Teacher honoured for half century of service to Irish language
July 12, 2010
A man has been honoured for teaching thousands of people to speak in their native tongue over a 50-year period.
Tomás Ó Riordáin got quite a surprise when he attended a Mass in his honour at Scoil na nÓg in Glanmire, for there to meet him were dozens of former colleagues and Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív. “I wanted to be here to pay tribute to Tomás’ 50 years of service to the Irish language. It is dedicated teachers like him who have inspired generations of young people with a love of their language,” said Mr Ó Cuív.
“This love of the language can be seen today with the amount of Gaelscoileanna which are springing up all over the country.” Tomás, who is now teaching the grandchildren of some of his first students, said he was very proud of what he’d achieved. “I also look back and I think of the friendships I made with the other teachers and the pupils. We had a lot of fun and it is great to see Irish schools thriving,” he said.
Tomás was involved in teaching and organising Irish courses in the summer colleges set up by Gaelachas Teoranta, a body established during the Second World War to promote the Irish language and heritage. The first Gaelachas summer courses were organised in Garryvoe, Co Cork, in the 1940s. Tomás’ involvement started in 1960, when the courses took place in Trabolgan, Whitegate. Three years ago Tomás retired as principal of Scoil na nÓg, although he still lives on the campus and remains involved in the summer school.
Around 120 summer school students gave him a standing ovation at last week’s function. Following a Mass said by Fr James Gould, curate at Little Island, Seán Ó Coileáin presented Tomás with a sculpture on behalf of Gaelachas Teo, while on behalf of his colleagues, Donal Stritch presented him with a piece of Cork Crystal. The ceremony was also attended by Tomás’ wife Máire, his son and four daughters — two of whom had flown in for the occasion from their homes in Paris and Rome respectively.
Irish Examiner – Seán Ó Riordáin
12 Iúil 2010
Changes may be considered to Irish curriculum
May 5, 2010
Changes may be considered to a new Irish Leaving Certificate curriculum which places more emphasis on the spoken language because of anger in all-Irish schools, Education Minister Mary Coughlan has hinted.
The Tánaiste was responding to concerns raised by Cabinet colleague Pat Carey about a reduced level of literature and prose in the revised course, which will be taught from next autumn and examined at Leaving Certificate level from 2012. In an effort to boost student interest and oral proficiency in the native language, previous education minister Mary Hanafin announced in 2007 that marks for oral Irish in State exams would be increased to 40% of the overall result.
The oral tests are currently worth 25% of total marks at Leaving Certificate level and 20% for Junior Certificate students, although less than a dozen schools give the option of oral Irish for the earlier exam. But the changes have been strongly opposed by those in the Gaeltacht who fear it will not be fair to native speakers being unable to demonstrate their strong understanding of the language. They would prefer an option of a different curriculum that would allow daily users of the language to show their skills.
Mr Carey, a former primary school teacher, became community, equality and gaeltacht affairs minster in Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s reshuffled Cabinet in March. He was recently reported as saying that Gaeltacht communities are concerned that the course will not challenge students from Irish-speaking homes, and that the amount of literature required under the new syllabus could almost be memorised without being understood.
Ms Coughlan said she has already met the minister on the matter and plans to discuss it with him formally at a later stage.
“I’ve been briefed by a lot of people on the issue. Clearly the focus in any curricular development or change is that, at the end of the day, it’s fair to everyone as opposed to being [for] one side or the other,” she said. “I’d prefer not to say too much about it as of yet. I’m going to consider the views that have been expressed by Minister Pat Carey on that curriculum development and we need time ourselves [in the Department of Education] to assimilate those thoughts,” the Tánaiste said.
She suggested that members of the opposition, who she did not name, wished to water down the role of Irish in education but said this would not happen under Fianna Fáil.
She said her party’s 20-year strategy for the language, which aims to treble the numbers using Irish on a daily basis to 250,000 by 2030, considers many changes that need to take place.
The Irish Examiner – Niall Murray
5 Bealtaine 2010
