Ranganna, tionscnaimh & ceardlanna ceoil trí Ghaeilge
March 27, 2013
Cuireann ‘An Mobile Music School’ cláir ceoil, ranganna dírithe ar na huirlisí agus ceardlanna ar fáil i scoileanna. Tá foireann iontach proifisiúnta againn. Tá gach duine againn cáilithe agus ina theannta sin, tá taithí iontach againn. Bheadh an fhoireann sásta na ranganna a chur ar fáil trí mhéan na Gaeilge. Is minic a bhíonn an fhoireann i dteagmháil le scoileanna agus go dtí seo, tá suim mhór léirithe ag scoileanna ins na ranganna atá a chur ar fáil againn. Ar an ábhar sin, ba bhreá linn deis a fháil labhairt leat agus ár ndóigh cúpla rang nó ceardlann a chur ar siúl i do scoil.
Faoi láthair, tá dhá tairiscint iontach á chur ar fáil againn. Táimid ag súil le ‘Lá na nDrumaí’ a chur ar siúl i scoileanna. Cosnaíonn na laethanta seo €2 an dalta ar an mbunús go bhfuil idir 27 – 32 dalta i ngach rang. Ina theannta sin, is féidir linn cláir seachtainiúil a chur le chéile ó €1 an dalta.
Má tá spéis agat na ceardlanna nó na ranganna iontacha seo a chur ar siúl, ná bíodh drogall ar bith ort dul i dteagmháil linn. Bheadh muid an-sásta glacadh le ceisteanna agus tá an fhoireann ag súil go mór le cloisteáil uait.
shay@mobilemusicschool.ie
087-2995666
Win tickets to Siansa Gael Linn
March 26, 2013
This week two lucky subscribers will win two tickets each to the grand finale of Siansa Gael Linn which will take place in the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Sunday, 14th April 2013.
Siansa Gael Linn is a competition aimed at young traditional music and singing groups and the competition has being going from strength to strength since it was first held in 2001.
On the night eight groups representing secondary schools in Co. Galway, Derry, Dublin Limerick, Co. Waterford and Sligo will perform a 10-12 minute performance with emphasis on various elements of music i.e. rhythm, phrasing, notes, etc. to create imaginative links between the tunes/song.
The groups will be judged on their overall performance on the night, incorporating choice of music, arrangement, singing and ensemble playing. And this year’s judges include the Donegal fiddler, Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, founder of the group ‘Fidil’, the renowned box player and singer Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich from Baile na bPoc in West Kerry and who is a member of trad bands ‘Beginish’ and ‘Boys of the Lough’ they will be joined on the night with the highly respected whistle-player, Mary Bergin, who has worked with ‘Dé Danann’ and ‘Dordán’ over the years.
The young traditional music group Teaspach from Sligo were last year’s winners and they were amongst the performs who took the stage in January during this year’s Templebar Tradfest.
As they are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, Gael Linn Gael Linn are delighted that President Michael D. Higgins will attend this year’s Siansa final. The concert will be broadcast live from the National Concert Hall on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta at 7.30p.m. and will be compered by the station’s popular presenter, Áine Hensey.
Siansa provides a platform for traditional groups who are aiming to develop their own traditional style as did groups such as Dervish, Solas, Altan, Danú, Téada, etc.
This week’s question:
Where will this year’s grand finale of Siansa Gael Linn take place?
• Limerick University’s Concert Hall
• National Concert Hall
• Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich
• Wexford Opera House
Please forward answers along with yours school’s name and contact details to the following email address: duais@comhdhail.ie and have the words “Comórtas Gaelport” as the subject of your mail.
The closing date for receipt of entries is 12 noon Wednesday, 3rd April 2013.
Congratulations to Anraí Mac Fhlannchadha from Dublin who won prizes in our last competition.
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge are very grateful to Gael Linn who kindly gave us these great prizes for this competition.
A limited amount of tickets for the event are still available from the National Concert Hall on 01:4170000 / www.nch.ie – don’t miss it !
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Bruíon na mbuíon ar RónánBeo@3 – spriocdháta ag teannadh linn!
March 26, 2013
A very Irish revolution taking place in Naas
March 26, 2013
There is an Irish revolution of sorts taking place in Naas and the surrounding areas these days. It’s the As Gaeilge Revolution.
Kildare is one of the fastest-growing Irish-speaking counties outside the Gaeltacht to take up the cupla focal and in Naas there has been a huge surge in Irish-speaking community activities and education in recent years.
