school. It certainly gave me the tools I needed to think in Irish and work fluidly through the paper.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Gaeilge Locha Riach is looking for a stiúrthóir and ceannairí to run the Irish Summer
June 14, 2012
Gaeilge Locha Riach is looking for a stiúrthóir (director) and ceannairí (leaders) to run the Irish Summer Camp from Monday to Friday over a two week period from 7th to 17th August 2012.
You must have competent Irish. Ceannairí must be 18 years of age or over. For further information please call Ruth, Gaeilge Locha Riach, 091-870718
To apply send CV to: oifig@lochariach.com; or, by post to: Gaeilge Locha Riach, Seanbhóthair na Gaillimhe, Baile Locha Riach (Loughrea), Co. na Gaillimhe.
More information can be obtained the group on www.lochariach.com.
Exam Diary: Irish a thorn in my side, but I love it
June 13, 2012
I may not be a history student, but I do know the Irish language has changed utterly since the days of oppressive British intruders and fiery Irish rebels.
These days, Irish is suffering an entirely different kind of onslaught, not from contemptuous English nobility but from resentful Leaving Certificate students.
Nothing destroys a perfectly good mood like a 40- minute Irish class.
While Irish never has been – and I can safely say, never will be – my favourite subject, as a spoken language, few surpass it in my eyes.
I’ve abandoned civilisation on many an occasion to immerse myself in Irish, detox myself from my mobile phone and willingly engage in activities that, outside the walls of Connemara, would be considered absolutely mortifying.
If the Gaeltacht isn’t valuable life preparation, I don’t know what is.
But, as we are all aware, the influence of the Irish language doesn’t extend much further than our Emerald Isle.
It may not be a particularly significant language on an international level but who among us hasn’t taken pleasure in the bemused faces of French and Spanish onlookers as “ciúnas bóthar cailín bainne” is delivered with the gravity of a death sentence?
The Irish language gives us back some of the charm that pale faces and a propensity for pints distract from.
So why then has it been turned from a widely spoken language into a subject dependent on rote- learning? Irish Paper 2 is centred around Irish literature, filíocht, prós, litríocht breise, and is a thorn in my side!
But whatever differences I have had with Maidhc Dainín or the mind- boggling story of ‘ Dís’ ( still not entirely sure what’s going on there …) were forgotten in the wake of a paper that can only be described as “sound out”.
Of course Lísín in all her self- adoring conceit would make an appearance and noone could begrudge Mártín Ó Díreáin a slot considering his poem was the only relatively enjoyable one on the course.
Day Five of Leaving Cert 2012 over. The joys of French grammar await.
India McGirr is a pupil at Gorey Community School, Co Wexford
www.independent.ie
Olympic effort required but second Irish test ‘ fair’ to all
June 13, 2012
Leaving Cert Irish Paper 2
The theme of the Olympics once again featured prominently in the Leaving Cert Irish higher level exam, as students got to grips with a “fair” paper 2.
Many teachers felt the unseen comprehension text on the life of Irish- American 1912 Olympic gold medallist Jim Thorpe was both interesting and manageable.
This year, candidates coped with changes to the paper – including the introduction of a new question concerning grammar, opinion and the genre of literature.
Robbie Cronin, from the ASTI and Marian College, Ballsbridge, Dublin, felt the opinion piece “was too demanding” for a maximum of 10 marks.
In it, students were asked to say what the text – about the Olympian’s sporting prowess to his final days in penury – revealed about the mindset of the American people and the International Olympic Committee.
ASTI’s Noelle Moran from St Jarlath’s College, Tuam, Co Galway, agreed: “It is a lot to be asking the student’s opinion on something, it is not testing the knowledge of the piece”.
The TUI’s Ruth MorrisseyCasey, a teacher at St Michael’s Community School, Kilmihil, Co Clare, said the second comprehension question featuring journalist Alex Hijman’ visit to Salvador was “harder” with references to oppression, poverty, history and religion.
She said students may have found some words including ‘ aingil choimhdeachta’, meaning ‘ guardian angel’, difficult.
Clare Grealy, of the Institute of Education, Dublin, said the grammar question for both comprehension texts dealt with points most students were familiar with.
Inviting
Teachers felt some of the questions had been anticipated, including the question relating to the story ‘ Hurlamaboc’.
Deeming it a “good paper” overall, Ms Grealy said the poem ‘ An tEarrach Thiar’ was one of the easier ones students encountered on the syllabus.
“The question on images and sounds was particularly inviting,” she said.
Ms Grealy described ordinary level as a “very fair” paper, with the questions and language in the comprehension section featuring stories about RTE sports journalist Evanne Ni Chuilinn and young tennis player Daithi O hEithir far easier than previous years.
The prose featured six short questions rather than following the traditional format of a more general summary type question and Ms Grealy felt it may have proved “helpful” as it gave students a clear structure for their answer.
Ms Moran’s main complaint was that both the prose and poetry questions were “very wordy” for the level.
www.independent.ie
