Donegal well represented at Lá Mór na Gaeilge march in Dublin today
February 17, 2014
Donegal was well represented at the Lá Mór na Gaeilge march in Dublin today where it was reported that 10,000 took the streets.
Marchers gathered at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square and marched to Dáil Éireann to demand their language rights and equality for the Irish language. Coordinated by Conradh na Gaeilge, Lá Mór na Gaeilge was acelebration of Irish for all the family and a massive march forlanguage rights, attracting both members of the Irish-speaking community as well as those with a love for Irish, and drawing crowds of thousands into the streets to show their support for the language.
Donnchadh Ó hAodha, President of Conradh na Gaeilge says: “Conradh na Gaeilge extends its deepest thanks to the thousands that took to the streets ofDublin to take a stand for language rights, and to show the Governments north and south just how much support the language enjoys among the general public this Saturday, despite the atrocious weather across the country this past week. “Every single one of the ten thousand people that attended Lá Mór na Gaeilge was happy and willing to take a stand for the Irish language, to take proactive action to ensure a future for our language. Supporters of Lá Mór na Gaeilge have now put it up to the Governments north and south – are they now willing to take the challenge to choose a future for Irish by acting immediately on our demands?” In keeping with the Dearg Le Fearg / Red With Rage theme for Lá Mór na Gaeilge, the crowd wore red clothes and waved red flags in a striking symbolic display of their anger and disillusionment with the lack of Government support for Irish on Saturday.
Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge says: “Gaeltacht and Irish-language communities north and south are not happy with either Government, as their basic human right to use their language is neither being supported nor legally protected sufficiently. The aim of Lá Mór na Gaeilge was to drive the Governments to recognise and appreciate the importance and the value of the Irish language for this country, as well as acknowledging the fact that the majority of people on this island have a love for the language, but Saturday’s march is just the beginning – we will continue to campaign our public representatives until we achieve fairness and equality for the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht communities throughout the island of Ireland.” Conradh na Gaeilge organised Lá Mór na Gaeilge following The Language Commissioner Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s announcement that he would be stepping down on 23 February 2014 as a result of the lack of support for the language rights of the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht community from the Government in the south.
The campaign for human rights gained momentum with the publication of a report by The Council of Europe on 16 January 2014 which noted that the growth and promotion of the Irish language in Northern Ireland is being blocked by hostile attitudes in Stormont, and a lack of support for its use in the courts and in education. Based on the recommendations of An Coimisinéir Teanga and those voiced at public meetings across the country, below are the demands Conradh na Gaeilge agus the attendees of Lá Mór na Gaeilge are calling for to ensure language rights and equality for Irish:
The Gaeltacht community must be guaranteed State service through Irish, without condition or question, by the end of 2016;
State services must be made available in Irish to the Irish-speaking community at the same standard as they are provided in English;
A comprehensive rights-based Irish-language act must be enacted in the north;
The Official Languages Act 2003 must be strengthened in 2014;
The derogation of the status of Irish as an official language of the European Union must not be renewed after 1 January 2017; and The Irish-language and Gaeltacht community must be recognised as stakeholders in the implementation of The 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030 in the south and in the Irish-Language Strategy in the north.
www.donegaldemocrat.ie
Thousands march for language rights
February 17, 2014
Thousands took to the streets of Dublin city centre this afternoon to protest against the treatment by Governments north and south of Irish-language speakers and Gaeltacht communities.
Organisers said some 10,000 people took part in the march which started at the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square and marched down O’Connell Street before gathering for a rally in front of Dáil Éireann.
The crowd, with many wearing red, heard from a number of speakers who condemned the lack of public services available in Irish.
Billed as a celebration of Irish on the streets of Dublin, Lá Mór na Gaeilge attracted participants from all parts of the island and was the largest such demonstration since the 2005 campaign to elevate the status of Irish in the European Union.
Citing the decision in December by language commissioner Seán Ó Cuirreáin to resign in protest over the failure by Government to implement legislation protecting the rights of Irish speakers, Conradh na Gaeilge general secretary Julian de Spáinn said Irish language speakers were “red with rage” at how speakers are being treated by the State.
“We will continue to campaign our public representatives until we achieve fairness and equality for the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht communities throughout the island of Ireland. ”
Lá Mór na Gaeilge was organised by Conradh na Gaeilge and marks the beginning of a campaign to seek equal treatment for Irish language speakers north and south.
“We are planning a march on Sunday week in Conamara and in Gaoth Dobhair to coincide with the resignation of the Coimisinéir Teanga and on the 12th of April we are planning a large demonstration in Belfast,” Mr de Spáinn said afterwards.
