Pupils march their way to new school
Lúnasa 29, 2013
It was a long, long, road which, in the end, culminated in a short walk that brought a town to a standstill. People lined the streets of Clonakilty , Co Cork, yesterday to cheer hundreds of pupils as they walked from a rented school to a new, state-of-the-art €3.17m home.
A gaelscoil was founded in the West Cork town in 1994 and, since then, pupils and staff had a fairly nomadic life. Yesterday represented their seventh and, hopefully, final move. Gaelscoil Mhichíl Uí Choileáin is named in honour of locally-born General Michael Collins, the state’ s first finance minister.
Among the teachers is Lorna Ni hAoda who had been a pupil at the gaelscoil in 1996. “At the time, we were in a house in Emmet Square. We had three classrooms and no proper facilities. There was no hall and a tiny yard. The facilities here are amazing. It’s absolutely beautiful. It’ s like all our Christmases have come together,” she said.
Principal Carmel Nic Airt, meanwhile, was the first teacher to launch the gaelscoil with 20pupils. “At one point, from 1999 to 2009, we were in a field with 29 prefabs. There was damp everywhere and, every weekend, we had to spray the walls to get rid of the mould, ” she said. “Now we have 12 mainstream classroom, three ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) units, four support units, basketball courts and a soft surface play areas for autistic pupils. If you were to write a wish list for a school this has everything and more. ”
The pupils vacated the school’s last leased accommodation, at The Waterfront yesterday, walking behind a garda escort provided by local gardaí Liam Ryan and Keith Prendergast. As they strode through the town, people spilled out of shops and clapped them all the way to their new home at Fernhill Rd on the western side of the town.
Parent Carmel Brennan described it as “a wonderful and historic day”. She said some of the conditions pupils had endured over the years “were less than ideal”. As the children entered the school, they gave ‘high fives’ to curate Fr Eddie Collins. They then sang the national anthem and raised their own
school flag. Relatives of General Michael Collins, including grandnephew Maurice Collins, grandniece Fidelma Collins and great grandniece Muirenn O’Sullivan, were among the guests of honour. She told pupils Collins would be very honoured to have the school named after him.
To cap the occasion, Timothy Crowley, who runs a local Michael Collins Interpretive Centre, presented the school with a small replica statue of the great man. It’ s a miniature, but an exact copy of a seven-feet high sculpture, unveiled by actor Liam Neeson in the town’ s Emmet Square 11 years ago.
www.irishexaminer.com
Is Leor Beirt ar ais i gCeatharlach!
Lúnasa 27, 2013
Tar éis bhriseadh an tsamhraidh tá an ciorcal comhrá “Is Leor Beirt” ag filleadh ar ais i gCeatharlach.
Cuirfear tús arís leis an gCiorcal Gaeilge sa Leabharlann ar Shráid na Tulaí, Ceatharlach ar an Mháirt, 3ú Meán Fómhair agus tugtar cuireadh do dhaoine bualadh isteach ann aon am ó 10.30-11.30r.n. Leanfar le Is Leor Beirt gach maidin Mháirt as sin amach. Tugann ciorcal na maidine seo deis iontach do dhaoine nach n-oireann na ciorcail san oíche dóibh ar chúiseanna éagsúla. Cuirtear fáilte roimh gach éinne idir chainteoirí líofa, foghlaimeoirí agus iad siúd atá ar chúpla focal. Bíonn caint, comhrá agus comhluadar ann agus cupán tae ar fáil chomh maith! Buail isteach Máirt éigin agus bain triail as do Ghaeilge. Níl slua ag teastáil chun daoine a chur ag labhairt in áit ar bith ar domhan- Is Leor Beirt!
www.carlow-nationalist.ie
Doors to 11 new schools set to open
Lúnasa 27, 2013
Tears flowed for infants and parents parting at the classroom door for the first time, but they are not the only ones marking new beginnings this week.
