€300,000 in grants for An Ghaeltacht
June 26, 2012
The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has recently announced that €300,000 in funding for Gaeltacht areas will be rolled out in the coming months.
The funding has been allocated to several Gaeltacht areas in Galway, Kerry and Mayo.
The €300,000 in funding will have a huge effect on 6 separate projects announced by Minister of State Dinny McGinley during the month of June.
A wide range of projects, both current and new, will benefit from the funding made available by the Department.
The figures and the projects
A grant of €110,000 has been made available to An Gaelacadamh in Spidéal in support of their ongoing preservation and development of the local music, dance and song in the Gaeltacht region.
€100,000 has been granted to the Connacht branch of the GAA to go towards the educational football and handball scheme that is currently being rolled out in Conamara’s schools. The scheme is an opportunity for local schoolchildren to use and develop the language in a fun and informal setting.
Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne will receive €35,000 to assist in the continued employment of their current Irish language co-ordinator who will continue to serve the Corca Dhuibhne community.
A grant of €29,000 has been made available to go towards the annual salary of the current Irish language speech therapist also serving the Corca Dhuibhne community.
Galway County Council will receive €15,000 to assist in the building of a shelter at Cleggan Pier which will be utilised by the people of Inis Boffin.
€10,000 has been allocated for minor repair works in Coláiste Uisce, Mayo, and will also go towards further investment in water sports equipment.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
€1 Million Childcare Centre in Carna officially opened
June 26, 2012
Advancements on a new Childcare Centre in Carna which was officially opened on 18 June were made with an investment of €1 million funded by Pobal and Údarás na Gaeltachta.
“Without a doubt, the centre plays a critical role in providing pre-school and after school services and facilities through the medium of Irish for the local community”, State Minister Dinny McGinley said at the official opening of the Centre.
Forbairt Chonamara Láir played a central role in the development of the centre which has been providing services since September.
There are 40 children attending naíonra, Montessori and after school services and in addition to the Centre’s everyday functions, play groups and summer camps are also available which provide extra support for the local community.
The Centre employs eight childcare professionals and also stands as centre-point in terms of early education through Irish and supporting families raising children through Irish.
The Centre has developed significantly since it opened in September having extended the number of children attending services from 14 – 40 in that time.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
English only service available to Students
June 19, 2012
Students seeking information on financial support for further and higher education can now access a new website www.studentfinance.ie.
The website provides useful information on fees, grants as well as all terms and conditions associated with student grants. This helpful web site gives a detailed account into a range of options that can sometimes be difficult to understand and complex in nature. However, those wishing to avail of the service through Irish will be left disappointed as the website is not fully bilingual. The website offers an Irish language option available at the top of the screen, however, it only displays the page titles through Irish with the rest of the content available only in English. Upon contacting www.studentfinance.ie, the website operators said that the initial aim of the website was to go live. The website is an initiative of The Higher Education Authority (HEA) which is a public company that comes under The Official Languages Act 2003. The HEA also has a very informative website of its own, however it also has very limited Irish language content. The Higher Education Authority is obliged by its language scheme under The Official Languages Act to provide a fully bilingual website. However it does not seem that they are under obligation to provide an Irish version of any other website that is connected to the authority through Irish only the authority’s website itself. www.studentfinance.ie is expected to generate a high amount of interest over the coming period as students finish their exams and as a result of this the Minister of Education has recently asked those interested in applying for grants to do so as early as possible. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) was also launched lately by the Higher Education Authority. The Online application system for Student Grants for the 2012-13 caters for both official languages. This is due to the HEA duty under the Official Languages Act to provide interactive services through Irish and English. The service is quite difficult to find however unless you access it through www.studentfinance.ie. Once the user is using SUSI they are recommended to find further information in relation to the grants from www.studentfinance.ie. Unfournately, due to the fact the www.studentfinance.ie is primarily available in English this puts the Irish Language user at a severe disadvantage.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Leaving Cert Irish – A student tells all
June 14, 2012
In this piece Leaving Cert student, Cathal Ó Céilleachar from Cork studying higher level Irish describes how he dealt with this year’s papers.
I was delighted with this year’s papers, I didn’t have much trouble at all.
I had some troublesome moments of course but I suppose everyone does. I’m pretty sure I did well in the listening comprehension except for when it came to place names – I couldn’t make out some of the places which were mentioned. A minor set back I suppose but it would be good to have known them.