For example, in the local education system there is now for the first time ever waiting lists for Gaelscoil Nas na Riogh in Piper’s Hill and the Gael Colaiste Chill Dara on the Newbridge Road.
In addition, there is also a host of family activities with Glor na Riogh, the weekly Bricfeasta as Gaeilge met-ups in Alice’s Restaurant, trad sessions and Irish language lessons with Sult na Sollan, to name but a few local organisations that are promoting and using the Irish language and its culture. The Leader caught up with various groups in Naas and Sallins during the recent Seachtain na Gaeilge.
Sallins lady Eithne Ni Fhlathartaith and Alice’s restaurant owner Eileen Meagher were the founding members of Bricfeasta as Gaeilge every Saturday morning for the simple grá of Irish language.
“I starting coming here to Alice’s three years ago now. I heard Eileen the owner speaking Irish to somebody and joined in the conversation and then I met the people from Sult na Sollan and we suggested setting up the Bricfeasta as Gaeilge,” explains Eithne.
“I was born in Dublin in an Irish speaking household and I went to an English-speaking school. My father was from Galway and that is where my love of Irish began. I don’t think a country is whole without its language and I think every person in this country have some bit of Irish and we all should be using it. There is an Irish revolution happening in Naas and Sallins and it is definitely growing. We have up to 20 people here every Saturday morning and we do Irish classes and cater for all abilities. A lot of people are rusty with the language and finding it difficult to find a place in Kildare to use their language and that’s where we come in.”
As the song says it’s true that you can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant! “I’m from Two Mile House and we originally spoke only Irish in my house,“ explained owner and mother of three Eileen.
“I’m opened 21 years and a lady came into the restaurant a few years ago and said ‘I know who you are’. She use to cycle out to Two Mile House to speak Irish with my father because they had the same Spiddal Irish and so when she told me that we started in whispers. Then I met Eithne and Sult na Sollan got involved. My father played the box and piano accordion and we all spoke Irish and danced. We speak Irish during the week too and schoolchildren come into the restaurant to practice their as Gaeilge which is lovely. It’s all age groups and it’s amazing. We have the Gaeltacht here in Naas!”
The Leader also spoke to Dáithí de Faoite of Sult na Sollan. “County Kildare has been recognised as the fastest-growing Irish speaking area in the country,” he explains.
“If you look at the figures from the Central Statistics Office. There is about 42 per cent of people in the area who say they speak Irish. About 20,000 people just in Sallins, Naas, Kill, Johnstown, Prosperous area that speak Irish regularly. So it’s pretty enormous. What we are really trying to do is reach out and build on the network and grow the community. If there is anyone out there who would like to join in our activities just check out our website www.SultnaSollán.ie. We are involved not just in the Irish language but also Irish traditional music and dancing.”
Father of three Dáithí embraced the love of the Irish language after attending the Gaeltacht for several years with his brother and continuing that interest throughout college.
“Although I didn’t study Irish in college I have a great network of friends who speak Irish and are very passionate about. My wife is a Galway native Irish speaker and we are raising our kids through Irish. She works as a teacher in the Gael Colaiste so she actually speaks very little English in her life. It’s amazing really and it’s how all marriages should work!” he jokes.
Dáithí explains that Sult na Sollan runs weekly Irish classes in Sallins, regular trad sessions in Flanagans Mill and they also attend the Saturday morning bricfeasta in Alice’s.
“What is fantastic is that we have every generation here, from grandparents to newborns. It’s a real vibrant community. Once you can order your coffee, say hello to people and make the effort in Irish you are most welcome. And of course some people do speak better Irish with a bit of drink on them too but that would be at our trad sessions!”
A very confident seven-year-old Daragh de Faoite also spoke of his love of Irish to the Leader. “We speak Irish at home and at school. I love coming to Alice’s to get scones and bars. I go to Gael Scoil Nas na Riogh and I love muniteoir Niamh. I going to be an Irish teacher when I grow up and am going to teach in the same school I am in now.”
Naas mother of three and secondary-school teacher Siobhain Grogan is very involved in Gael Scoil Nas na Riogh and Glor na Riogh. She spoke to the Leader before a Seachtain na Gaeilge family trip to K-Bowl.