The doors to 11 new schools will swing open over the coming days in response to the latest baby boom. These are newly established schools, separate to new buildings that may be occupied by existing schools. Among them are seven primary schools taking in their first infant classes, five in Dublin, and one each in counties Cork and Kildare. There are two new Galway second-level schools and one each in Dublin and Meath. All 11 are multi- denominational schools under the patronage of Educate Together, local education and training boards (formerly vocational education committees), or An Foras Pátrúnachta. Many are in temporary premises until new purpose-built schools are ready to occupy, but they will only be enrolling infant or first-year classes each year, so it will be a number of years before they all need to have permanent full-capacity accommodation.
The largest new primary school is the Rochestown Educate Together National School in the southside suburb of Cork. It will eventually have a 24-classroom school although it will not be completed this year. But the infant class has already had a taste of what lies ahead in their temporary home at the Douglas Hall soccer club grounds. A play day for incoming pupils at the weekend gave children and parents a chance to meet each other and their teacher Noirín Moore. “The children were very excited to see where their new school will be. We look forward to meeting them all for their first day of school on Thursday, and having a cup of tea or coffee with the parents to mark this special occasion in the lives of their family,” said principal Alan Sheehan. While there are no faith-based schools opening this year, two new denominational second-level schools are set to enrol their first students in 2014. Education Minister Ruairi Quinn announced a year ago that a Church of Ireland school is to open in Greystones, Co Wicklow.
A new school will also open in a year’s time in the Mulhuddart/ Tyrellstown area of Dublin under the patronage of Le Chéile Schools Trust. The eight other second- level schools set to open in Sept 2014 include three all-Irish schools, in Carrigaline, Co Cork, and Balbriggan and Dundrum in Dublin. An all-Irish unit is to be attached to a new school opening in Maynooth, Co Kildare, with the prospect of it becoming an independent Gaelcholáiste if enough enrolment interest is shown in the first four years.
www.irishexaminer.com
Sharp rise in numbers enrolling for primary school
Lúnasa 27, 2013
It is back to school for thousands of Irish children over the coming days, with many primary schools set to open on Thursday and secondary schools in the days that follow.
This year, however, there will be a subtle difference, not noticed perhaps by the tearful junior infants and their parents, but one that will affect them all in the coming years.
Ireland has turned a corner in 2013 and not one that has anything to do with property prices, bond yields or the International Monetary Fund.
From now on, and at least until 2019, the numbers of students accessing primary and secondary education will rise inexorably, putting new pressures on Department of Education and Skills budgets even as Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn considers how to make cuts worth a reported €100 million for 2014.
Early figures
The schools enrolment tsunami is already on the move with a rise in the numbers of pupils going into primary clearly visible y. Full statistics will be available next month from the department but early figures show that it expects 71,000 junior infant pupils to enrol this year.
This is a 15,000 increase on 10 years ago. And based on the numbers now departing sixth class, there will be about 60,000 new students going into post-primary for 2013.
Underlying trend
A single year’s numbers cannot indicate a trend, and in fact the numbers sitting the Leaving Cert exams were in gradual decline over the past few years.
This, however, belies the underlying trend in access to education which according to figures from the department will be strongly upwards. In July it published a document,
Projections of Full-Time Enrolment Primary and Second Level, 2013-2031.
The projections point to rising participation in education at least until 2019 with education at all levels seeing unprecedented increases in student numbers. The education system will be under severe stress unless capital spending can be found to build schools and provide educational facilities right through third level.
Enrolments
Primary enrolments are projected to rise by about 37,000 pupils by 2015, peaking at about 596,000 by 2019 before beginning to reduce, the document says.
Post-primary enrolments will rise by about 16,000 by 2015 but at this level the rise is expected to be sustained through 2026 hitting a peak at about 416,000 pupils before reducing.
While fertility and migration have an impact “the underlying demographic structure of the population is the main driver of changes in enrolment patterns”, the document said. Births increased annually from the beginning of the last decade and began to affect primary school enrolments from the mid-2000s onward.