It was pretty much the same story for the rest of that paper. I chose to write an essay under the title ‘Éire:tír oscailte fháiteach í’ (Ireland: An open, welcoming country’) as I felt there was plenty to write about and I was pretty prepared for it. There was another choice to write about crime but that wouldn’t have suited me.
There were no surprises in Paper 2, thank God! I was happy with the way I answered both reading comprehensions and then I had to pick out nouns and tenses which again I didn’t find too difficult. The story I had prepared, “Hurlamaboc” came up on the paper. I had previously answered on this story in my mock exams so I had an idea of what was expected of me – I had an advantage in that sense. I then answered a question on ‘modern life’ which was pretty easy.
Then a question on ‘An tEarrach Thiar’ came up and I thought I gave a good enough answer on that. Another question followed that on sounds and images the poet uses and a question about the poet’s life.
Finally I answered a question on the play ‘An Triail’. I found this part of the exam the most interesting as it was to do with women and hypocrisy. There was great scope for an in depth and creative answer in this section. It wasn’t long then until paper 2 was over which meant the end of Leaving Cert Irish for me.
In the end my school friends and I were very happy with the content in both exams. There were no surprises and they seemed quite fair. That however could have something to do with the fact that we attend a Gaelscoil. I feel I may have had an advantage going into the exam with fluent Irish having used the language everyday in school. It certainly gave me the tools I needed to think in Irish and work fluidly through the paper.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
The rise of An Ghaelscoil
June 13, 2012
An Foras Pátrúnachta and Gaelscoileanna Teo., will hold 2 public meetings at the end of the month to discuss 2 new gaelscoils that will open in Dublin in 2013.
The meetings will take place in Stepaside, Dublin 18, and Tallaght, Dublin 24, and will provide information regarding the new schools to both local communities.
Both schools are due to open in September 2013 under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta.
The schools are part of a scheme announced by Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn in March 2012, which will see 16 primary schools open in the year 2012-2013 nationwide, 4 of which will be gaelscoileanna.
As well as gaelscoileanna in Stepaside and Tallaght, a new gaelscoil will also open in Knockacarra, Galway, in September 2013 and Gaelscoil Chuilinn in Mulhuddart, County Dublin is due to open in September of this year.
The 2011 Census showed that the number of Irish speakers in Ireland has risen by 7.1%, an obvious factor in the rising demand for local gaelscoileanna.
Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, General Secretary of An Foras Pátrúnachta, the largest single patron for Irish-medium schools, said, “the new Gaelscoileanna will greatly add to these areas and will satisfy the huge demand there for Irish-medium education.”
The public meetings will take place at the end of June and people from the local communities, parents and volunteers are all invited to take part. Representatives from both organisations, An Foras Pátrúnachta and Gaelscoileanna Teo., will be on hand to answer any questions and provide information on the benefits of sending your child to a gaelscoil. Parents will also be given the opportunity to pre-register their child for enrolment in the new gaelscoileanna.
The first meeting will take place in Stepaside on Tuesday, 26th June 2012, in Bewley’s Hotel,
Central Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18 at 8.00pm.
The meeting to discuss the new gaelscoil for the Firhouse/Oldbawn area will take place on Wednesday, 27th June 2012, in the Malsron Hotel, Whitestown Way (N81), Tallaght, Dublin 24 at 8.00pm.
Both meetings are open to the public.
For more information contact: Caitríona Bairéad, 01-6294110, caitriona@foras.ie; or Clare Spáinneach 01- 853 5193, cspainneach@gaelscoileanna.ie.
Stádas na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht: Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge 2010/2011
June 6, 2012
“Practical supports urgently needed for Irish speaking families”
April 30, 2012
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge has welcomed the progress made under the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language with the announcement of a new language support programme and a language planning process in Gaeltacht areas.
However, the umbrella body for the Irish language voluntary sector has said that further clarification is required in relation to the roles which various state agencies will play in implementing this work and in particular the role of the Department of Education and Skills.
Yesterday, (April 26th) Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs, Dinny McGinley TD, announced details of the new language support programme and language planning process.
The new language support programme will come into place following the end of Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge, a scheme where an allowance was given to Irish language speaking families in Gaeltacht regions.
Minister McGinley indicated that the new language support programme will make provision for an information campaign in conjunction with the Health Service Executive where information about the advantages of raising children with the Irish language will be provided to new mothers and expectant mothers in hospitals in the western region.
An Chomhdháil recognises this as a valuable starting point however Kevin De Barra, Acting Director of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, says the time has come for more practical measures to support young families who wish to raise their children with Irish and that this should be done in consultation with organisations who have been working in the field for many years such as Comhluadar.
