Dates for Scléip 2011
December 10, 2010
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is delighted to announce dates for Scléip 2011. Scléip is the national talent competition catering specifically for Irish-medium and Gaeltacht post-primary schools. The competition began in 2005 and it has grown steadily since then. The aim of the competition is to encourage pupils attending Irish medium secondary schools to use their Irish through the various performing arts by giving them the opportunity to take part in a innovative and exciting event. We hope to encourage gaelscoil pupils to speak and use Irish in their music and drama. We would like today's pupils to be inspired in the same way as ex-gaelscoil pupils before them, such as members of Kíla, the Frames and Dara Ó Briain.
| Munster Heat | 25 January | Firkin Crane, Cork |
| Connacht Heat | 27 January | Town Hall Theatre, Galway |
| Ulster Heat | 1 February | Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Derry |
| Leinster Heat | 7 February | Axis Theatre, Dublin |
The winners from each of the regional heats of Scléip will compete in the final on Saturday, 19 March in the Axis Theatre, Ballymun, Dublin. The closing date for entries is December 17th and entry forms are available here – make sure your school's in the running!
Easpa Gaeilge na Roinne Oideachais
December 9, 2010
Sí Do Mhamó
December 8, 2010
Would you like to take part in a new television series for RTÉ which helps families to get more out of life? Is your family short on time together, short on fun or finding it hard to make the budget stretch? Then maybe you need ‘Sí do Mhamó’.
The heroic super granny will help some modern families, offering them tips on how to get the most out of life, and how to enjoy the simple things in life. Much of Super Granny’s knowledge is based old fashioned values, which have become scare in the modern world.
The television company The Picture House are looking for families who; have good Irish and would be confident to use it on camera; have a reason to want to change; would be happy to take part in various family activities.
If you think this might be you, please contact Grainne Mc Guinness for more information:
The Picture House, 429 Hollywood Road, Belfast, BT4 2LN
Tel: 02890769800/ 07740434109
Email: grainne@thepictuehouse.tv
Teacher’s Pet
December 7, 2010
IN CHARACTERISTIC style, Labour spokesman on education, Ruairí Quinn cut through the waffle at a sleepy meeting of the Oireachtas Education Committee last week.
Declaring that Ireland is “in receivership’’, he rolled out some of the big questions he would like to see addressed in the Irish education debate. These included:
-Why has Ireland more primary schools per capita (3,200) than any other OECD state?
-How much has been invested in the teaching of the Irish language? He called this “the single biggest policy failure’’ of the Irish system.
-How much time has been spent in faith formation in primary schools?
-Why are five teacher-training colleges controlled by religious orders?
Quinn said we cannot address the smaller issues if we refuse to tackle these and other big questions. It was a bravura performance which lifted the committee out of its slumber.
Quinn’s essential point is that the key shortcomings of the Irish education system can be traced back to the huge investment in faith formation and the Irish language across primary and second level.
By some estimates, over 30 per cent of all teaching time in primary schools is taken up by religion and Irish. OECD studies show the time spent on foreign languages, technology and physical education compares unfavourably with other states. Worse still , a range of other studies – such as computer and enterprise skills, or languages such as Chinese and German – are crowded out of the curriculum because there is simply no time.
Quinn was hinting at nothing less than a revolution in Irish classrooms which would require huge courage in confronting and facing down vested interests. But are we up for the challenge?
WHO WILL be the next Minister for Education?
The movers and shakers in education are already speculating about the post-Coughlan era. Traditionally, Labour tends to push for the education portfolio but everything will depend on the composition of the new government. Ruairí Quinn would be an outstanding education minister but he may be set for a more senior economic ministry. Róisín Shortall, who made such an impression during meetings of the Public Accounts Committee this year, has also been mentioned.
On the Fine Gael benches, Brian Hayes – such a formidable education spokesman – would make a fine education minister. But has he burned his bridges with Edna Kenny? Full disclosure: this column predicted Noel Dempsey and Mary Hanafin’s appointments to education. But it did not foresee the appointment of Batt O’Keeffe or Mary Coughlan to Marlborough Street.
Is another surprise in the offing?
THIS COLUMN WILL do all in its power to ensure that the dreaded X Factor winner will not (again) scoop the Christmas number one. How good it is to see a song recorded by a group of boys from St Michael’s College in Dublin at number 18 in the iTunes singles charts. Christmas Time is out now. Better still, all proceeds go to Crumlin Children’s Hospital.
THAT DEPARTMENT of Education decision to demand cuts in the pay of school caretakers and secretaries has sent shivers across the system.
Isn’t it simply unconscionable to target some of the lowest paid workers in the education sector? Especially when so many in the sector still earn well over EUR100,000 per year.
The Irish Times
7 Nollaig 2010
Gael Linn Radio Programme Competition 2011
December 7, 2010
Gael Linn are accepting applications for their annual Radio Programme Competition at present! The competition aims to encourage students who are interested in persuing a career in radio. Final date for entry is Friday, 17 December 2010, but the programmes don’t need to be with Gael Linn until Friday, 11 February 2011.
The competition, while particularly suited to Transition Year students, is open to all students in second level schools. Pupils, with help from their teachers, are asked to produce and present a radio programme ( magazine programme, documentary, radio drama etc. ) of a high standard on a subject of their own choice. The programmes must be between 15 and 20 minutes duration, and schools are encouraged to use a variety of methods – interviews, dialogue, music, news etc. – when putting them together.
The competition is divided into two caterogies – one for Irish language second level schools and the second for all other second level schools. There is no limit to the number of students that can be involved in making a programme.
All programmes submitted are listened to by a recognized broadcaster who chooses the top three entries overall ( regardless of which section they are competing in). The three national prizewinners will then be chosen in order by RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and receive €650 (1st. prize ), €450 (2nd. Prize ) or €350 (3rd. prize ) respectively.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland also award cash prizes of €300, €250 and €200 to the top three programmes in both categories. Also, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and local community or commercial stations may broadcast some of the winning programmes, depending on the standard.
All details on the competition are available at www.gael-linn.ie where the 2010 prizewinning programmes may also be listened to! Alternatively, contact 01:6753303/niamh@gael-linn.ie.
Comórtas Díospóireachta i gCeatharlach
December 6, 2010
Seimineár Taighde ar an nGaeloideachas ar athló
December 6, 2010
Joint Seminar postponed
December 3, 2010
Gaelscoileanna Teo. and Forbairt Naíonraí Teo. will be holding a Joint Seminar on Early Years Education early in the new year and not on Saturday, 4th December 2010 as previously announced, due to poor weather conditions. The main topics for discussion are Síolta, Aistear and the Primary School Curriculum. It is a half day seminar and costs €30, lunch included, and an information leaflet and application form is available to download here: Bileog Eolais. Completed forms should be returned, with payment, to FNT. The revised date for the Joint Seminar will be announced shortly.
Straitéis Gaeilge Glactha
December 3, 2010
Polasaí Gaeilge Fhine Gael curtha faoi bhrú
December 3, 2010