This wave will be carried right through to third level, something that the Higher Education Authority has repeatedly warned about. Some 60 per cent of students leaving secondary school currently go on into higher education so if the size of graduating classes increases so too will the cohort entering universities and institutes. These will be hitting the system after years of reduced resources, something that has left higher education with a pared-down ability to deal with bigger numbers.
The department says the demographic changes are taken into account during the annual estimates process and funding is provided to match this in terms of teachers, schools and supports for higher education.
Budget cuts would seem to counter any capacity to deal with the extra student numbers, however.
www.irishtimes.com
Tóin ag titim amach as an Ghaeilge mar ábhar GCSE
Lúnasa 27, 2013
Ciarán Dunbar
310 dalta a rinne staidéar ar an Ghaeilge don A-Leibhéal i mbliana, thuas ó 304 dhalta anuraidh. 1,936 a rinne staidéar uirthi don GCSE, arís méadaithe ón bhliain seo caite.
Más scéal maith é sin ar an chéad amharc, is ábhar mór buartha do phobal na Gaeilge sna Sé Chontae é an meath leanúnach atá ar an Ghaeilge mar ábhar GCSE.
Is ionann an GSCE a bheag nó a mhór agus an Teastas Sóisearach sa Phoblacht. Ní féidir comparáid fhurasta a dhéanamh idir an scrúdú ‘A-Leibhéal’ agus an Ardteist áfach ar an ábhar nach dtugtar ach faoi thrí ábhar agus go ndéantar iad sa seachtú bliain ar an mheánscoil de ghnáth, nuair a bhíonn an dalta 18 bliana d’aois.
Rinne 310 duine ‘GSE Irish’ (A-Leibhéal) i mbliana, 249 acu sin i scoileanna.
Arís, má tá cuma scanrúil ar an líon sin ar an chéad amharc ach níl sé chomh dona sin nuair a chuirtear i gcomparáid é leis an líon a rinne an Fhraincis, 482; an Ghearmáinis, 77; ná an Spáinnis, 436. Ar ndóigh, ní dhéantar an Ghaeilge i scoileanna stáit sa Tuaiscirt – mar sin níl aon fháil ar an Ghaeilge ag idir 40% agus 50% den phobal.
304 a rinne an Ghaeilge don Ard-Leibhéal i 2012, 328 i 2011, 352 i 2010, 339 i 2009, 249 i 2008. Maidir leis an leibhéal ‘AS’ (scrúdú a dhéantar san idirbhliain idir GCSE agus Ard-leibhéal de ghnáth agus a ndéantar cur síos air go minic mar ‘leath’ Ard-Leibhéal) rinne 374 dhalta an Ghaeilge i mbliana, titim ó 431 anuraidh. Rinne 385 an scrúdú AS i 2011, 406 i 2010, 163 i 2009 agus 381 i 2008.
Ar an iomlán tá na huimhreacha seo seasmhach go leor.
Chan ionann an scéal maidir leis an scrúdú GSCE áfach.
1,936 san iomlán a rinne ‘Irish’ (Is ábhar eile í ‘An Ghaeilge’ sa Tuaisceart, féach thíos) i mbliana, 1,829 acu sin i scoileanna. Is méadú é sin ón 1,737 a rinne ‘Irish’ i 2012, dul chun cinn go cinnte.
Ach léiríonn na staitisticí ó na blianta roimhe scéal eile.
Rinne 2,052 ‘Irish’ i 2011, 2,068 i 2009, 2,305 i 2008 agus 2,665 i 2007.
Sin titim thubaisteach agus leanúnach agus tá imní léirithe ag gníomhairí Gaeilge agus ag múinteoirí Gaeilge le ‘Meon Eile’ agus sna meáin shóisialta.
Rinne 144 ‘An Ghaeilge’ i mbliana, is scrúdú é seo atá dírithe orthu siúd atá ag freastal ar Ghaelscoil nó a bhfuil an Ghaeilge ó dhúchas acu.
Rinne 143 ‘an Ghaeilge’ i 2012, 121 i 2011, 133 i 2010, 110 i 2009, 128 i 2008, 100 i 2007.
