Hunger games filmed as Gaeilge in Naas
HOLLYWOOD may be beckoning for the Gaelscoil Nás na Ríogh sixth class pupils whose’ Irish version of the The Hunger Games has proved an online hit.
Featured on YouTube, thejournal.ie, the 98fm website, and RTE’s News Today, the half hour mini movie was acted out by the students and filmed by their teacher, Lára Ní Dhonnchú. So far, Cluichí an Ocrais has notched up 1,386 views on YouTube.
The 23 pupils took three-and-a-half weeks to shoot the film, which was based on Suzanne Collins’s popular novel, The Hunger Games.
Split into groups, they translated the scenes, wrote the script, added the music and designed various sets. It was then shot in the school’s environs with a smart phone.
One of the stars of the production, Lillie Ni Ghallachoir appeared with her fellow students on RTE’s News Today last week. She said her classmates are delighted with the reaction their film is getting.
“We never expected that it could be so popular,” she said.
She told how it was screened at Christmas for the parents who were also very impressed. Lillie played Prim in the film and her time spent in Brian Brady’s performance classes proved valuable in playing the role. When asked if it was hard to act the whole thing out in Irish, she explained it was no problem because it came naturally to the Gaelscoil pupils. “It was really fun to do,” she added.
- Niamh O’Donoghue
College promotes online learning as Gaeilge
AN Irish language music video app has recently been launched by Coláiste Lurgan, an independent Irish language summer school based in the Connemara Gaeltacht. TG Lurgan is available for free downloading on Android and iOS and can be accessed in the App Store or Play Store. It enables users to enjoy and share music videos as Gaeilge.
It was developed on a voluntary basis by Coláiste Lurgan, providing a wide selection of contemporary Irish language music videos alongside tutorial videos for learning Irish. The next version of TG Lurgan will include a facility whereby members can upload their own productions as Gaeilge, allowing people to enjoy and learn from them.
In 2012, Coláiste Lurgan launched Abair Leat! — the world’s first social networking site dedicated to the Irish language. It’s all part of Coláiste Lurgan’s aim of popularising the use of Irish and broadening its base. As the manager of Coláiste Lurgan, Micheál Ó Fóighil, explains, the app — cited as the Irish language equivalent of MTV and Vevo — allows users to create their own playlists, making people’s favourites even more accessible.
“While the songs themselves provide first class entertainment, they are also an excellent vehicle for language learning. Song and verse have always been a very powerful memory aid, putting essential words and phrases not just on the tip of your tongue, but also into your long-term memory.
“Learners relate to Irish language versions of songs they enjoy listening to as entertainment rather than work. Learning the lyrics helps learners to expand their vocabulary and to speak simple essential phrases in a quick non-tedious way. Any exposure to the Irish language outside of the class situation is a huge plus. Quite a lot of people have learned the lyrics as Gaeilge. It’s quite an effective language learning exercise.”
TG Lurgan recently passed the one million plays milestone since uploading its first video on the Vimeo platform two years ago. Among the most popular productions so far are ‘BEO Lurgan’, an Irish cover version of ‘Some Nights’ by American indie pop band, Fun, with over 80,000 views. Other hits include ‘An Chóisir Rac’ — an Irish version of ‘Party Rock’ by LMFAO with 45,000 views and ‘Lady Ga(eilge)’, a medley of Lady Gaga songs clocking up 40,000 views. TG Lurgan also features many original compositions, such as ‘Damhsa Amhráin’, ‘Céili ar an Trá’, ‘An Buachaill Ceart’, ‘Can Os Ard’, ‘Seans Deirneach’ and ‘An Bráisléid’ to mention just a few.
Ó Fóighil says the songs are used in some Irish language classes, “not just in Ireland, but all over the world. Quite a number of them are Irish versions of contemporary popular music.” The Irish language students record the songs during their sojourn at Coláiste Lurgan during the summer.
10,000 Gaeilge speakers: Dungannon undergoes an Irish renaissance
USE of the Irish language in the Dungannon District is rocketing due to the impassioned work of teachers, educationalists amateur enthusiasts and politicians, it has emerged.
The native language is in such fine fettle that the Dungannon district now boasts the second highest proportion of Irish speakers in Northern Ireland. Almost one in five local people claim to speak some Irish (18 percent), second only to the Newry and Mourne District at 20%.
The extent of the language renaissance was revealed in the latest data released from the 2011 Census.
A total of 10,050 Dungannon residents said they had some ability in Irish.
Language campaigners now believe that the creation of Irish language communities in the local district might be a possibility in the future.
Dungannon Council’s Irish Language Officer Seamus Kilpatrick said there had been an enormous shift in attitudes since the last census in 2001.
The Good Friday Agreement has led to a raft of measures to promote the Irish language, as well as a sea-change in the way Irish is taught in local schools.
Irish medium education in the Dungannon District has also been a big success.
However, hostility to the Irish language still remains.
Last October, DUP politicians accused the council of sending a very bad signal for the Unionist community, after it emerged that a receptionist was greeting callers with “Dia Duit”,
Lord Maurice Morrow said he had been contacted by members of the public who had been answered in Irish when contacting the council.
“I immediately contacted the council for a response and it appears a member of staff took the liberty of addressing callers in Irish, which of course, is not council policy.
“I have been assured this matter has been duly noted. However, this sort of behaviour throws out a very bad signal for the Unionist/Protestant community, who represent over 40% of the borough population.”
It emerged that the receptionist in question was Irish-speaking and had decided to do this on his own initiative.
