Irish language plans
December 20, 2013
OFFICIAL plans to preserve and protect the Irish language have gotten under way.
Minister of State for the Gaeltacht Dinny McGinley has asked for groups in three Gaeltacht areas to submit language plans.
Gaeltacht areas in south Kerry (Ciarrai Thiar), Connemara (Cois Fharraige) and Donegal (Gaoth Dobhair) were notified to submit their proposals for the scheme. Local organisations in the selected areas have until January 16 to apply to be selected to submit language plans. A further 23 areas will be selected over the coming two years.
www.independent.ie
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 20 Nollaig 2013
Irish Independent
Comórtas na Nollag Lár Sráide
December 20, 2013
Elliott accuses council of ‘disingenuous’ job ad to hire Irish language officer
December 20, 2013
UUP MLA Tom Elliott, has questioned if Fermanagh District Council are attempting to hire an Irish language officer ‘by a disingenuous method’.
The MLA was responding to a recent job advertisement opened by the council for an ‘Assistant Good Relations Officer (with responsibility for linguistics, ethnic minorities and cultural expression)’.
The job role indicates that a 3rd level qualification with a major component in Irish Language is ‘essential’ criteria, as is ‘proficient and fluent in Irish, both written and oral’.
Mr Elliott said: “I assumed this was for the linguistic officer that has been talked about. Why would there be a required essential criteria of such high level of Irish qualifications and knowledge and not for any other language? The job description actually talks about having responsibility for ethnic minorities, but no ethnic minority language requirement?”
He added that it ‘sounds like Fermanagh District Council is attempting to employ an Irish Language officer by a disingenuous method. The name of the post does not reflect the essential criteria requirement’.
Mr Elliott claimed it was another attempt to make unionists feel unwelcome in the county, and added that he had written to the council chief executive to ask about this and will also be asking the Equality Commission for a view on this.
However, a council spokesman replied: “The council has recently reviewed its Linguistic Diversity Policy, this work was taken forward by a cross party working group and resulted in the development of an implementation strategy. One of the actions agreed was employment of a linguistic diversity officer.
“Through the council’s Good Relations Programme the council identified an opportunity to extend its existing good relations work through the employment of an assistant good relations officer with specific emphasis on linguistics, ethnic minorities and cultural expression. This post will support the delivery of actions within the Linguistic Diversity Implementation Strategy.
“On balance it is necessary that the assistant good relations officer is proficient and fluent in Irish to support the council’s Linguistic Diversity Policy and the job description has been agreed with OFMDFM.
“This new post will assist with both the delivery of the council’s Good Relations Programme and the delivery of the council’s Linguistic Diversity policy.”
www.fermanaghherald.com
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 19 Nollaig 2013
Fermanagh Herald
Irish language EU website welcomed by Anderson
December 20, 2013
Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson has welcomed the inclusion of Irish in the European Union elections website which was launched this week.
It is the first time Irish has been used on official European Union websites.
Irish is an official language of the European Union but until now it was not reflected in the organisation’s websites.
Ms Anderson has been campaigning for the inclusion of Irish in all official EU websites since she was co-opted onto the parliament.
“Since taking up the role of MEP I have lobbied the Commission to have Gaeilge, as one of the official languages of the EU, given equal recognition with all other official languages,” she said.
The MEP also said she hoped creation of an election website in Irish would lead to an official EU website in Irish to provide information for Irish speakers.
“The inclusion of Gaeilge on the EU Elections website is a first and I welcome it and hope that this is an indication that our native language will finally be given equal status in the working life of the EU Institutions alongside all others,” she added.
Irish became an official language of the European Union in 2007 following a long campaign by Irish language activists. The Stádas campaign had the support of a number of political parties and Irish language organisations.