Mar sin de, tá líon na ndaltaí ag déanamh an scrúdú ‘Gaeilge’ ag feabhsú go mall ach go leanúnach, méadú é sin a bhfuil dlúthbhaint aige le fás na Gaelscolaíochta.
Tuairim mhúinteora
Maidir leis an GSCE ‘Irish’, níl an Ghaeilge ina haonar, tá meath ar theangacha mar ábhar scoile i gcoitinne ag an leibhéal seo, a mhínigh Daithí Ó Muirí, múinteoir Gaeilge in Ardscoil Naomh Pól, ar an tSruthán in Ard Mhacha Theas..
“Is ábhar mór buairimh dúinn go léir líon na scoláirí atá ag roghnú Gaeilge faoi láthair. Tá titim thubaisteach i líon na scoláirí atá ag roghnú teangacha ar scoil ó rinneadh iad a dhífheidhmiú ón churaclam i 2006, agus ó íslíodh an stádas s’acu in eochairchéim a trí,” a dúirt sé.
“D’fhéadfadh seo a bheith conspóideach ach ní léir dom go bhfuil an cath caillte ar fad. Tá gá le hathnuachan sa chur chuige a bhíonn in úsáid sa seomra ranga s’againne sa lá atá inniu ann. Ní mór dúinn an Ghaeilge a lonnú sa saol ina bhfuil ár gcuid scoláirí ina gcónaí ann agus a dhéanamh cinnte nach n-amharctar uirthi mar iarsma nó mar rud nach mbaineann leis an nua-aois.
“Is múinteoirí iontach cruthaitheach agus samhlaíoch iad na múinteoirí Gaeilge ó Thuaidh, go háirithe nuair a bhíodh orainn feidhmiú gan na háiseanna cearta bheith againn agus gan an tacaíocht chuí ón rialtas.
“Má táimid ag gabháil a tharrtháil an Ghaeilge sa chóras oideachais s’againne gan a thuilleadh mhoille – ní mór dúinn amharc ar an dóigh a gcuirtear an teanga i láthair an fhoghlaimeora agus na modhanna múinte a bhíonn in úsáid againn,” ar seisean.
‘Gaelfheachtas’ de dhíth
“Is ábhar buairimh é cinnte dúinn mar Ghaeil nach bhfuil an oiread sin scoláirí ag roghnú Gaeilge ar scoil. Fiú sa scoil ina bhfuil mé féin ag teagasc tá titim bheag feicthe againn le 3-4 bliana anuas sna daltaí a roghnaíonn Gaeilge don GCSE ach buíochas le Dia níl mórán d’athrú ar na huimhreacha a phiocann Gaeilge don AS nó A2,” a deir Dessie Tennyson, Ceann Roinne na Gaeilge, Scoil na Mainistreach, an tIúr.
“Is ábhar imní é seo dúinn uilig. In ainneoin gur tugadh aitheantas oifigiúil don Ghaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil na hEorpa ní fheiceann roinnt scoláirí ná a dtuismitheoirí tábhacht leis an Ghaeilge.
“Is dóigh liom go bhfuil ‘Gaelfheachtas’ de dhíth do scoláirí agus a dtuismitheoirí le bród sa Ghaeilge a chothú,” ar seisean.
Torthaí Maithe Choláiste Feirste
Maidir leis na torthaí GCSE i gcoitinne, d’éirigh le formhór de dhaltaí Choláiste Feirste, Tuath na bhFál, Béal Feirste, an t-aon mheánscoil lánGhaeilge neamhspleách sna Sé Chontae, d’éirigh leo ar a laghad an tagarmharc de 5 GCSE A*- C a bhaint amach.
Tá Coláiste Feirste i measc na scoileanna ilchumasacha is fearr sna Sé Chontae, iad sa 7ú áit dar le tuairisc san ‘Irish News’ le déanaí. Ní raibh ach meánscoil amháin (nach scoil ghramadaí í) chun tosaigh ar Choláiste Feirste i mBéal Feirste, sin St. Louise’s.
