Cúntóir Naíscoile
April 22, 2013
26th April 2013 is the closing date for School Transport applications for 2013/14 school year
April 22, 2013
School Transport Applications for 2013/2014 School Year
Apply online @ www.buseireann.ie
Don chéad uair déanann Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta freastail ar Chomhdháil Pháirtí an Alliance
April 22, 2013
Éiríonn le Comhdháil Chomhairle na Gaelscolaíochta freastail níos mó ná ariamh a mhealladh
April 22, 2013
Cainéal YouTube speisialta do Ghaeil Óga
April 22, 2013
Crosfhocal Saol na Gaeilge
April 19, 2013
Tá Crosfhocal 193 Aibreán 2013 ar fáil anois. Bain triall as!
CROSFHOCAL 192
Buaiteoirí: €50 ar duine.
Máire Nic Gráinne, Carraig Mhachaire Rois. Co. Mhuineacháin.
Siomha Ní Mhuircheartaigh, Baile an Fheirt?araigh, Trí Lí, Co. Chiarraí.
Buaiteoirí Scoile:
Oisín Ó hEartáin, Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne.
Aifric ní Bhraonáin, Gaelcholáiste Reachrann, Domhnach Míde.
Siansa Gael Linn Final on TG4!
April 19, 2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aysgMIB91IM&feature=youtu.be
Don’t miss a special programme on TG4 at 10.30p.m. on Wednesday, 24 April, featuring highlights from the Siansa Gael Linn 2013 final from the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Eight young traditional music groups took to the stage to battle it out for the prestigous title of All-Ireland Champions in front of an audience of over 1000 people, including the guest of honour, President Michael D. Higgins.
Baile Úrnua ag Coláiste Oiriall
April 19, 2013
Tá gach duine i gColáiste Oiriall, Gaelcholáiste baile Mhuineacháin, ar bharr na gaoithe agus iad i ndiaidh bogadh anonn trasna an bhaile mhóir chuig á mbaile nua ar Champas Oideachais Mhuineacháin i mbaile fearainn Cnoc an Chonnaidh ar Bhóthar Ard Mhacha. I gcuideachta nuathógáil Ghaelscoil Ultain, is é an campas seo an rud is mó riamh a thug spreagadh don Ghaeilge i Muineachán.
Is foirgneamh trí stór é an scoil scothúr seo againn ina bhfuil an chuid is fearr de na saoráidí atá ar fáil. Le hais Choláiste Oiriall tá Halla Spóirt lánmheide ina bhfuil dhá sheomra corpacmhainne agus tá Amharclann nua an Gharáiste go díreach ar leac an dorais acu fosta. Tabharfaidh an foirgneamh nua seo ardú mór meanma do gach duine a thig ina chóir, idir dhaltaí, mhúinteoirí, thuismitheoirí agus chuairteoirí.
Tá cóiríocht Choláiste Oiriall leagtha amach thar na trí hurláir i bhfoirgneamh arb é 4,000m2 a achar iomlán. Le cois na cóiríochta úire seo tá ceithre chúirt peile ann agus, dá gcuirfí le chéile iad, bheadh siad chomh mór le páirc lánmhéide. Tá Páirc Phronntaigh lánmheide acu fosta agus líontán thart timpeall uirthi. Is é atá i Halla Spóirt Barry McGuigan spás dúbailte in airde a bhfuil a aghaidh ar an phríomhbhóthar agus seomraí feistis agus seomraí aclaíochta ar an taobh thoir thuaidh den fhoirgneamh.
Tá na saoráidí seo a leanas acu i gColáiste Oiriall: dhá shaotharlann eolaíochta, dhá Ríomharlann, sainseomraí lánfheistithe Eacnamaíocht Bhaile, Ealaíne, Ceoil, Adhmadóireachta, Innealtóireachta agus Grafaicí, roinnt seomraí ginearálta, oifigí tréadchúraim, oifig shéiplínigh, seomra comhdhála, leabharlann, seomra taispeántais/léirithe, seomra agus oifig Treoirghairme, seomra agus oifig Tacaíocht Foghlama, seomra Urnaí, stóras leabhar, seomra Garchabhrach, oifig ghinearálta, seomra caidrimh do dhaltaí agus ceaintín. Tá siad millte ar fad. “Níl cleachtadh againn ar ghalántacht den sórt seo ná fairsinge ná scotháiseanna ach beimid ag dul i dtaithí orthu sin ar fad feasta”, a deir an Príomhoide, Brendan ó Dufaigh.