“In addition we are going to focus on the local and European elections. There is a lot to do but today was just a beginning.”
Mr de Spáinn said Conradh na Gaeilge had responded to an offer of a meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and was awaiting a response from the Taoiseach’s office.
www.irishtimes.com
Thousands protest for better recognition of the Irish language
February 17, 2014
Thousands of people marched in Dublin today calling for more recognition of the Irish language.
Organisers of the Lá Mór na Gaeilge protest say those living in Gaeltacht areas around the country are not able to access State services through Irish. They are calling on the Irish Government and the government of Northern Ireland to give more recognition to the native tongue.
www.independent.ie
Coláiste Muire Tuar Mhic Éadaigh offers something for everyone
February 17, 2014
Meánscoil mheasctha Chaitliceach is ea Coláiste Muire, Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, a chuireann oideachas d’ard-chaighdeán ar fáil trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Coláiste Muire is a Catholic voluntary secondary school in the Gaeltacht dedicated to the promotion of Irish as the first language of the community. The school is operated on the basis of the fundamental Christian principle of treat others as we ourselves would like to be treated.
For a small school Coláiste Muire offers an extensive range of subjects at both Junior and Leaving Cert levels as well as LCVP and the transition year programme. Students at the coláiste enjoy the benefits of small classes in a friendly learning environment. A tradition of excellent Junior and Leaving Certificate results exists in Coláiste Muire. One quarter of the students in 2013 obtained more than 525 points in the Leaving Cert with one student getting 600 points. Past pupils have excelled in a wide variety of careers and third level courses. These achievements range from winning university scholarships to national awards.
The school offers a wide range of extra curricular activities for boys and girls such as Gaelic football, hurling, table tennis, soccer, public speaking, drama, and school tours. The purpose of such activities is to foster and develop social and personal skills not directly addressed in the formal curriculum.
Coláiste Muire caters for all students from a wide catchment area, with school bus transport bringing students from all the local primary schools and from Newport, Westport, Ballinrobe, and Castlebar.
Coláiste Muire will be hosting a enrolment and open evening, on Thursday, March 6 from 7pm to 9pm. For more information call 094 9544107, email colmuirtuar@eircom.net or log on to www.colaistemuire.scoilnet.ie
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Sean Óg celebrates with Gaelscoil Longfoirt on its 15th anniversary
February 17, 2014
There was much to be excited about in Longford last Friday as Gaelscoil Longfoirt celebrated its 15th anniversary at the heart of education.
To add to proceedings, the large crowds that gathered to join in the celebrations waited in anticipation for the guest of honour, himself – Séan Óg Ó hAilpín – left no stone unturned when it came to encouraging the children before him, and highlighting the important role that Gaelscoil’s have in the Irish education system.
Speaking in both Irish and English, the All-Ireland winning Cork hurler, who attended a Gaelscoil himself, said that while he had attended many places during his career, it gave him the “greatest pleasure” going to Gaelscoils. “I started off in a Gaelscoil; I was 10 years old when I came to Ireland and it has been a journey that has made me an incredibly better person,” he added.
“When I look back now at my own parents and their hopes and dreams for me, the two most important aspects were my involvement in sport and going to a Gaelscoil. If we claim ourselves to be Irish, then we must speak our native tongue. Yes, there are people who say what is the point of learning Irish because when you move on, you don’t use it, but I don’t see that argument; Irish is our native language and we should be proud to speak it.”
Mr Ó hAilpín went to encourage the pupils to achieve thier full potential.
“You have a talent that is a gift from God, but what you do with that gift is your gift back to God,” he continued.
“We all need people like our parents and teachers in our lives because it is they who help to bring out those gifts in us. One of the proudest moments in my life was to bring the All Ireland Cup back to my old Gaelscoil; to see the smiles of the teachers that day- everyone was so happy and proud and I knew that I had fulfilled my talent that day.
“ You must fulfil your talents; it may be a sport or it may be academic , but whatever it is find it and fulfill it.”
Amid plenty of cheering and beautiful singing by the pupils of Gaelscoil Longfoirt to mark the special occasion, Mr Ó hAilpín also pointed to his earliest sporting memories of Co Longford.
“I remember the great Dessie Barry – the great left footer, the legend for Longford – you too can be a Longford legend,” he concluded.
The Cork hurling star then planted a tree to commemorate the event and principal Yvonne Ní Mhurchú concluded by saying, “I want to thank all the staff and volunteers, and everyone who made this possible”.
“The next step for us is to secure a new school building within the next couple of years and we are confident that this is going to happen,” she added.
