Loinneog Lúnasa promises a fun filled weekend
August 9, 2012
For the third year running, the Loinneog Lúnasa music and cultural festival will take place in Gaoth Dobhair from Aug 10th to the 12th, with a varied, quality programme of events to entertain both visitors and locals of all ages.
Internationally acclaimed trad artists Altan and Steve Cooney will headline evening concerts during the weekend festival, as will An Crann Óg, the young Gaoth Dobhair trad group that has been drawing fans around the country.
“This is the third year of the festival, and our ambition is to grow it gradually,” said a spokesperson for the organising committee. “We want to concentrate on quality events and activities which reflect the strong influence the area has on Irish music and culture, and I think it’s obvious from this year’s programme that we’re taking a huge step forward in that respect with internationally renowned acts, thanks to support from Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge and our local sponsors.”
The festival programme is filled with music and dance, workshops, family events and fun.
On Saturday, the Family Fun Day at Ionad Naomh Pádraig, Dore, starts at 12 noon, with nature walks starting from the same centre at 2pm. At the Crannóg in Derrybeg, there will be a food and crafts market starting at 11am on Saturday.
On Sunday there will be a Family Day organised by Cumann na gCurrach Ghaoth Dobhair at the pier in Magheragallon. The festivities kick off at 2pm and will include a currach exhibition, music, food and other fun. Selki Sailing will also be there to provide an open session for anyone interested in trying a variety of watersports.
But of course, the Gaeltacht parish of Gaoth Dobhair is particularly known for Irish music and culture, and the heart of the weekend festival is culture: music, dancing and the Irish language. On Friday morning there will be a traditional music and creative dance workshop for children in the Leabharlann Ghaoth Dobhair, starting from 11am to 12 noon. This workshop is free of charge with more details available from the leabharlann, 074 9560862.
Later, at 5pm on Friday, there is a poetry workshop in An Crannóg, with highly regarded Irish language poets, Máire Wren and Collette Ní Ghallchóir. The cost for the evening poetry workshop is €10 for adults and €5 for teenagers.
There are a number of top-class concerts over the weekend, kicking off in style on Friday at 8.30 with the local legends of Irish traditional music, Altan, taking the stage at Ionad Cois Locha, Dún Lúiche. Steve Cooney and Friends will perform at Ionad Cois Locha at 8.30pm on Saturday night. Both concerts are Tionscnamh Lúgh promotions.
Altan’s music has always been true to the roots from which it has grown, always injecting something new as they approach a set of tunes, or something beautiful when Mairead’s voice floats over slow air or a love song.
Australian-born guitarist, bassist, producer and didgeridoo player Steve Cooney is one of the most dynamic modern performers in traditional music. He’s also a fine composer, known mainly for the reel Skidoo which was originally recorded by Stockton’s Wing and since recorded by Sharon Shannon amongst others.
Also on both nights there will be céilí and set dancing in Teach Jack in Glassagh, while on Friday night in Teach Hiudaí Beag in Bunbeg, there will be a night of music with the Derry and Antrim Fiddlers Association, who have become regular visitors to the area.
Saturday begins with music workshops in the Crannóg in Derrybeg, delivered by two internationally renowned musicians, Gay McKeown, CEO of ‘Na Píobairí Uilleann’, on uilleann pipes and Steve Cooney on guitar. Workshops run from 10am to 2pm and cost €20.
There’s something for the dancers young and old at 2pm on Saturday. That’s when the Irish-speaking Tura Arutura, who came to Belfast from his home place of Zimbabwe, offers a workshop in hip hop and sean nós. Booking for the workshop through the Crannóg, 074 9532208 or cfgd@yahoo.ie. The workshop costs €5 and is supported by Ógras. There will also be céilí and set dancing, including workshops, all weekend in Teach Jack in Glassagh. More information on that available from 074-9531173.
Singers will want to be in Teach Hiudaí Beag’s at 4.30pm on Friday for “Ailleog Cheoil”, an open singing session that is offered free of charge.