Is mian leo uilig i gColáiste Oiriall á mórbhuíochas a chur in iúl don Uas. Máirtín Ó Brien, PF. CGO Cho. Mhuineacháin a raibh an aisling aige agus a thug chun críche í in achar an-ghearr ar fad. Bhí an aisling chéanna againn féin leis agus anois ó tháinig ann di tá siad chun lántairbhe a bhaint aisti. Tá díograis thar na bearta, ráta oibre gan a mhacasamhail agus cur chuige mionchúiseach aige i leith an tionscadail a leanann ar aghaidh gan stad gan staonadh. Togha fir!
Léargas Ginearálta ar an Champas
Tá fána de chóir a bheith naoi méadar ar Champa Oideachais Mhuineacháin é féin ón choirnéal thoir thiar go dtí an coirnéal thoir theas i bhfiarlíne trasna an tsuímh – b’ionann sin agus teach mór trí stór. Tá dhá phríomhghné ag baint leis an suíomh: an N12 ar phríomhbhóthar náisiúnta é agus ar chúl an tsuímh Gleann na hAbhann Móire agus Canáil Uladh.
A bhuíochas don timpeallán nua os comhair nuamhonarcha MTec is féidir le lucht úsáidte an champais teacht agus imeacht go slán saoráideach. Tá dearadh ar leith ar an bhóthar rochtana a éascaíonn saorghluaiseacht chun an tsuímh do roinnt carranna sa dóigh nach mbíonn brú ar bith tráchta ar an N12. Síneann an bóthar nua amach thar chúl an tsuímh agus géaga réidhe amach as ar fhad an tsuímh i dtreo na bhfoirgneamh éagsúil agus na gcarrchlós atá ann feadh an bhóthair. Mar gheall ar an leagan amach ar leith seo tá spás le haghaidh suas le 12 bhus chun daltaí a ligean amach go sábháilte ag an scoil. Stadann na busanna ar thaobh na láimhe clé den bhóthar sna sain-leataobhanna páirceála. Téann na daltaí amach agus ansin gluaiseann na busanna (agus an trácht eile ar fad) go dtí an timpeallán ag barr an tsuímh mar ar féidir leo tiontú amach go sábháilte agus imeacht leo.
Ba é an cur chuige a bhí ag na hailtirí agus iad ag dul i gceann an deartha agus lonnú na bhfoirgneamh gan na cairn mhóra cré a bhí ann a aistriú amach as an suíomh ach ina áit sin buntáiste a bhaint as na leibhéal nádúrtha a bhí ann chun sraith ardchlár nó ardáin a chruthú ag leibhéil dhifriúla de réir mar a bhogfá suas an suíomh ón timpeallán. Iarrtar ar thuismitheoirí agus ar chuairteoirí go ginearálta bheith an-airdeallach agus foighneach agus iad ag tarraingt ar an scoil go dtí go n-éireoidh siad níos eolaí ar leagan amach an champais.
Foramharc ar na Foirgnimh
Is í Gaelscoil Ultain an chéad fhoirgneamh ar do lámh chlé i ndiaidh duit casadh isteach ar an suíomh. Is foirgneamh 16 sheomra é ina bhfuil Halla Ilfhóinteach, Halla EmmaSinead, agus cóiríocht choimhdeach. Tá a carrchlós féin aici agus crios tuirlingthe daltaí chomh maith le hionaid shúgartha, áit súgartha uathúil ar bharr dín, cúirteanna peile agus áit stad busanna ag an suíomh seo. Is struchtúr dhá stór é go bunúsach an foirgneamh ach tá an chóiríocht socraithe ar thrí urlár de bharr na fána. Is 2,500m2 achar iomlán an tsuímh.
Is í an Institiúid Bhreisoideachais an foirgneamh is mó ar an suíomh– foirgneamh ina bhfuil spás do 700 mac léinn. Cuireadh os cionn 200 spás páirceála cairr ar fáil le freastal orthu. Tá an chóiríocht seo ina bhfuil chóir a bheith 7,000m2 leagtha amach go suntasach thar thrí urlár in dhá bhloc scartha atá nasctha le spás aitriam gloinithe. Tá seacht saotharlann ilmheáin ann agus tá a gcuid áiseanna den scoth inchurtha le cuid institiúid tríú leibhéal ar bith sa réigiún.