“Irish is alive and well and Gaelscoil Longfoirt proves that we can conduct our daily lives in Irish now.
“I hope that we have instilled pride and loyalty in our past students and I wish everyone associated with Gaelscoil Longfoirt the very best future possible.”
www.longfordleader.ie
Donegal campaign heading to Dublin for march
February 17, 2014
Hundreds of Donegal people are expected in Dublin this weekend for a march for equality for the Irish language.
Organisers of Lá Mór na Gaeilge expect at least 1,000 people from around the country to meet at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, at 2pm on Saturday for a march to government buildings.
“There’s a 20-year strategy for Irish which has been on the books for four years, but the government refuses to implement it,” said Danny Brown, editor of Goitse, an Irish-language newspaper in the west Donegal Gaeltacht that supports the march. He said the march also arose from the decision of Seán Ó Cuirreáin, language commissioner, to resign this month because of the lack of government support for Irish-language rights.
“What we’re saying is that people need to get out to voice their anger at the government’s inactivity at a very important time in the history of the Gaeltacht,” Danny said. He pointed to the comprehensive 2009 NUI Galway linguistic of the Gaeltacht that warned the future of the Gaeltacht was in jeopardy unless steps were taken. “If action isn’t taken now, or very, very soon, it’s dead, and it is not going to be brought back again,” Danny said.
For example, he said, just 1.6 per cent of civil servants in the Department of Education are Irish-speakers. “The message that’s going out to Irish speakers and people in the Gaeltacht is that it’s all very well for you to speak Irish among yourselves, but don’t ask to speak it to government bodies, because we’re not going to accommodate you,” he said. “That message has gone out from successive governments.”
The Donegal branch of the campaign, Dearg le Fearg, or “red with anger”, is asking people to wear red on the march as a way “of showing you’re not just celebrating your culture, which we all would be, but it’s also an angry message going out to government”.
Organisers also hope non-Irish speakers will take part. “There are thousands of people around the country who realise the value of the language even though they might not speak it themselves,” Danny said. They are also urging people to encourage friends and family in Dublin to come along as well.
For information on buses leaving Gaoth Dobhair, Na Rosa and Cloch Cheann Fhaola for the march, contact 0876740673.
www.donegaldemocrat.ie
Tá na busanna ag líonadh
February 13, 2014
Tá busanna á eagrú ó Chonamara agus ó chathair na Gaillimhe chun daoine a thabhairt go Baile Átha Cliath don mhórshiúl Lá Mór na Gaeilge – Siúl ar son do Chearta, ócáid a bheidh ar siúl an Satharn seo chugainn, 15 Feabhra.
Tá an mórshiúl á eagrú mar chuid d’fheachtas cearta atá bunaithe mar thoradh ar an ngéarchéim a cruthaíodh nuair a d’fhógair An Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, go mbeadh sé ag éirí as oifig de bharr na heaspa éisteachta atá faighte aige ón Rialtas. Cuirfear tús leis an mórshiúl Lá Mór na Gaeilge – Siúl ar son do Chearta ag 2.00i.n. agus an slua ag fágáil Cearnóg Parnell ag 2.00i.n. agus iad ag tabhairt aghaidhe ar lár na cathrach.
Fágfaidh bus Chonamara carrchlós Mhuintearas, Tír an Fhia, ag 8.45r.n. agus stopfaidh sé ag Halla Éinne, An Cheathrú Rua ag 9.00r.n. agus ag Seanscoil Sailearna, Indreabhán ag 9.15r.n. Is féidir suíochán a chur in áirithe ach teachtaireacht a sheoladh chuig tuismitheoirinagaeltachta@gmail.com nó téacs chuig 087 3382885. Fágfaidh bus na cathrach an Ardeaglais ag 10.00r.n. agus is féidir suíochán a chur in áirithe ach glaoch a chur ar 091 567824.
Cuirfear críoch leis an mórshiúl le slogadh ollmhór, áit a ndéanfar ceiliúradh ar bheocht agus ar shaibhreas na Gaeilge le ceolchoirm ó Seo Linn agus baill den ghrúpa Kíla agus Na Firéin.
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Ultach Trust fighting to maintain the work it does
February 13, 2014
I would like to respond to Newton Emerson’s article on Foras na Gaeilge’s plans to dismantle the Irish language core-funded sector in Northern Ireland (February 6).
