Website offers free lessons as Gaeilge
March 21, 2014
GAEILGE has just gone global.
In honour of St Patrick’s Day, the language-learning website Duolingo has announced that it will include the Irish language on the site. And it has asked Gaelgoirs to come on board and volunteer to help build the new course.
The service is completely free to use, employing a crowd-sourced business model where companies pay to have content translated by contributors.
Duolingo boasts more than 25m users across the world and encourages people to learn a variety of languages via games. Irish Language Commissioner Ronan O Domhnaill has said that the addition of our native language is a good thing.
RESOURCES
“The more resources there are for people to learn Irish, the better,” he said. “Anything like this, assuming the standard is correct, will be a welcome development for the language.”
Duolingo is now recruiting contributors for its “incubator” system, which is expected to take months to complete and will require translations for thousands of sentences.
“We need to know as many translations as possible for each sentence, so when learners are asked to translate, we can tell them if their answer is correct,” they said. However, some users reacted negatively to the decision, which one asking: “Can we have something useful like Mandarin Chinese or Russian?” Others were more positive: “I’ll definitely study. I want to know the language of my ancestors.”
Some 77,000 Irish people use the language on a daily basis.
www.herald.ie
First meeting of Partnership Forum takes place
March 21, 2014
Questions regarding independence of Lead-Organisations under new Forum structure
The results of a rationalisation process on the voluntary organisations core-funded by Foras na Gaeilge were announced in January. Six organisations out of nineteen were selected to receive funding under the new model, and the other organisations will have their funding cut from 30 June 2014.
Under the new model, two forums have been established – an all-island Partnership Forum and a Language Forum for the island which will be made up of groups and community organisations funded by Foras na Gaeilge.
The first meeting of the Partnership Forum took place on Wednesday, 19 March 2014, with the heads of all six Lead-Organisations and senior executives from Foras na Gaeilge in attendance.
The Partnership Forum has been established following instructions from the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) to restructure the funding process of the Irish language core-funded sector. The Partnership Forum will be agreeing a strategic plan for the sector and each other’s plans and ensuring that the lead organisations will be working closely together in the best interests of the language.
While Foras na Gaeilge has stated that the six Lead-organisations will continue to operate independently while carrying out responsibilities within their field, questions have been raised regarding independence from the funding body, Foras na Gaeilge, who lead the Forum.
Foras na Gaeilge said that more meetings of the Partnership Forum will take place in the coming weeks at which language and strategy planning experts will be made available to ensure that all plans keep with principle and best practice.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Run for Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha!
March 20, 2014
Buíochas as tacaíocht Sheachtain na Gaeilge
March 20, 2014
Follow in Cú Chulainn’s Footsteps in 3D
March 19, 2014
On the 23rd of January, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh officially launched ‘In Cú Chulainn’s Footsteps’ in Croke Park, a new innovative aid designed to engage children in learning while promoting Irish culture and the language at the same time. The video game was designed and created by Irish company Duineacu.
The game, which features hurling at its centre, sees the main character travel through a mystery island solving puzzles and riddles as he goes and encountering famous places and names from the worlds of music, literature, sport and folklore as part of his tasks.
The game is a 3D adventure, driven by mouse clicks or screen taps and a school version is available which is adaptable depending on the needs of teachers.
The game features amongst others Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Clannad, Kíla and Sharon Shannon.
Francisco Blásquez, company owner, spoke at the launch and said “we are really happy that Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh was able to launch this game ‘In Cú Chulainn’s Footsteps’ here in Croke Park today. We are very grateful to all the people who helped us during the project and we are delighted that most of them are here with us today. We are very proud of the game and we are hopeful that there will be a good demand for the game in schools and amongst young people.
Speaking on behalf of Foras na Gaeilge, CEO, Ferdie Mac an Fhailigh said ‘games like this are extremely important in promoting the Irish language among young people and the educational aspect will give it particular importance in the school setting and for young people in the home. I have no doubt that this will greatly enhance language acquisition of pupils. As the language can be changed or the level of language and game material can be adapted to the age of the children, it will be very useful for teachers for a wide range of subjects.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Liam Ó Néill: “It is heartening to see the Irish language and various other aspects of our rich culture sitting at the heart of this exciting project.
“As a school teacher I am acutely aware of the benefits of modern innovative aids such as these when they are used in the correct way.
“I laud everyone in the project and wish it well and especially congratulate Francisco whose interest and passion for the Irish language and Irish culture is hugely impressive given his Spanish background.”
Duineacu is an Irish company based in County Meath and provides a series of advanced internet technology services and interactive/educational services and games.
Duineacu was founded in 2012 to develop these kinds of games and projects, ICF being the starting point. The company has a background in the development videogames company in Spain with a very successful track record.
In 2005 they were lauded as creators of VCS, a new technology that allows visually impaired people to move around 3D environments as a new way of integration.
Based on this technology, they developed a 3D videogame dubbed in 5 languages with the collaboration of top Spanish celebrities.
The game was supported by ONCE, the big organization in Spain for Blind People. They created as well a videogame called Piopa, in order to detect bullying in schools. The Video intro of this game was also well received.
After this, the company founders decided to create a new game based on the Irish mythology, and focused on Cú Chulainn as one of the most important epic references of Irish Mythology. In 2009 they came to Ireland to start working on the project being launched today.
Company Contact – Francisco Blásquez – 086 7878909
Company Website – www.duineacu.com
Happy St Patrick’s Day from Gaelchultúr
March 19, 2014
Irish culture was celebrated all over the world yesterday. Here in Gaelchultúr we would like to keep the celebration going, so from now until 5pm on Friday, 21 March, you can register for any of the following courses on our e-learning website, ranganna.com, for half-price:
Gaeilge gan Stró! – Beginners Level (3 months: €22.50, 6 months: €40, 12 months: €74.50)
Gaeilge gan Stró! – Lower Intermediate Level (3 months: €22.50, 6 months: €40, 12 months: €74.50)
Gramadach gan Stró (3 months: €22.50, 6 months: €40, 12 months: €74.50)
Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr
Comhairleacht & oiliúint Ghaeilge|Irish language consultancy & training
www.gaelchultur.com | www.ranganna.com | www.siopa.ie
+353 (1) 484 5220 | 1890 252 900 | eolas@gaelchultur.com
Call for applications
March 19, 2014
Further to our announcement of March 3rd, this is to inform you or our call for applications for the positions of Irish Language Instructors for 2014-15.
The Ireland Canada University Foundation provides these awards to support the teaching of Irish in certain universities in Canada, with funding from the National Lottery and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The primary objective of this program is to support the growth and development of the Irish Language in Canada. Irish Language Instructors are appointed to teach the language in our partner universities, as well as to support the development of language in the wider community in which they are situated domain .
The Foundation wishes to appoint Irish Language Instructors for the nine-month period , September 2014 – May 2015 .
For more information on the awards, and to view the terms and conditions and application forms, please visit www.icuf.ie/clar-gaeilge/teagascoiri.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday, March 25, 2014.
With best wishes
James Kelly
Príomhoifigeach Feidhmiúcháin
www.icuf.ie
@ICUF_awards
Aoife Elster appointed as prinicpal of Coláiste Ghlór na Mara, Balbriggan
March 19, 2014
Gaelscoileanna Teo. would like to wish Aoife every success in her new role. You’ll find further information on the school here.
Imní ar iriseoirí RTÉ faoi ‘easpa clúdaigh’
March 19, 2014
Club Óige Rann na Feirste ag ceiliúradh na Gaeilge
March 19, 2014