Tá an Lár ionad Fuinnimh don champas suite i bhfoirgneamh Institiúid Mhuineacháin. Ionchorpraíodh fiontair fuinnimh inbhuanaithe tríd an tógáil ar fad. Tá an campas á chumhachtú ag bruthaire bithmhaise agus cuireadh isteach córas bailithe uisce sa dóigh go mbeidh an leithris á sruthlú le huisce fearthainne stóráilte.
Tá Amharclann an Gharáiste lonnaithe ar shuíomh feiceálach le hais an bhóthair rochtana i dtreo an phointe is airde ar an suíomh. Coinníonn an amharclann suas le 300 patrún de lucht féachana. Tá an suíochánra intarraingthe siar ionas gur féidir úsáid eile a bhaint as spás an phríomh-halla éisteachta mar ionad dearadh seite agus léiriú scannáin. Laistigh den fhoirgneamh seachas an phríomh-halla éisteachta tá spás mór cleachtaidh ann, seomraí feistis, seomra comhdhála agus beár le haghaidh deochanna le linn sos an phríomhléirithe. Is struchtúr dhá stór é seo go bunúsach le hachar iomlán de 1,500m2.
Ba é Sisk agus a Mhac Teo. príomhchonraitheoir an togra, ba iad Opperman agus a Chomhaltaí na hailtirí, ba iad Stiúrthóirí Leading Edge Directors bainisteoirí an tionscnaimh, ba iad Suirbhéirí Mhig Eacháin, Dún Dealgan na Suirbhéirí Cainníochta agus ba iad Comhairleoirí Uí Mhaoileáin na hInnealtóirí Struchtúr. Rinne na comhlachtaí seo sárobair ó thús go deireadh agus tá muintir Mhuineacháin iontach buíoch dóibh. Seo an togra tógála oideachais is mó riamh sa chontae nó in aon chontae eile in aice linn.
Grianghraf: Foirgneamh úrnua an Halla Spóirt, a úsáideann Coláiste Oiriall, atá mar chuid de Champas nua Oideachais Mhuineacháin faoi stiúir an Choiste Gairmoideachais
Education body faces further delay after splits on clauses
April 19, 2013
A split over Catholic versus state schools could scupper progress on a long-awaited single education body for Northern Ireland.
It has emerged that 41 of a total 68 clauses in a Stormont Bill needed to bring Education and Skills Authority (ESA) into operation have failed to win the backing of the Education Committee.
The Belfast Telegraph has learned that political parties represented on the committee, including Alliance, DUP, SDLP, Sinn Fein and UUP, have raised a number of sticking points which could delay the body even further.
These include:
• Concerns over teachers redeployed from controlled schools to Catholic schools being required to obtain a Catholic Teaching Certificate or risk losing their job
• Opposition to the promotion of Irish Medium education
• Opposition to additional support for integrated education
• Fears that the Bill threatens the autonomy of voluntary grammar schools
• Plans to rationalise the schools’ estate through area planning.
The aim of ESA is to replace Northern Ireland’s current five education and library boards as well as the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).
It is designed to save £20m per year and was first planned to begin in 2008. But despite the boards being wound down, it has not yet come in to being.
A source said: “There remains major problems and serious concerns that have not been addressed as far as the Education Bill is concerned. Looking at the report from the committee it is clear that there was no consensus or agreement on most of the issues.”
Alliance Education spokesman Trevor Lunn said that while clarity was sought on a number of clauses in the Bill, it had not been provided by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, or by the Education minister.
He said: “We do not know what we are being asked to agree on. The question of who employs staff in schools has not been resolved.”
The Lagan Valley MLA added: “I do not know where it goes from here. I do not see the Bill coming before the House until this happens. It does have the potential to scupper the Bill.”
Many issues are split down party lines with familiar stand-offs over grammar schools and schools which traditionally educate one section of the community.
It has also come to light that as well as running into political problems the draft legislation has been hit with legal problems.
Sources have said that the Education Bill in its current format means “legally ESA can’t be done”. Described as “technical and complex”. Another source said: “The legal issues will push things back a bit”.
One issue that needs to be resolved is a contradiction that ESA will be the single employer of all staff in schools while stating that boards of governors will be able to continue to hire and fire.
An Assembly question from UUP education spokesman Danny Kinahan has revealed that the non-existent body has now cost the public purse £15m. Mr Kinahan, who sits on the Education Committee, said: “ESA is in trouble. The two main parties have got themselves into difficulties. They have done an unworkable deal.”
