Comhaltachtaí Taighde – Fiontar
March 13, 2013
Maebh mar loinnir dhóchais Mhúscraí i gcomórtas Scór
March 13, 2013
The Irish language: Throwing good money after bad?
March 13, 2013
The Irish language has played a central role in shaping our culture.
Its influence is so deep-rooted that it has nurtured Hiberno-English — an Irish solution to an English imposition. Because of our history it, like other suppressed languages, has been afforded a political status, an assumed patriotic integrity, replicated in other countries once colonised. Whether this is permanent or even relevant today is an open question. Despite that, and despite the great emotional and almost spiritual attachment some Irish people feel for the language, it has not been central to Irish life for over a century.
Nevertheless, the 2011 census recorded a 7.1% increase in the number of self-declared Irish speakers. Some 1.77m people said they could speak Irish. However, and this seems more pertinent, only 1.8% used it every day outside of the education system. This marginalisation was highlighted yesterday when An Coimisinéir Teanga launched his annual report in Galway. Coimisinéir Seán Ó Cuirreáin revealed that gardaí are to get a laminated card carrying useful phrases in Irish. This follows instances where a garda competent enough in Irish to deal with the public through Irish was not immediately to hand. It is estimated that we spend something around €1bn a year just teaching Irish. Other programmes add to that cost. Foras na Gaeilge supports 19 Irish promotion organisations with state funding. Television service TG4 got €32.75m in current funding from Government last year. Its audience stands at something around 2% of the population. Raidió na Gaeltachta has, it is believed, an even smaller audience though official figures are not available. It may be assumed that funding for RnaG pushes the bill for Irish language broadcasting towards the €50m mark for just these two outlets. Gaelscoileanna have been enthusiastically supported though whether this reflects a commitment to the language or something else is uncertain. So successful are they that they may be the source of a new urban Irish apparently incomprehensible to some native speakers.
Though Irish was afforded official language status by the EU in 2007 a recent report suggested the language had been spoken just nine times by ministers at EU meetings in the last two years. In the EU parliament Irish took up just 0.23% of the speaking time during plenary sessions up to May 2012. Even if the country was not bankrupt this litany of failure would have to be considered. That we spend as much as the current round of Croke Park talks hope to save on teaching Irish every year — €1bn — seems at least irrational in today’s circumstances. Economic criteria should not be the primary consideration on this largely cultural issue but maybe it is time to be less reverential, less deferential on the subject. After all, the facts speak for themselves — if Irish was as important to people as some would suggest it would not need huge, ongoing ubvention to register the tiniest blip on society’s radar, it would be almost self-sustaining if not regenerating. Current policies have failed and it’s time to ask why we keep throwing good money after bad. Doing that would not be an attack on Irish just an admission that the vast majority of the population seem to be at best indifferent on the subject and that the billions we have spent on trying to popularise the language have been largely wasted.
www.irishexaminer.com
Féile Scoildramaíochta Bhéal Feirste
March 13, 2013
Comórtas Scannánaíochta do Scoileanna le Sigmatak
March 12, 2013
SPRAOI ag Tuistí agus Leanaí
March 12, 2013
Rannpháirtithe ag teastáil do shuirbhé ar leanaí ar an idirlíon
March 12, 2013
Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta’s 12th Annual Conference
March 12, 2013
Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta, the representative body for Irish-medium Education, is pleased to announce that its 12th Annual Conference will take place on Friday 15th March in Coláiste Feirste Belfast.
The Conference, one of the largest of its kind on the island of Ireland, will attract delegates from Irish-medium schools North and South and from numerous Irish language, cultural and educational organisations and about two hundred teachers are expected to attend this conference this year.
This year’s theme is ‘The Pursuit of Professionalism’ and a wide range of speakers, drawn mostly from within the Irish-medium sector itself, will deliver workshops on various aspects at this year’s event.
CEO of Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta, Dr Micheál Ó Duibh will officially open this year’s conference on Friday morning and this will be followed by many interesting talks, presentations and workshops throughout the day.
Speakers include Dr Máire Ní Ríordáin from NUI Galway, Pavel Iosad and Professor Alison Henry from the University of Ulster as well as representatives from CCEA, St Mary’s University, CASS, An tÁisaonad and from the two new Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta projects ‘Together through Culture’, a cross community project and an Irish language Youth development initiative.
This year’s conference will also include two separate sessions for Governors and a full day language course for Classroom Assistants, in conjunction with St Mary’s University College.