“Is léir go ndeachaigh an obair iontach a bhí á déanamh ag na daltaí agus foireann na scoile, gan trácht ar thacaíocht na dtuismitheoirí, go mór i bhfeidhm ar bhaint amach na gcailíochtaí; gráid mhaithe a baineadh amach thar réimse leathan ábhar.
Tá muid ag dúil le fáilte mhór ar ais a chur roimh na daltaí agus iad ag leanstan ar aghaidh le hoideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge,” a dúirt Mícheál Mac Giolla Ghunna, príomhoide na scoile i ráiteas an tseachtain seo caite.
Dea-Scéal sna Glinntí
Agus fá dheireadh, tá éacht déanta ag cailín óg i nGlinntí Aontroma óir tá A* bainte amach san A-Leibhéal ag Luíseach Mathers, nach bhfuil ach 14 bliain aici.
Iardhalta de chuid Bhunscoil an Chaistil í Luíseach Ruadh agus is iníon le Réamaí agus Sinéad Mathers í.
“Tá sinn an-bhródúil aisti mar chailín óg 14 bliain d’aois atá in ann A* an bhaint amach,” a dúirt a hathair, Réamaí Mathers le ‘Meon Eile’.
“Ach níos tábhachtaí ná sin go bhfuil sí bródúil féin as a dúchas, as a dúiche agus as a teanga a labhairt mar chuid lárnach dá saol.”
As an 11 páiste i rang a seacht i nGaelscoil an Chaistil, Baile an Chaistil, bhain ceathrar acu A* agus bhain an seachtar eile A amach, éacht eile gan amhras.
[Scrúduithe sa samhradh amháin atá i gceist leis an alt seo]
www.meoneile.ie
Irish language party in Guildhall Square
Lúnasa 26, 2013
Details of the second birthday bash for a drive to get as many people as possible speaking Irish by 2015, have been announced.
In January the Sentinel reported how the Líofa (fluent) party would take place in Londonderry this year. Breithlá Líofa 2012 will be a free event in Guildhall Square on Sunday (September 8) from 1pm to 4pm. It’s now been announced Fearghal Mac Uiginn will host the party, which will feature performances from Gweedore songstress Aoife Ní Fhearraigh, traditional collective Sontas, and acclaimed Scottish singer Maeve Mackinnon who will be joined by Ross Martin and Angus Lyon. Last year Líofa’s first birthday, which took place in Custom House Square, Belfast, attracted criticism from Traditional Unionist voice (TUV) MLA Jim Allister as it cost upwards of £17k.
But Líofa supporters claim the drive has been used to bring communities together, not least at a major cross-community event in Londonderry organised by the Grand Orange Lodge and the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). The organisers of the the forthcoming party are inviting everyone to come along whether they can speak Irish or not. There will be traditional music from Ireland and Scotland, children’s activities and fun for all the family, the organisers say.
www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk
Dream fulfilled as Clon gets purpose-built gaelscoil
Lúnasa 26, 2013
It is the long-awaited fulfilment of a dream for many families and teachers in a West Cork town.
On this Wednesday, students and teachers will march through Clonakilty town to a new, purpose-built gaelscoil. At 10.15am, they will assemble for the last time at the school’s leased classrooms in the Waterfront Buildings on Clarke St. From there, they will leave on foot, walking through the town centre to the new state-of-the-art Gaelscoil Mhichíl Uí Choileáin on Fernhill Road at the western end of Clonakilty. School principal Carmel Nic Airt said the walk should take approximately 20 minutes. “On arrival, there will be a ceremonial raising of the school flag at the new building,” she said. Furthermore, local historian Tim Crowley and wife Dolores, who run the Michael Collins Centre, will present one of a limited series of miniature statues of Michael Collins — similar to a seven feet monument erected at Emmet Square.
The miniature will be on display at the new Gaelscoil building. Ms Nic Airt said that a member of Michael Collins’ family will also be present at the occasion, as will the Mayor of Clonakilty, Phil O’Regan.