The UUP, which wants a single education authority but opposes ESA, has issues with the Bill. When asked about the fresh difficulties ESA has encountered a department spokesman said: “Since the agreement of the Executive to the ESA Bill in September 2012, work has been continuing on track to ensure the establishment of ESA in 2013 in line with the commitment within the Programme For Government.”
The latest hurdles for the troubled body come less than three months before the Department is hoping the Bill will be given Royal Assent with the aim of being operational by September.
It is understood that behind the scenes meetings – including between the DUP and Sinn Fein – have been held in a desperate bid to keep ESA on track. DUP education spokesman Mervyn Storey said: “The Bill has now completed committee stage. The DUP continues to work at the Bill to find a way forward which is in keeping with the heads of agreement. The Bill will be further amended through the Executive before we would support it in the Assembly.”
The Programme For Government has made a commitment that the body will be up and running by the end of this year.
10 of the problems which are causing concern for parties
1 Contradictions within the Heads of Agreement — the road map for the establishment of ESA — that was published by the First and Deputy First Ministers in November 2011.
2 Some Education Committee members strongly opposed the promotion of Irish Medium or integrated education claiming that it would disadvantage other sectors.
3 It was felt the absence of independent control and management of the Education and Training Inspectorate would prevent reasonable and valuable criticism of departmental policy.
4 Concerns expressed that there was conflict of interest with the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment being an exams body and also the exams regulator.
5 The committee requested sight of a list of assets, liabilities and staff posts which are to transfer to ESA and those which are to transfer to the Catholic Church. The department did not provide the information.
6 Members highlight concerns in respect of the requirement for teachers in Catholic Maintained primary schools to possess the Catholic Teaching Certificate. It was argued that in the case of a merger between a Catholic maintained primary school and a controlled primary school, it would be unreasonable to require teachers from the controlled primary to be obliged to obtain the Catholic Teaching certificate.
7 Some members felt ESA’s role and its involvement in employment schemes would have a negative impact on voluntary grammar and grant maintained integrated schools.
8 Concern was expressed about the absence of policy clarity on shared education.
9 The committee did not support suggestions for changes to the compositions of boards of governors.
10 Some members expressed considerable concerns in respect of the proposed enhancement of the powers of school inspectors
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Foilsithe ar 18 Aibreán 2013
Belfast Telegraph – Lindsay Fergus
Cosaint Gaelscoileanna na tíre
April 18, 2013
Ritheadh rún éigeandála ag Ard-Fheis Chonradh na Gaeilge le déanaí ag iarraidh ar an Rialtas gan cur isteach ar pholasaí iontrála na nGaelscoileanna agus na nGaelcholáistí ó thaobh chúlra Gaeilge na dtuismitheoirí nó na ndaltaí de.
Bhí an rún éigeandála seo bunaithe ar thuairimí a foilsíodh sna meáin chumarsáide maidir le dearcadh an Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Ruairí Quinn, i dtaobh pholasaí iontrála scoileanna. Tá ráiteas an Aire maidir le cleachtas rollacháin na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge cáinte freisin ag an eagraíocht Gaelscoileanna agus léiríonn siad díomá faoi mhíchruinneas ráiteas an Aire. De réir na tuairisce, mhaígh an tAire go bhfuil próiseas rollacháin i bhfeidhm i nGaelcholáistí áirithe sa tír ina ndiúltaítear d’iarratas ó dhaltaí mura bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar phríomhtheanga an teaghlaigh. Cáineadh an cleachtas seo agus tuairiscíodh go bhfuil i gceist ag an Roinn Oideachais córas aonchineálach amháin do gach cineál scoile a chur i bhfeidhm mar chuid de dhréacht-bhille nua amach anseo.
Tá bunús taighde ráiteas an Aire ceistithe ag Uachtarán Gaelscoileanna Teo., Máirín Ní Chéileachair, agus tá molta aici “go mbeadh sé níos réadúla breathnú ar bhunús na faidhbe seo, is é sin nach bhfuil an soláthar ag teacht leis an éileamh. Dá ndéanfaí freastal cuí ar an éileamh suntasach atá ann do scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge ní bheadh reachtaíocht de dhíth ar an gceist seo.
www.advertiser.ie/galway
Foilsithe ar 18 Aibreán 2013
Galway Advertiser – Lár Sráide – Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha
