Learn about Irish language and Ulster drums
February 15, 2013
THE Community Relations Forum is inviting people to come along to a Shared Cultural Heritage Evening later this month.
The event, entitled ‘The hidden History of Protestants and the Irish Language’, will take place at the Barron Hall, Glengormley on Thursday, February 28 between 7pm and 9pm.
Guest speaker on the night will be Linda Ervine, wife of the former PUP leader, Brian Ervine and sister-in-law of the late David Ervine.
Linda’s interest in the Irish language began when she discovered from censuses that not only did some of her own ancestors speak Irish, but that it was also widely spoken in Protestant areas of Belfast and indeed Newtownabbey. Linda is currently taking a sabbatical from her teaching job to be the Irish Language Development Officer at East Belfast Mission.
Meanwhile, the Community Relations Forum is offering people the opportunity to take part in a six-week course on Traditional Ulster Drums. It will take place at the Barron Hall, Antrim Road later this year, on a date yet to be confirmed.
The course will be delivered by the renowned Willie Drennan, a traditional musician, storyteller, poet and writer who draws much of his material from the Ulster Scots cultural traditions of his native Co Antrim. The programme will include demonstrations of various drumming techniques, guest speakers, a visit to a local drum maker’s workshop, and a final evening performance and course celebration event.
Anyone who would like to attend the cultural heritage evening, or take part in the drumming course, should register their interest by telephoning Conor Maxwell on 9084 9314 or by emailing conor_crf@hotmail.com
www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk
Free Workshops for writers in Belfast and in Inis Oírr
February 15, 2013
Workshops for Irish language writers organised in partnership with Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr, Aran, Co. Galway.
Date: Saturday, 9 March 2013
Venue: Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr, Aran, Galway.
Workshop Directors: Micheál Ó Conghaile and Jackie Mac Donncha
This workshop is aimed towards established writers and young/new writers who have not yet published a book but show potential. Places will also be offered to a handful of established writers, which will benefit everyone.
We invite those who wish to participate in the workshop to send an example of their work: short story, five or six poems ar a short excerpt from a novel (novels for teenagers included) to the Assistant Editor CIC, Áine Ní Cholchúin, at the address below BEFORE the 1 March 2012.
The best works will be selected and will be discussed and evaluated at the workshop. Each story will be sent to every writer (attending the workshop) beforehand so that they have a chance to read them. In this fashion all participants can play an active role in the workshop, and learn from the strengths and weaknesses of each other. We will only have space for ten writers at most. The workshop is free but applicants will be responsible for their own travel costs and accomodation.
Further Information:
Áine Ní Cholchúin nó Micheál Ó Conghaile
Cló Iar-Chonnacht
Indreabhán
Conamara
Co. na Gaillimhe
Phone: (091) 593307 Fax: (091) 593362 Email: aine@cic.ie
or from Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr, Árainn, Co na Gaillimhe.
Guthán: 099-75150 Ríomhphost: araseanna@eircom.net
This workshop is being organised with assistance from the Arts Council
Workshop for Irish Language Writers in Belfast organised by Cló Iar-Chonnacht in partnership with the School of Irish and Celtic Studies, Queens University, Belfast.
Date: Saturday, 23 March 2013
Venue: Queens University, Belfast.
Workshop Directors: Micheál Ó Conghaile and Fionntán de Brún
This workshop is aimed towards established writers and young/new writers who have not yet published a book but show potential. Places will also be offered to a handful of established writers, which will benefit everyone.
We invite those who wish to participate in the workshop to send an example of their work: short story, five or six poems ar a short excerpt from a novel (novels for teenagers included) to the Assistant Editor CIC, Áine Ní Cholchúin, at the address below BEFORE the 14 March 2012.
The best works will be selected and will be discussed and evaluated at the workshop. Each story will be sent to every writer (attending the workshop) beforehand so that they have a chance to read them. In this fashion all participants can play an active role in the workshop, and learn from the strengths and weaknesses of each other. We will only have space for ten writers at most. The workshop is free but applicants will be responsible for their own travel costs and accomodation.
Further Information:
Áine Ní Cholchúin nó Micheál Ó Conghaile
Cló Iar-Chonnacht
Indreabhán
Conamara
Co. na Gaillimhe
Phone: (091) 593307 Fax: (091) 593362 Email: aine@cic.ie
This workshop is being organised with assistance from the Arts Council
Comórtas Póstaer na nÓg ag an Irish Cancer Society
February 14, 2013
Hunger games filmed as Gaeilge in Naas
February 14, 2013
HOLLYWOOD may be beckoning for the Gaelscoil Nás na Ríogh sixth class pupils whose’ Irish version of the The Hunger Games has proved an online hit.
Featured on YouTube, thejournal.ie, the 98fm website, and RTE’s News Today, the half hour mini movie was acted out by the students and filmed by their teacher, Lára Ní Dhonnchú. So far, Cluichí an Ocrais has notched up 1,386 views on YouTube.
The 23 pupils took three-and-a-half weeks to shoot the film, which was based on Suzanne Collins’s popular novel, The Hunger Games.
Split into groups, they translated the scenes, wrote the script, added the music and designed various sets. It was then shot in the school’s environs with a smart phone.
One of the stars of the production, Lillie Ni Ghallachoir appeared with her fellow students on RTE’s News Today last week. She said her classmates are delighted with the reaction their film is getting.
“We never expected that it could be so popular,” she said.
She told how it was screened at Christmas for the parents who were also very impressed. Lillie played Prim in the film and her time spent in Brian Brady’s performance classes proved valuable in playing the role. When asked if it was hard to act the whole thing out in Irish, she explained it was no problem because it came naturally to the Gaelscoil pupils. “It was really fun to do,” she added.
www.leinsterleader.ie
School board sacked for enrolling extra class without approval
February 13, 2013
A primary school board has been sacked by its patron for enrolling an extra infant class last September without approval.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn approved the dissolution by An Foras Pátrúnachta of the board of management at Gaelscoil Uí Drisceoil in Glanmire, Co Cork, before Christmas. The all-Irish schools’ patron body has put two managers in place in the meantime but plans are being made to put a new board in place shortly.
The school moved from the rugby club where it first opened in 2006 to a former hotel building in Dunkettle 2011. But a board decision early last year to take in three infant classes in September was made without the patron’s approval.
It did not have sanction either from the Department of Education to change from a previous intake of two junior infant classes to three, as it would not need to pay an additional teacher if the extra 20 to 30 children were enrolled instead across other schools in the area. The department confirmed it had discussions last year with the school, which now has around 300 pupils up to fifth class.
“The school were advised that, based on the department’s analysis of pupil numbers in the Riverstown/Glanmire catchment area, there was sufficient school accommodation capacity available to cater for pupil place demand. In that regard, the school authority accepted that the long-term size of the school should remain at 16 classes,” a spokesperson told the Irish Examiner.
The possibility of appeals over refusal to enrol meant the three classes were allowed enrol last autumn, but the patron body asked each board member in July for an explanation of their role.
It is understood Mr Quinn approved the board’s dissolution in November following a request from An Foras, under a section of the 1998 Education Act that can be used where a patron believes a board is not discharging its functions effectively. An Foras Pátrúnachta did not comment on the situation when contacted by the Irish Examiner yesterday.
Aside from the enrolment issue, there were longer-running tensions between the board and patron body over the teaching of religion. An Foras said its multi-denominational ethos means no faith-specific religion should be taught during school hours, but children of different faiths were being taught separately for the first 20 minutes of each day since the school opened in 2006.
The patron called a halt to this in late 2011, despite the arguments of the board and many staff and parents that the established practice should be allowed continue.
“We told the Foras last year we wanted things to stay the same. It was operating fine until this happened out of the blue at the end of 2011,” said one parent who asked not to be named.
The teaching of denominational religion during school hours is now forbidden, but Catholic and Humanist teaching is available before or after school for parents who want it for their children.
www.irishexaminer.com
Ceisteanna bunúsacha le freagairt faoin ‘táirge den scoth’
February 13, 2013
The talk of education
February 13, 2013
There is growing anger among student teachers about new charges for Irish courses in the Gaeltacht.
Students are required to attend a three-week language course in first and second year. In the past, the courses were subsidised but this has been withdrawn, leaving students to pick up the cost, estimated at about €1,500.
A wider question is whether student teachers should be obliged to have a C3 or better in higher-level Irish in the Leaving Cert.
Aodhán Ó Riordáin (above) of the Labour Party says the the requirement for “honours Irish” effectively acts as a barrier to poorer students who aspire to become primary school teachers.
DEIS secondary schools, he says, are rarely in the position to offer higher-level Irish for their students. And poorer families do not have the resources to pay for grinds or to send their children to the Gaeltacht on summer courses. His comments merit discussion. But who is brave enough to run with them and risk the wrath of the immensely powerful Irish-language lobby?
