Cork communities to discuss the Irish language
September 6, 2011
One of the main objectives of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language is to increase the number of daily Irish speakers to 250,000, but how many of these will be based in Cork?
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge will host a public seminar in the Rebel City at the end of the month, to inform members of the public on the objectives of the Strategy, and to put together an action plan in conjunction with the local people, of how to obtain these objectives at a local level. The seminar, which will be held as part of the series; “Irish in Your Area: Your Language, Your Community, Your Choice”, will be held on 28 September, in Gaelcholáiste Choilm in Ballincollig, from 6.30pm-9pm.
A local speaker from UCC will discuss best practice in the area of language planning in urban settings, and a representative of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairss will discuss the language planning requirements in the Cork area as depicted in the 20 Year Strategy.
Chairperson of the GAA’s National Irish language committee Liam Ó Rinn, will be joined by Jerry Ahern the chairperson of the Niall Ó Cathasaigh branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and together they will discuss the methods with which the GAA and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann aim to promote the Irish language at a grassroots level.
Along with the above speakers, representatives of Cork city and county councils will partake in the seminar, and representatives of locally involved Irish language organisations such as Gael-Taca and Cumann na bhFiann will present their annual action plans for the coming years. Current projects which focus on implementation of the provisions of the Strategy will also be discussed.
Speaking about the seminar, Stiúrthóir of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, Pádraig Mac Criostail said: “The aim of this series of seminars is to inform the public of the opportunities to promote the Irish language under the 20 year strategy, and to begin the process of building and developing Irish speaking networks in the urban areas”.
To achieve the goals set out in the Strategy, it will be necessary to encourage non-Irish speakers to use the language. Everyone is welcome to attend this seminar, whether they have no Irish at all, have rusty Irish from school, or wish to raise their own children through Irish, this fully bilingual seminar will cater for all.
Registration for the seminar is free, and people planning to attend should email their contact details to Cillian de Búrca, cillian@comhdhail.ie to receive further information. Two further seminars in this series will be held later in the year, in Limerick on 21 November, and in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford on 23 November.
©Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 06 Méan Fómhair 2011