He appears to give some credence to Foras na Gaeilge’s argument that much of the funding to the sector was wasted on salaries rather than services. What is at issue is not salaries versus services, but what services are provided and how well they are delivered. No-one would say that in the health service too much funding goes on salaries for doctors and nurses. Like all of the sector, my organisation, ULTACH Trust, spends as little time as possible on administration in order to maximise services. In recent years, Foras na Gaeilge’s increasing obsession with counting beans – often the wrong beans – has made this more and more difficult. We are not fighting for jobs, we are fighting to maintain the work we do.
I do not necessarily agree with his assessment that Sinn Féin has deliberately targeted the northern organisations. Although it has recently embraced the promotion of the Irish language on a cross-community basis, it is true that the party has not been a great fan of my own organisation in the past, and it may be that the party now wishes to distance itself from Pobal. But Altram, the Irish-medium pre-school organisation, provides a vital support service on the ground to the 40 or so Irish-medium preschools on this side of the border.
Sinn Féin is unlikely to have wanted Altram’s five underpaid, highly qualified and dedicated staff to be thrown on to the dole queue in July.
It seems to me that this was less a plot than a guddle and that the DCAL Minister and her advisers were asleep at the wheel.
AODÁN MAC PÓILIN,
Director, ULTACH Trust
Belfast
www.irishnews.com
New Coimisinéir Teanga welcomed despite reservations by Conradh na Gaeilge
February 13, 2014
Conradh na Gaeilge has welcomed the announcement that Rónán Ó Domhnaill has been installed as the new language commissioner this week. However, the organisation has strongly criticised the Government for failing to implement the recommendations of the current commissioner.
The Government is leaving the new language commissioner in a difficult predicament considering that he will have to contend with the same problems as the current Coimisinéir Teanga from the start, and Conradh na Gaeilge does not believe that is fair on Mr Ó Domhnaill. According to Conradh na Gaeilge, there are several outstanding problems which have been outlined by the current language commissioner Seán Ó Cuirreáin which have been repeatedly ignored by the Government. These include the marginalisation of the Irish language in the public administration system; the inadequate implementation of statutory language schemes by public bodies; the void left in the wake of the review of the Official Languages Act; the Government’s decision to merge the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga with the Office of the Ombudsman; insufficient resources essential to the Office to duly and fully fulfil its statutory obligations; the lack of staff proficient in Irish in the civil service; and the potential faults of the new system that is to take the place of the bonus marking Leaving Certificate scheme.
“The Irish language and Gaeltacht community north and south will have the opportunity to air their anger and disillusionment at Lá Mór na Gaeilge in Dublin this coming Saturday, especially in relation to how the Government in the south treated the current Coimisinéir Teanga,” said Julian de Spáinn, general secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge. “The Irish language and Gaeltacht community are angry with the Government, both for their lack of action and their lack of progress in ensuring that State employees have enough Irish to deal completely and satisfactorily with the Gaeltacht community, without condition or question, by the end of 2016 at the latest. “State services must also be made available in Irish to the Irish-speaking community at the same standard as they are provided in English. We are looking forward to getting huge crowds out on the streets on Saturday to achieve these demands and I am certain that the absence of any mention of these concerns, or to the possible solutions, in the Government’s announcement today will not satisfy the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht community.”
Lá Mór na Gaeilge is being organised following the language commissioner Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s announcement that he would be stepping down on February 24 as a result of the lack of support for the language rights of the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht community from the Government. The campaign for human rights gained momentum with the publication of a report by the Council of Europe on January 16 which noted that the growth and promotion of the Irish language in Northern Ireland is being blocked by hostile attitudes in Stormont, and a lack of support for its use in the courts and in education.
www.advertiser.ie
Galway to take part in Lá Mór na Gaeilge demonstration
February 13, 2014
The Lá Mór na Gaeilge – Walk for your rights demonstrate against perceived attacks on language rights of Irish speakers and the Gaeltacht takes place this weekend.
The demonstration will convene at the Garden of Remembrance at Parnell Square at 2pm and proceed through Dublin city centre to the Dáil. The demonstration is being organised as part of a new language rights campaign that has been established in response to the announcement by Language Commissioner, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, that he would be stepping down as a result of the lack of engagement he has received from the Government. For Galwegians interested in taking part in the demonstration, buses from Connemara and Galway city will set off on Saturday morning. Connemara bus will depart from the Muintearas car park, Tír an Fhia, at 8.45am and will pick up passengers at Halla Éinne, An Cheathrú Rua, at 9am and at Seanscoil Sailearna, Indreabhán, at 9.15am. Spaces can be booked by texting 087 – 3382885 or by emailing tuismiteoirinagaeltachta@gmail.com. The Galway city bus will leave the Cathedral at 10am and spaces can be booked on this bus by contacting 091 – 567824.
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