Trasna na dtonnta ’ dul siar, ’ dul siar! Slán leis an uaigneas is slán leis an gcian! Geal é mo chroí agus geal í an ghrian! Geal bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!
Chonac mo dhóthain de thíortha i gcéin, Ór agus airgead, saibhreas an tsaoil. Éiríonn an croí ’nam le breacadh gach lae ’S mé ’g druidim le dúthaigh mo mhuintir’ agus… Trasna na dtonnta ’ dul siar, ’ dul siar! Slán leis an uaigneas is slán leis an gcian! Geal é mo chroí agus geal í an ghrian! Geal bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!
Muintir an iarthair ’s iad cairde mo chroí; Fáilte ’gus fiche beidh romham ar gach taobh; Ar fhágaint an tsaoil seo ’sé guím ar an rí: Gur leosan a shínfear i gcré mé agus…Trasna na dtonnta ’ dul siar, ’ dul siar! Slán leis an uaigneas is slán leis an gcian! Geal é mo chroí agus geal í an ghrian! Geal bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!
December 2011
36 posts
Relations between unionists and nationalists on Belfast City Council are at their lowest point for years.
Unionists walked out of a meeting yesterday in protest over a decision to erect an Irish language Christmas sign at the side of City Hall, claiming it was in “breach” of an all-party agreement.
The Historic Centenaries Working Group and group party leaders were meeting for the first time yesterday to discuss developing a ‘diversity policy’ and the findings of an Equality Impact Assessment on the flying of the Union flag over the City Hall.
However DUP, UUP and PUP members withdrew alongside independent representative Frank McCoubrey minutes after the meeting started.
“All 21 unionists expressed their disgust and anger,” said longstanding Ulster Unionist Jim Rodgers. “When an agreement is reached on issues between Sinn Fein and the Alliance Party they just go on ahead. There is no point talking things through and coming to a decision in a working group if it is going to be changed at a full council meeting.
“We will have to discuss whether the unionists will return to this group in the future. All of this is connected to the souring of relations which has been ongoing since the new council term in June.”
The issue of Christmas lights was raised during a turbulent meeting on Thursday night. Hugh Smyth of the PUP had requested that a ‘Happy Christmas’ replace the ‘Be Festive’ sign at the east entrance to City Hall.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/festive-sign-row-heats-up-belfast-city-halls-cold-war-16086038.html#ixzz1fUiTAlJR
The world’s first social network exclusively dedicated to the Irish language – Abair Leat! – is to launch in the new year. Its creators are busy testing it and are looking for anyone with an interest in the Irish language or interested in learning Irish to become beta testers.
Those interested are asked to log onto Abair Leat!* and create an account with Abair Leat! - to be one of the first people to use the new social network outside the company.
Abair Leat! will be the world’s first social network/user-generated content application exclusively dedicated to Gaeilge.
The online network has the immediate effect of transforming learners into users. Abair Leat! uses custom-made software that checks the percentage of Irish language content in all updates and posts.
The network will be extremely useful for students, with built-in translation and spell check support. The site could also be a great way for students to interact with each other in Irish in preparation for their Leaving Cert or college examinations.
November 2011
21 posts
Madeleine Ni Ghallcobhair, a Fulbright Scholar from an Irish-speaking area of Ireland called a Gaeltacht, set up the projector and faced a class of 12 undergraduate students at Manhattan College in the Bronx. Basic Irish language vocabulary studded the screen: “Is maith liom – I like.”
Ni Ghallcobhair addressed a girl in a green Ireland sweatshirt. “An maith leat e?” she said while gesturing to the male student seated beside her.
The girl blushed. “Are you asking me if I like him?” she said. “Um, yes, is maith liom e.”
Every week, Ni Ghallcobhair teaches Irish language classes at three City University of New York campuses, Lehman College, College of Mount St Vincent, and Manhattan College. She came to New York last August as a Fulbright Scholar on the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant scheme. The exchange program was launched by the Fulbright Commission in Ireland in 2006, and is funded by the Irish government. So far, 47 teaching assistants have been sent to the U.S.