Following on from his very well-attended lecture at last year’s festival, RTÉ’s music archivist, Ian Lee, will give a presentation about the Donegal heritage in the RTÉ archives entitled “Oidhreacht cheoil Dhún na nGall I gCartlann RTE ó na 40dí & 50dí”. Ian’s address is scheduled for 2pm on Saturday in the music room at Ionad Naomh Pádraig.
“Draíocht na Mara” is a seafood-themed night which happens at Ionad Naomh Pádraig with music, food and craic, and more music from the Derry and Antrim Fiddlers Association. The always popular evening starts at 8.30pm and admission is €15.
After the fun at the pier on Sunday evening, there will be songs and plenty of craic with “Na Sinanigans” in Teach Shein Óig in Derrybeg from 6pm. Then to finish off the weekend, there will be an evening of music and song in the world-famous home of Clannad and Enya, Teach Leo in Brinaleck, with the renowned local group of young trad musicians, An Crann Óg, and guests.
The full festival programme is available on www.loinneoglunasa.com and on Facebook.
www.donegaldemocrat.ie
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Foras Pátrúnachta to act as patron for two new Gaelcholáistí
July 26, 2012
Two new Gaelcholáistí to open in Dundrum and Balbriggan in Dublin 2014 will have Irish language group an Foras Patrúnachta as a patron, according to details announced by Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn TD today.
The announcement was made as part of plans outlining the development and patronage of fourteen new second level schools.
Most of the new second level schools are to open in the east of the country around the Dublin commuter belt but two new schools will open in Claregalway in Co. Galway and in the southern area of Cork city.
The Minister stated that he was “confident that the new schools, along with existing schools in each area, will mean that parents and students have real choice when it comes to deciding which school most reflect their own ethos”.
The new Gaelcholáiste in Balbriggan will be smaller than envisaged and will cater for 700-1000 pupils, after a strong preference was shown amongst parents for an English medium Educate Together school as well. The Foras Pátrúnachta will serve as a patron for a new Gaelcholáiste in Dundrum.
A high level of demand for Irish medium education was expressed in Maynooth and an Irish language unit is expected to be established in the new post-primary school in Maynooth or in an existing second-level school, upon consultation with An Foras Pátrúnachta.
GAELPORT.COM
Foras Pátrúnachta agus Coistí Gairmoideachais in iomaíocht
July 26, 2012
Educate Together to run second level school
July 26, 2012
Multidenominational patron Educate Together will have responsibility for a secondary school for the first time.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn announced the patrons for 14 new post-primary schools yesterday. Educate Together will run a school in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, and will share patronage of a school in Drogheda, Co Louth, with Co Louth Vocational Education Committee (VEC).
Some eight other schools will also be under the care of VECs in Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Meath and Cork. Gaelscoileanna body An Foras Pátrúnachta will become patron to two schools, and the Church of Ireland and Le Chéile Schools Trust, a Catholic organisation, will have responsibility for one school each in Greystones, Co Wicklow, and Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, respectively. All 14 of the schools will be co-educational.
Groups that missed out on patronage included the Loreto Education Trust, which applied to open a school in Ashbourne, Co Meath, and the Marist Education Authority, which sought patronage in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Applications from The Edmund Rice Schools Trust in Drogheda, the Muslim Primary Education Board in Blanchardstown and the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Navan, Co Meath, were also turned down.
Four of the new schools, all VECs, will open in September 2013, and 10 will open the following September. Applications for school patronage closed in February. Patrons were asked for evidence of parental demand and plans for how the proposed schools would provide for extending or strengthening diversity of provision in each area.
There were 31 applicants.
The Department of Education assessed the applications, made recommendations and forwarded the assessments to the New Schools Establishment Group, which was set up by the Minister as an independent advisory body.
It examined and agreed with conclusions reached by the department, and wrote to the Minister in June this year with its recommendations. Mr Quinn made the final decision on patronage.