Before that Irish only had treaty status, which meant that EU treaties were available in Irish. The move meant that all EU business can be conducted through Irish and MEPS can address the chamber in Irish.
www.derryjournal.com
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 19 Nollaig 2013
Derry Journal
Cruinniú ar son chearta teanga
December 20, 2013
Daidí na Nollag ar chuairt
December 20, 2013
Feighlí le Gaeilge
December 19, 2013
Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins speaks to Raidió na Life on ‘20 Bliain’ Wednesday 19th December, 12:00 – 13:00
December 18, 2013
Raidió na Life is delighted to announce that President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins will give the station an exclusive interview this coming Wednesday 19th December at 12 noon as part of the ’20 Bliain’ series, a series featuring major figures from all walks of Irish public life speaking to the volunteer presenters of Raidió na Life about the events which took place in that person‟s life between the years 1993 and 2013, the same period throughout which Raidió na Life has been providing a community radio service to Irish speakers in the greater Dublin area.
Judy-Meg Ní Chinnéide will speak to an tUachtarán this week about the events which took place in his life over the course of the last 20 years and we will also hear some music chosen by him. Amongst other topics of conversation, The President reflects on his own memories of the establishment of Raidió na Life itself in 1993, his own role as Minister for Arts, Culture agus the Gaeltacht in setting up Teilifís na Gaeilge, and his personal views on the position of the Irish Language within Irish society – then, and now. Do not miss this very special interview! Listen in on Wednesday at 12pm on 106.4FM in Dublin or online at raidionalife.ie.
„20 Bliain‟ can be heard every Wednesday at 12 noon, with an opportunity to hear it again at 7pm on Thursday evenings. A wide range of guests have taken part in the series to date, from actors to politicians to well-known broadcasters to musicians and others besides. You can listen back to any of the interviews broadcast on the series thus far on Raidió na Life‟s website at http://www.raidionalife.ie/20bliain/, where you can hear interviews with the likes of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, comedian Dara Ó Briain, actor Peter Coonan („Fran‟ in Love/Hate), TV presenter Bláithnaid Ní Chofaigh, Fiach Mac Conghail, Director of the Abbey Theatre and many more besides.
Cian Mac Cárthaigh, Clár Reachtaire with Raidió na Life says “It was clear to us that there is a wide range of people in public life in Ireland who would have a lot of interesting things to say about what happened in their lives between 1993 and 2013. We felt it important to create a public record of these stories through the Irish Language and we hope that people will still listen back to these interviews when Raidió na Life is celebrating its 40th anniversary. We also wanted to give the volunteer presenters of RnaL an opportunity to showcase their talents as journalists through undertaking major interviews with some of the key figures in Irish public life.”
Raidió na Life‟s recent trip to Áras an Uachtaráin was documented by RnaL volunteer and young film-maker Laura Gaynor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooJ9gNI-rxo
Dea-scéal an Taoisigh caillte ar Ghaeil na tíre
December 18, 2013
Irish language efforts hard to sustain
December 18, 2013
Re Barry Walsh’s recent letter about the Irish language: many voluntary groups are working tirelessly to keep the cúpla focal bouyant, in a slowly ‘sinking’ ship, but are aware of how little funding is available ó Rialtas na hÉireann when they try to get a worthwhile project off the ground.
I refer to those of us grassroot promoters, and indeed Conradh na Gaeilge teams, who are also handicapped in affording us any form of reasonable funding. I think that our Gaeilge at home has lost ground as our native tongue since it be-came a recognised EU language.
Who could contradict me when we cannot provide finance to produce a 10-page weekly nuachtán, Foinse, for countrywide distribution to help us with material for our Ciorcal Chómhrá, or to read nuacht na seachtaine as Gaeilge?
I try ,without success to get nuachtan Gaeilge na Mumhan circulating, but alas it’s too costly. I am appalled at the revelation that such a vast amount of European taxpayers’ money is being spent on celebrating Gaeilge as an official EU language, while we see Ireland’s Gaeilge funding so diminished and almost as láthair.
Eilis Uí Bhriain
Caisleán Uí Liatháin
Co Chorcaí
www.irishexaminer.com