“I’m partly here as cultural ambassador, so I’m trying to teach my students the language, but also a bit of the context, history, and the customs that we have,” said Ni Ghallcobhair. “I’ve been really impressed that a lot of people are really interested in Irish here.”
Click the title to read more of the article, it’s quite long, and also includes a link to this video.
Uair amháin, bhí fear agus a bhean ina gcónaí in Éirinn. Ba an fear ghaiscíoch mór agus bhí grá go mór ag a bhean dó. Go minic, ní raibh sé sa bhaile ach ag cosaint an ríocht ar an rí agus chronaigh a bhean é go mór. Gach am tháinig sé abhaile chaoir sí deaora áthais nuair a chonaic sí é. Bhí said an-shona le cheile agus bhí a fhios sin ag a bhean ní ghortódh sé í.
Lá amháin, bhí an fear imithe as baile, bhí sé ag troid ionróirí ón deisceart. Bhí uaigneas ar a bhean agus bhí imní uirthi faoi é ach suil aici go mbheadh sé ag filleadh. Thiocfadh sé abhaile i gcónaí roimhe seo.
Sa deisceart, bhí an troid fíochmhar. Glaodh an fear “Mac Tíre” ag na gaiscíoch. “Mac Tíre, cailleadh againn cúig chéad fir agus tá na fir ag lorg cúlaigh,” dúirt ghaiscíoch óg. Ní cúlaithe Mac Tíre riamh ach chonaic sé an eagla i súile na gaiscíoch. Bheartaigh sé go culú.
NCAD, in conjunction with Gaelchultúr, will be offering a one-year part-time Diploma in Teaching through Irish (Art), from the end of January 2012.
This programme, which is being supported by COGG www.cogg.ie, is aimed at art teachers who are working in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools or who wish to do so in the future.
The course is also suitable for primary school teachers who wish to teach art through Irish and art students who have an interest in teaching the subject through Irish on gaining their teaching qualification.
Classroom tuition and e-learning will be combined in the course, giving participants the opportunity to undertake course work at home at times that suit them, without the pressure of having to attend weekly classes. Lectures will take place in NCAD in Dublin on four Saturdays in Semester 1 and on four Saturdays in Semester 2.
Students will also have access to learning materials and interactive lessons on the e-learning website www.ranganna.com
Those seeking more information about the Diploma in Teaching through Irish (Art), or who require a brochure and application form, can ring Gaelchultúr on (01) 484 5220 or write toeolas@gaelchultur.com
The brochure and application form can also be downloaded from www.gaelchultur.com
The closing date for applications is Friday, 16 December 2011.
Éamonn Ó Dónaill is available to participate in interviews regarding the Diploma in Teaching through Irish (Art). Contact details: (086) 407 3284; eamonn@gaelchultur.com
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 16 Samhain 2011
D’oscail an tAire Stáit Oiliúna agus Scileanna, Ciarán Cannon comhdháil bhliantúil Ghaelscoileanna ar an Tulach Mór ar maidin.
D’aithin an tAire éileamh suntasach an phobail ar oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge ag gach leibhéal agus thug sé aitheantas do thábhacht na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge chomh maith.
Beidh an chomhdháil oideachais ar siúl ar feadh dhá lá agus ar na hábhair is mó a bheidh faoi chaibidil ag lucht oideachais ná fógairt an Fhorais Taighde ar Oideachas gur léirigh torthaí na dtástálacha náisiúnta ar chaighdeán an Bhéarla agus an mhata sna bunscoileanna lán-Ghaeilge go bhfuil na scoileanna sin i bhfad os cionn an mheáin náisiúnta.
Ba é seo an chéad uair a rinneadh tástálacha ar na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta agus dar le Mícheál Ó Broin, Uachtarán Gaelscoileanna, daingníonn siad an taighde eile a rinne an Láríonad Sármhaitheasa i bhfoghlaim agus Teagasc an Mhata agus an Eolaíocht a thug le fios go raibh buntáistí ag páistí dátheangacha i bhfoghlaim na mata.
Anuas air sin pléifear an Straitéis Náisiúnta Litearthachta agus Uimhearthachta i gcomhthéacs na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge agus beidh ceardlanna agus díospóireachtaí ar na straitéisí is éifeachtaí le barrfheabhas a bhaint amach sna scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge.
©Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 25 Samhain 2011
DONALD CLARKE
REEL NEWS: Veteran Irish documentary film-maker Louis Marcus has been awarded the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland and Foras na Gaeilge special prizes for outstanding work with the Irish language. The great man received an elegant plaque and a cheque for €5,000.
“For myself, I’m greatly honoured to receive this award from my fellow directors and Foras na Gaeilge,” Marcus said at the SDGI event. “But I think it also highlights the tremendous support of the Irish-language sector for serious documentary production from the pioneering days of Gael Linn to the TG4 of today.”
A NEW CD featuring the first ever recording of Daniel O’Donnell singing in Irish will be launched in order to raise funds for a local cancer charity.
‘Le Cuidiu De’ is a compilation of 14 new songs, all written in Irish by Eileen Ni Bhaoill, from Dungloe, Co Donegal.
It is the culmination of work by Ms Ni Bhaoill and Maighread Hanlon, who both felt that traditional music through Irish offered a fresh and innovative way of raising funds for the Donegal Hospice Homecare.
Mr O’Donnell will sing a rendition of ‘Le Cuidiu De’ to the air of ‘You Raise Me Up’.
The song is a re-working of the Brendan Graham classic.
All the artists involved in the new CD offered their services free of charge.
Other artists include Moya Brennan (Clannad), Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh, (Altan and T with the Maggies) and Aoife Ni Fhearraigh.
“Back in August we both agreed that we should record the (songs) and give proceeds to Donegal Hospice Homecare. I chose this charity as cancer affects every home in Donegal,” said Ms Ni Bhaoill.
“I wasn’t sure what singer would suit each song so I asked my friend Daniel to sing ‘Le Cuidiu De’ to the air of ‘You Raise Me Up’. He loved the idea so I got permission to translate the song into Irish from the composer, Brendan Graham.”
The album will be launched in Aislann Rann na Feirste on Saturday, December 10, at 8.30pm.
Priced at €15, copies of the CD will be on sale on the night and can be pre-ordered at www.lecuidiude.com
‘Tis a grand machine gun you have there, officer ;)
Fifteen years on the go, 15 years on the grow: a hearty ‘bualadh bos’ to you, TG4, and a hearty ‘told you so’ to all the doubters and cynics.
When the brainchild of our new president, Michael D Higgins, debuted on Irish screens at the end of October 1996, naysayers and sceptics lined up to prophesy disaster. What a waste of taxpayers’ money, they wailed. Why bother trying to keep this dead language going? We’re ‘modern’ Europeans now and should just speak English.
TG4 — Telefís na Gaeilge as it was then known — would be a drain on exchequer funds before petering away to a miserable, early expiration. But how wrong they were: and good job, too. It would have been unbearable had all those culturally colonised clowns been proven right.
Instead, TG4 carved out a nice little niche for itself: minority interest within the broader broadcasting framework, but with healthy viewership, its future safeguarded and, most importantly, its own identity. It’s now a cool, alternative channel, almost an Irish version of what Channel 4 used to be like before it turned into wall-to-wall reality TV rubbish.
Okay, so even if you only learnt Irish in primary school, you’ll know that any of the letters á, é, í, ó or ú, are called ‘a fada’, ‘e fada’ and so on.
But, look at that. The word ‘fada’ means ‘long’ in Irish. Yeah, simple stuff. But this means that á translates to a ‘long a’. Okay, still simple.
Having two ‘fadas’ in my name, it’s fun to spell out to people who don’t speak Irish. “E what?”
According to everyone I have talked to, the line over the vowel is called a ‘fada’. But, I’ve thought about this, and this doesn’t make sense.
Saying ‘e fada’ does not imply that you write the letter ‘e’ and then write a ‘fada’ over it. It implies that you write a ‘long e’. Do you follow?
So then, if ‘é’ is a ‘long e’ or an ‘e fada’, what is that line actually called?