Yesterday the Minister said that in deciding on patronage he “was particularly conscious of taking into account the clear parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage”.
“I am particularly pleased that Educate Together will be patron in one school and co-patron in a second school, given that Educate Together was officially recognised by me as a second-level patron just one year ago,” he said.
“I am also pleased that for the first time in a generation a new Catholic and a new Church of Ireland voluntary secondary school are to open. This demonstrates clearly that I and the department are committed to diversity of ethos and respect for parental choice.”
He said he was confident the new schools, alongside existing schools in each area, would mean parents and students would have “real choice”.
The Minister’s announcement was widely welcomed by the appointed patrons. Paul Rowe, chief executive of Educate Together said the need for innovation at second-level has never been more urgent.
“These new schools will nurture critical and creative thinking and ethical citizenship – developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes students need to live, learn and work in modern, globalised societies,” he said.
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough, The Most Rev Dr Michael Jackson said the Minister’s decision on the Greystones school “demonstrated a recognition that faith-based schools still have a role to play in Irish education”.
Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, chief executive of An Foras Pátrúnachta, said their appointment as patrons was “a fantastic achievement” for the parents, founding committees and all those who had “relentlessly” campaigned.
And Co Dublin VEC chief executive Dr Marie Griffin said their new community college in Lusk would be among the most modern in the State.
NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND THEIR PATRON BODIES
- Blanchardstown West, Dublin 15: Educate Together (September 2014)
- Drogheda, Co Louth: joint patronage of Co Louth VEC and Educate Together (September 2014)
- Mulhuddart, Dublin 15: Le Chéile Schools Trust (September 2014)
- Greystones, Co Wicklow: Church of Ireland (September 2014)
- Lusk, Co Dublin: Co Dublin VEC (September 2013)
- Claregalway, Co Galway: Co Galway VEC (September 2013)
- Naas, Co Kildare: Co Kildare VEC (September 2013)
- Navan, Co Meath: Co Meath VEC (September 2013)
- Cork City – South Suburbs/ Carrigaline: Co Cork VEC (September 2014)
- Maynooth, Co Kildare: Co Kildare VEC (September 2014)
- Dundalk, Co Louth: Co Louth VEC (September 2014)
- Ashbourne, Co Meath: Co Meath VEC (September 2014)
- Balbriggan, Co Dublin: An Foras Pátrúnachta (September 2014)
- Dundrum, Co Dublin: An Foras Pátrúnachta (September 2014)
New school patrons announced
July 26, 2012
The patrons for 14 new secondary school were announced by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn this morning, including one in West Dublin under the responsibility of Educate Together.
It is the first time the multi-denominational patron has been given responsibility for a post-primary school. The school will be based in Blanchardstown. Educate Together will also share the patronage of another school in Drogheda Co Louth with the County Louth Vocational Education Committee (VECs).
A second post-primary school will also come under the patronage of the same VEC and four other VECs in Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Meath and Cork will act as patrons to eight schools.
A Church of Ireland patronage post-primary will be opened in Greystones, Co Wicklow and Le Chéile Schools Trust, a Catholic organisation, will have responsibility for a school in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15. Two new schools in Balbriggan and Dundrum in Dublin will be under the patronage of Gaelscoileanna patronage body An Foras Pátrúnachta.
Four of the new schools, all VEC, will open in September 2013 and 10 will open the following September.
Making the announcement, Mr Quinn said in deciding on patronage he “was particularly conscious of taking into account the clear parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage”.
“I am particularly pleased that Educate Together will be patron in one school and co-patron in a second school, given that Educate Together was officially recognised by me as a second level patron just one year ago,” he said.
“I am also pleased that for the first time in a generation a new Catholic and a new Church of Ireland voluntary secondary school are to open. This demonstrates clearly that I and the Department are committed to diversity of ethos and respect for parental choice.”
IRISH TIMES
