A Fun-Filled Seachtain na Gaeilge at Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin
March 24, 2014
We had a fantastic Seachtain na Gaeilge here in the Cultúrlann for the whole community both young and old and for both learners and Irish Speakers alike. We kicked off our event on World Book day with the fantastic “Little Festival of Books.” This is the 2nd year we have organised this festival in association with Derry City Council. Children from the city’s 3 Gaelscoileanna came to the Cultúrlann to celebrate books. Lúrapóg Larapóg put on a fantastic show for children performed by children. This excellent performance featured Singing, storytelling, dancing and music and all the children were able to take part. In the afternoon, Gearóidín Bhreathnach, the renowned Donegal Storyteller caught the pupils imagination with a selection of stories and legends, both newly written and long standing. We hope to make this book festival a yearly event.
We also saw the hard work of Club Óige Setanta, Triax and especially the hard work of local Gaelscoil students and the Sollus Highland Dancers pay off when they held an Irish language Flash Mob during Seachtain na Gaeilge. This colourful Flashmob happened in Foyleside to the great surprise of shoppers and it featured Irish Dancing, Hip Hop Dancing and Highland Dancing and a fantastic rendition of the Irish version of “Wake me up”. This performance both surprised and delighted passersby and it certainly sparked their Irish spirit.
Linda Irvine, the Irish Development Officer with the East Belfast Mission also dropped in on the Cultúrlann during Seachtain na Gaeilge to give a presentation and have a discussion about the Hidden History of Protestants and the Irish Language. We also launched an exhibition called “The Living Language” which gives insight into the same topic. This discussion gave learners and Irish Speakers a chance to gain an insight into an aspect of Irish that isn’t known by the public at large and it also gave them the opportunity to discuss problems and possibilities with Linda herself.
We finished off the very busy Irish week with St. Patricks Day in which we had a full day of events available to the public completely free of charge. The Cultúrlann was full with families all enjoying the Story telling, the Balloon Modelling, the Face Painting, the Music Sessions and the especially the Fanzini Bros. These 2 crazy Kerry men brought their Irish Language Circus show to the Cultúrlann and wowed young people and old with their antics.
We had a host of other events during Seachtain na Gaeilge as well and this is only a taste of the programme we had. Now we have to start planning for next year’s events.
Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin
37 Mórshráid Shéamais
Doire
BT48 7DF