“Gaeltacht families in particular need support as the most recent linguistic study of the Gaeltacht has shown that the language may not survive as a community language in Gaeltacht regions before the full implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language”.
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge has also welcomed the announcement of the development of the Department’s Language Assistants Scheme which supports children attending schools in Gaeltacht in learning and developing their language skills.
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge will insist the Department provides, without delay, the necessary training and support to language assistants, as pledged, to ensure the success of this scheme at community level.
Minister McGinley also announced yesterday, the details of a language planning process for the Gaeltacht. Under the Gaeltacht Bill 2012, which will be put before the Houses of the Oireachtas later this year, Gaeltacht areas will in future be defined based on linguistic criteria, rather than the current geographical approach.
Under the new process, the Gaeltacht will be divided into 19 distinct language planning areas, and a unique language plan will be drawn up for each area.
The language plans will be implemented by co-operatives and community-based organisations funded by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Kevin De Barra, Acting Director of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge questions the choice of grouping together various language communities with different patterns of language use within language planning areas. He notes that one of the areas, Cois Fharraige, in Conamara, is a large region which spans from Na Forbacha further west to Ros an Mhíl, with great language diversity among its residents, some of whom live in Category A communities, and others who live in Category C, as defined in the Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht.
The Minister of State outlined plans to develop inactivates in conjunction with Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in the area of language planning training to community organisations. Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge believes further resources and support must be made available to organisation who already have challenging work programmes in place in order to accomplish the necessary language planning objectives.
A press release issued by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge
Gael Linn Debates
April 17, 2012
Bhí bua na cainte ag daltaí scoile thuaidh agus theas a ghlac páirt i gcomórtais dhíospóireachta Gael Linn le déanaí.
Agus dar le Niamh De Búrca ó Ghael Linn tá na hóráidithe óga réidh le teacht i gcomharba ar Pharnell, Dhónal Ó Conaill agus ar Barack Obama fiú, tar éis a mbua ag
Craobh na hÉireann de Chomórtas an Phiarsaigh Gael Linn 2012 le déanaí.
Ghlac breis agus 150 foireann ó scoileanna fud fad na tíre páirt i gcomórtas díospóireachta na bliana seo agus cuireann sé leis an sprioc atá ag Gael Linn an teanga labhartha a chur chun cinn ar fud na tíre.
Bhuaigh foireann Iar-bhunscoil Mhá Nuad, Co. Chill Dara an chraobh shinsearach ag an gcraobh ceannais náisiúnta a reáchtáladh i bPort Laoise ar an Déardaoin, 29 Márta 2012.
Bhuaigh siad leis an gcás láidir a chruthaigh siad faoin rún, ‘Tá an teideal ‘Oileán na Naomh agus na nOllamh’ tuillte go fóill ag Éirinn!’
Chroch foireann Mheánscoil na Trócaire, Trá Lí, an Corn Sóisearach. Ba iad Liam Mac an Mhaoir, Matt Ó Donnchadha, Aingeal Ní Chonghaola, Máirín Uí Mhuirí agus Féilim Mac Donncha a bhí ag déanamh moltóireachta sa dá chomórtas.
Bhronn Antoine Ó Coileáin, Príomhfheidhmeannach Gael Linn, buanchorn agus duais €1,000 ar na foirne buacacha agus duais €250 an fhoireann ar na foirne eile a bhí rannpháirteach sa chraobh.
Reáchtáiltear comórtas óráidíochta poiblí sna scoileanna i gCúige Uladh chomh maith. Abair is teideal don chomórtas seo a fhreastalaíonn ar scoileanna dara leibhéal.
Reáchtáladh an chraobh i gceannáras an C.L.G. in Ard Mhacha ag Páirc Lúthchleasa Uí Mhuireagáin. Bhí Dónall Mac Giolla Chóill, Seán Ó Maoilsté agus Michelle Nic Pháidín ag moltóireacht.
I gCraobh Abair i bPáirc Lúthcleasaíochta Uí Mhuireagáin in Ard Mhaca, bronnadh an chéad áit ar an gcraobh iomlán ar Roibéard Mac Pharthaláin ó Scoil Mhuire, Machaire Fíolta, Contae Dhoire. Ba í An Ultais a bhí á plé aige ar an oíche. Mol an Óige!
Scoileanna Gaeltachta ag ullmhú don agóid i nGaillimh
April 10, 2012
Pátrúnacht agus bunscoileanna lán-Ghaeilge
April 10, 2012