Gaelscoil Chloch na gCoillte, as it was first known, started in Sep 1994 with Carmel Nic Airt as its only teacher in charge of just 20 pupils. “Over the years it has moved half a dozen times to rented buildings in various locations around Clonakilty town as pupil and staff numbers grew,” This week, the new term will witness more than 265 pupils and 25 staff move into the new building.
www.irishexaminer.com
Highland Council unveils Gaelic schools map
Lúnasa 23, 2013
Highland Council’s Gaelic education map will provide a guide for parents to source schools that teach the language in the region.
The online map is designed to help parents – both those in the Highland and Islands and those considering moving to the area – to see where they can source Gaelic education in the region.
It pinpoints where the council is currently providing Gaelic education in nurseries, playgroups, primary and secondary schools and also includes details of the number of children attending each of the centres.
Councillor Hamish Fraser, chairman of the council’s Gaelic Implementation Group, said: ”This is an excellent resource and I am sure it will be a valuable tool for the public and for parents.
“The information on the number of pupils in each location also demonstrates the council’s commitment to Gaelic education. We are pleased to provide a new service by informing parents of where we currently have Gaelic provision, providing the opportunity for children to receive bilingual education through Gaelic education.”
A council spokesman explained: “The online map shows where all the Gaelic Nursery and Playgroup provision, both council and partner centres are based, including the number of children attending each of the centres. The map displays the areas where Gaelic Primary School provision is located, the number of pupils attending, and the Associated Secondary Schools where Gaelic is taught.
The resource also highlights the Gaelic Secondary provision, including the number of pupils studying subjects through the medium of Gaelic, those studying Gàidhlig as fluent speakers, and those studying Gaelic as learners.”
The online map can be accessed at www.highland.gov.uk
www.scotsman.com
Áiseanna ar logainm.ie
Lúnasa 22, 2013
Tá pacáiste acmhainní oideachais ar fáil anois ón suíomh logainm.ie, bunachar logainmneacha na hÉireann.
Tá na hacmhainní seo dírithe ar leibhéal na bunscoile, na hiar-bhunscoile agus an tríú leibhéal, ach is féidir leas a bhaint astu ag leibhéil eile freisin, mar shampla ranganna Gaeilge do dhaoine fásta mar aon le déagóirí. Sa réimse do bhunscoileanna mar shampla tá acmhainní dírithe ar pháistí sna ranganna sinsearacha sa bhunscoil. Oireann na hacmhainní do cheantar ar bith sa tír. Tá sé scéim oibre ar fáil, ceann amháin mar réamhrá don ábhar logainmneacha agus cúig chinn bunaithe ar théamaí éagsúla. D’fhéadfaí na hacmhainní seo a úsáid i roinnt ranganna iarbhunscoile chomh maith. Tá na hacmhainní oideachais seo á soláthar mar áis do theagascóirí agus d’fhoghlaimeoirí. Cuid lárnach d’oidhreacht na hÉireann is ea na logainmneacha agus leis an áis nua tá súil go spreagfaidh sé spéis daoine iontu.
www.advertiser.ie
DFP staff received ‘Irish’ promo memo
Lúnasa 19, 2013
ERSTWHILE Finance Minister Sammy Wilson said he didn’t approve the circulation of a free Irish language translation service number for public sector workers amongst his Department in April.
But he said staff at the Department of Finance and Personnel were informed of the helpline’s existence. Mr Wilson said his personal approval was not required but the circular was sent out as it represented value for money. Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) Jim Allister asked the Minister whether he approved the circulation of the document “Courtesy Translation. Re:Freagra – Irish Language Helpline/Gaelchultúr” to departmental staff, and if so, why. Mr Wilson replied: “My officials were notified of the existence of this free helpline in April 2013 and in the interests of value for money advised staff of its existence. There was no requirement for my approval.”
Gaelchultúr was established in 2004 with the aim of promoting the Irish language and various aspects of Irish culture, including music, song and dance, in Dublin and other parts of Ireland. Since 2005, it’s been providing specialised Irish language training to public sector bodies.
www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 19 Lúnasa 2013
Londonderry Sentinel – Kevin Mullan