The Professional Support Service for Primary Schools, in the south of Ireland will also contribute to the day’s events as well as representatives from CCEA, St Mary’s University, CASS, An tÁisaonad and from the two new Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta projects ‘Together through Culture’, a cross community project and an Irish language Youth development initiative.
As well as many talks, many workshops aimed at new resources in drama and music will be hosted by Jacqueline De Brún, Education Advisor, An tÁisaonad Lán-Ghaeilge and Fionnuala Uí Mhealláin, Scoil an tSleibhe Dhuibh will conduct a worksk titled Inspriing Creative Writing in the classroom (Ag Spreagadh na Scríbhneoireachta Cruthaithí sa Seomra Ranga)
The Conference will be held on March 15th in Coláiste Feirste, Beechview Park, Falls Road, Belfast between 9.30am and 3.45pm.
Teachers must register for this event prior to attending
Further Information
Tarlach Mac Giolla Bhríde, Conference Coordinator
Phone: +0044 (0) 28 90 321475 / Email: tmacgiollabhride@comhairle.org.
Educational Programmes on TG4 this Easter
March 12, 2013
Two new educational shows for young people produced by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge will be broadcast on TG4 this Easter
As Leaving Certificate students prepare for this year’s Irish language oral exam, ‘Cuireadh Chun Cainte’, featuring actor Marcus Lamb which will ease students into the revised new format of the exam. The programme will air on TG4 on Monday March 25th at 11 a.m to facilitate students preparing for the exam over the Easter break.
Since 2012, 40% of the marks for the Irish exam in the Leaving Certificate are awarded for the Irish oral, an exam which takes place over a fifteen minute period.
This increased emphasis on the oral exam will mean that the expert advice compiled by educational experts for the ‘Cuireadh Chun Cainte’ will be beneficial to students tackling the new syllabus.
Career Guidance- as Gaeilge
Presented by Sibéal Davitt and Ciarán Charles Ó Conghaile, Céim Chun Tosaigh: ag Obair le Gaeilge (A step ahead: Working with the Irish language) is an innovative Irish language career guidance programme produced by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge for second level students across Ireland.
It is set to be broadcast on TG4 on Tuesday, March 26 at 11am.
Céim Chun Tosaigh provides information and guidance on courses, training options and career paths in Ireland and abroad and is aimed at senior cycle students. The programme examines the challenges faced by graduates in the current economic climate, while some of those interviewed have been successful working in careers working with the Irish language far afield from New York to Brussels.
The 27 minute programme focuses on a wide range of careers, from media, teaching, technology, linguistics, law, language teaching, sports, the army, the arts, business and childcare. It also highlights the highly transferable skills which multilingual graduates have and the dynamic career paths which are open to them.
Céim Chun Tosaigh: Ag Obair le Gaeilge was produced as part of a multimedia package for schools which includes a DVD which can be used as a learning resource in classrooms, a handbook with general information on career areas and skills and a series of lively short films and interviews published online on YouTube and Vimeo.
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge received funding from Foras na Gaeilge, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, and Teacher Professional Networks to produce these programmes.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
€1.56m approved for language planning projects
March 12, 2013
Funding of €1.56m for language planning projects has been announced by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The funding was approved at a meeting of Bord Údarás na Gaeltachta held in Na Forbacha last week and will be distributed among four organisations.
The funding will assist in the implementation of work and activity programmes for Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta, Muintearas Teo., Ealaín na Gaeltachta and Óige na Gaeltachta Teo.
Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta have been allocated an administration grant of €580,000 to assist in the implementation of the company’s work programme for 2013. Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta currently provide a naíonra service to 850 children through 62 different naíonra sessions as well as afterschool services, breakfast clubs and parent groups serving 450 children.
Muintearas Teo., will receive €400,000 towards the running of the company’s events plan for 2013. The organisation’s main objective is to develop education, language and community development programmes as well as early education services, youth work, training services, language development services and community and local services.
Ealaíon na Gaeltachta will receive €335,000 to jointly fund the implementation of its programme of activities and arts development schemes.
Óige na Gaeltachta Teo. will receive an administration grant of €250,000 to assist in the implementation of its programme of activities for 2013.
Óige na Gaeltachta Teo. provides a youth service through Irish for young people between the ages of seven and eighteen throughout the Gaeltacht. The company administers 45 youth clubs which have 1,600 members in addition to running 4 drop-in centres catering for 200 young people.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