IRISH TIMES
Meitheal na mBeag Conference to discuss the cultural rights of the child
February 13, 2013
This year’s Meitheal na mBeag Conference is based on the theme from Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ‘to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.’
Meitheal na mBeag caters for artists, educators, theatre companies, arts centers and institutes that have a commitment to the development and production of child-centered performing arts through Irish.
This umbrella and resource group is made up of people who are energetic and passionate about children having access to a range of cultural activities with a wide variety of arts like drama, music, poetry and art.
This year’s guest speakers include Martin Drury of the Arts Council and founder of the Ark, a cultural centre for children, former Laureate na nÓg, Siobhán Parkinson, as well as Michael Finneran who is Head of the Arts and Physical Education Department in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.
Angus Macleod, Drama Officer from Fèisean nan Gàidheal in Scotland will be this year’s international speaker.
During the conference we will launch a ‘Call for Submissions’ from artists to create a piece of art that will travel from county to county housed in the County Hall. It is hoped that by welcoming this symbolic piece of art to their county, each council will question their provision of cultural activities for children as equals.
Theater companies Graffiti and Branar will perform over the course of the two days as well as panel discussions, debate and networking opportunities.
All are welcome to attend the conference and a registration form can be downloaded from www.meithealnambeag.ie.
Nationwide schedule of Irish language radio programming launched
February 13, 2013
Irish language speakers will now be able to tune into the wealth of Irish language programming on 54 radio stations across the country using a new nationwide schedule launched by information service Cogar.ie
The schedule is divided into four parts with schedules from Irish language stations RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Raidió na Life and Raidió Rí-Rá listed as well as Irish language and bilingual programming from community and commercial radio stations across Ireland.
The schedule was launched at an Irish language radio broadcasting workshop held in the offices of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland on January 30 2013.
Irish language radio professionals met and discussed issues from across the sector. Speakers included Traic Ó Braonáin from Raidió Rí-Rá, Cian Mac Cárthaigh from Raidió na Life; Cearbhall Ó Síocháin from RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta; Barbara Nic Dhonnacha from iRadio and Máire Máiréad Ní Loideáin from Shannonside/Northern Sound FM.
The schedule was complied by Irish language broadcasting support service Cogar which is a joint initiative between the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge.
The schedule will assist Irish language learners and radio fans in accessing Irish language programming times. As digital technology has developed, Irish speakers can now access a broader spectrum of radio programming, which means that Irish language braodcasters are now able to tap into a new audience.
With the development of apps and smart phones and internet radio, Irish language listenership is not determined by geographical boundaries and now for example listeners in Wexford can tune into radio programming in Galway or Kerry or anywhere across the country using smartphones and laptops.
Irish language speakers living abroad also have increased opportunities to listen to Irish language programming across the world using digital devices.
The new schedule is available on the website of Cogar.ie here: http://www.cogar.ie/sceideal2013.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Changes to Gaeltacht policy to be discussed at Tóstal Conference
February 13, 2013
With the implementation of a new language planning process in Gaeltacht areas to be rolled out in 2013, Irish speakers will gather to discuss its impact at the Tóstal na Gaeilge Irish language conference to be held in Dublin this Saturday, 16 February 2013.
Political correspondent for the Irish Times, Harry McGee, will open the conference at 10:30am on Saturday, 16 February 2013, after which three discussion panels will be held until 5pm at the Hilton Hotel, Charlemont Place, Dublin 2.
In the past fortnight, Údarás na Gaeltachta have announced a process to prepare language plans for three Gaeltacht areas. Both the Chairperson and the CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta will be speaking at this year’s Tóstal na Gaeilge, and those associated with community development initiatives or local co-operatives will have the opportunity to gain more information on what this Language Planning Process will entail for 2013.
Politicians, sociolinguists, language planners, and representatives of the civil service will discuss the current issues relating to the Irish language at three separate sessions during An Tóstal as follows:
Session 1: Raising a family through Irish in 2013
Session 2: An Ghaeltacht in 2013
Session 3: State Responsibility for the future of the Irish langugae.
The full programme of events for Tóstal na Gaeilge 2013 is available at: www.gaelport.com/tostal2013.
Attendance of Tóstal na Gaeilge will cost €15, which includes lunch which will be provided in the hotel.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