“I was brought up in Naas. I went to school through English and my husband was brought up in Mayo through English. We are both secondary school teachers in an English-speaking school in Dublin. In recent years we have observed a lot of students switching between different languages and we had huge admiration and envy. So we had a chat and we decided to school our children through Irish and Irish culture. We had our first child eight years ago and we now have two other children, and we always speak Irish at home. Our children have been Irish speakers since birth and can flip between English and Irish. We can see the benefits of our children being bilingual and the cultural associations and it doesn’t matter if we had it growing up or not. We are learning too. There’s a great Irish-speaking community here in Naas and we’re looking to expand on that.”
www.leinsterleader.ie
Scoil Mhuire debates its way to All Ireland win
March 26, 2013
After some tough talking as gaeilge, three sixth-year students from Scoil Mhuire in Cork have won the prestigious Gael Linn national debating competition, becoming the first Cork school to scoop the Irish language debating title.
Team captain Aisling Hourihan, Emma Dobson and Zoe Boland opposed the motion that the Irish people have lost their national identity. They interpreted identity as closely associated with culture, language, sport and homegrown Irish heroes with whom the nation identifies.
The team, coached by Samantha Mulcahy with help from teacher Eileen Dineen, argued convincingly, in their native tongue, the Irish still have a very strong national identity. They were presented with the Corn An Phiarsaigh and each girl also won a cash prize.
“The girls are a credit to the school and their families that they are so passionate about Irish language,” a Scoil Mhuire spokesperson said.
“It is a great honour and a credit for the school that they have become the first Cork school to win this competition.
“We are not an all-Irish language school but we do put huge emphasis on oral Irish and we are delighted to get recognition for that.”
The girls made it through to the national final after talking their way through the Munster round of competition opposing the motion ‘tá mórchinntí an rialtais seo ar leas an náisiúin’ —that this Government’s major decisions are benefiting the nation — and defeating Presentation College, The Mardyke, Cork, Pobalscoil Eoin Baiste, Hospital, Co Limerick, and Laurel Hill Secondary School, Limerick.
www.irishexaminer.com
Féile na bPáistí i mBéal Feirste
March 26, 2013
Stiúrthóir Naíonra – Uíbh Fhailí
March 26, 2013
Féile na bPáistí 2013
March 26, 2013
Féile na bPáistí will take place in Béal an Mhuirthead, Co. Mayo from 2nd-4th April 2013.
Many events aimed at kids will include workshops, drama, exhibitions plus much more.
The festival will take place during the Easter holidays so that children will have the opportunity to participate in various cultural events. A wonderful few days of fun and family activity is promised!
The festival will take place in Áras Inis Gluaire, Co. Mayo. Carmel Balfe will lead a workshop with drumming and a puppet shoe while the talented Fanzini Brothers will perform a magical live show.
Further information:
Áras Inis Gluaire
Béal an Mhuirthead
Co. Mhaigheo
T: 097 81079 / R: t.mccafferty@arasinisgluaire.ie
Website: www.arasinisgluaire.ie
Freedom Surf School launches new Irish language Surfing Certificate
March 26, 2013
Freedom Surf School has launched a new weekend surfing certificate through Irish in association with Billabong.
Based in Tramore, Co. Waterford near the Gaeltacht of ‘An Rinn’, Freedom Surf School has been running for 30 years. There is a huge demand for surfing classes in Irish which the school provides as well as summer courses for different ages.
The school along with the established brand Billabong have drawn together an excellent program where participant will receive recognized certification at the end of the course.
Director of Freedom Surf School, Billy Butler said:“Certified by the Irish Surfing Association this Surfing Certificate Course through Irish is suitable for anyone who would like to gain a recognised beginner to intermediate standard of Surfing through Irish. We are delighted to be able to offer it with the Support of Foras na Gaeilge and our elite partner Billabong.”
More information on the certificate is available on www.freedomsurfschool.com.
New children’s book published by Futa Fata
March 26, 2013
The latest book by author Patricia Forde was launched in Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe last week.
Lísín – Scoil na bPáistí (Lísín – The School for Posh Children) is a picture-book which tells the story of a young pirate starting in a new exclusive school and her struggle to fit in with the posh students.
The book is illustrated by French artist Joelle Dreidemy and is the fourth book from the author to be published by Futa Fata.
Children from Gaelscoil Dara, Scoil Fhursa and Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh attended the book launch in An Taibhdhearc at which Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin and his daughter Róise played a selection of music from his CDs including Ceol na Mara and Peigín Leitir Móir.
Lísín – Scoil na bPáistí a is available to buy from www.futafata.ie and good bookshops nationwide for €7.95.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