Áis úr d’fhoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge ar líne
Seolfar suíomh nua QuickIrish.com i mí Deireadh Fómhair 2012, áis do ghlan thosaitheoirí ar líne.
Táthar ag súil go mbaileoidh níos mó ná 300,000 cuairteoirí le chéile ag Tóstal Éireann 2013 lena n-oidhreachta féin a cheiliúradh. Is cinnte go mbeidh cuid mhaith acu fiosrach faoi theanga a sinsir agus ní raibh sé riamh chomh héasca cúpla focal, frásaí agus abairtí a fhoghlaim ar líne.
Cuirfidh QuickIrish.com frásaí úsáideacha ar fáil do dhaoine a bheidh ag tabhairt cuairte ar Ghaeltachtaí in iarthar, deisceart agus tuaisceart na tíre.
Tá an togra seo á fhorbairt ag eTeanga, saineolaithe i dteagasc na Gaeilge agus bunaitheoirí an tsuímh BitsizeIrishGaelic.com, áis eile a thugann deis do dhaoine an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim céim ar chéim I bhfoirm comhrá agus athrá. Tá an suíomh á úsáid ag na céadta foghlaimeoirí ar fud an domhain. Is é Eoin Ó Conchúir a bhunaigh eTeanga agus é ag plé leis an nGaeilge ar líne le 15 bliain anuas.
Má tá suim agat leas a bhaint as QuickIrish.com, is féidir do sheoladh ríomhphoist a chlárú chun go gcoimeádfar ar an eolas thú faoi sheoladh an tsuímh an mhí chugainn.
© Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 12 Meán Fómhair 2012
(Source: gaelport.com)
Dea-scéal do sheirbhísí teanga sa Ghaeltacht
Fógraíodh an tseachtain seo go gcuirfidh an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta breis agus €¾ milliúin ar fáil mar mhaoiniú do chúntóirí teanga sa Ghaeltacht.
D’fhógair an tAire Dinny McGinley go soláthrófar €150,000 sa bhreis ar dheontas na bliana seo caite a chuirfidh leis an bhforbairt atá déanta ar sheirbhísí chúnamh teanga sa Ghaeltacht le cúpla bliain anuas. Ceadaíodh €762,378 san iomlán do Mhuintearas agus d’Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne chun Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga a reáchtáil sa Ghaeltacht sa scoilbhliain 2012/13.
Agus é ag fógairt an deontais dúirt an tAire Stáit “Aithním an tábhacht atá leis an scéim seo mar chuid dílis de chur i bhfeidhm córasach an Chláir Tacaíochta Teaghlaigh agus is cinnte go n-eascróidh tairbhe as an deontas méadaithe atá curtha ar fáil do pháistí na Gaeltachta agus dá dtuismitheoirí atá tiomanta do chur chun cinn na Gaeilge ina dteaghlaigh”.
Leis an deontas is déanaí san áireamh tá breis is €1.6 milliúin ceadaithe ag an Roinn do thograí éagsúla Gaeltachta le trí mhí anuas.
Ceadaíodh €300,000 do thionscadail Gaeltachta le linn mhí an Mheithimh idir €100,000 a soláthraíodh do Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Chomhairle Chonnacht, €10,000 d’obair bheag athchóirithe i gColáíste Uisce agus €29,000 d’Fheidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte i Corca Dhuibhne.
Léirigh an an tAire a chuid tacaíochta do cheol, damhsa agus amhránaíocht na gceantar Gaeltachta le hallúntas €12,000 a ceadaíodh d’fhorbairt Chonamara Láir Teo chun uirlisí ceoil a cheannach, deontas €110,000 a bronnadh ar Ghaelacadamh an Spidéil i mí an Mheithimh, agus €20,000 breise a ceadaíodh i mí Iúil le cur le forbairt ar na healaíona dúchasach an Spidéil. Dúirt an tAire go bhfuil “ról lárnach agus leanúnach ag an nGaelacadamh i gcur chun cinn ceol dúchasach na Gaeltachta agus táimid go mór faoi chomaoin dóibh féin agus na múinteoirí atá fostaithe acu, agus is léir go bhfuil toradh fiúntach ar a gcuid oibre”.
Mar aon le cultúir agus traidisiúin na Gaeltachta, cuirtear le háiseanna turasóireachta agus pobail sna míonna romhainn mar thoradh ar dheontas na Roinne a fógraíodh ag deireadh an tsamhraidh. Ceadaíodh €256,000 Chomharchumann Mhic Dara ar an gCeathrú Rua le foirgneamh a cheannach a bheas mar halla pobail agus cóiríocht don choláiste Gaeilge.
Ceadaíodh €180,260 san iomlán mar chostas athchóirithe agus oibreacha feabhsúcháin ar na hoileáin Ghaeltachta; Árainn Mhór, Toraigh, Inis Fraoich, Inis Oírr, Béara agus Oileán Baoi.
Fógraíodh deontas €50,000 i mí Iúil do Chomhlacht Traenach na Gaeltachta Láir, le ceantar agus oidhreacht Loch Fhinne a chur chun cinn ó thaobh turasóireachta de agus €45,000do Choiste Pobail na Tulaigh, Baile na hAbhann le hathchóiriú an halla phoiblí a chur i gcrích.
Is féidir tuilleadh eolais maidir le maoiniú na Roinne a fháil ar www.ahg.gov.ie.
©Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com - 13 Meán Fómhair 2012
An #Gtuít: tweetup as Gaeilge
#Gtuít: The first ever Irish language tweetup to be held in Dublin this month
#Gtuít, the first ever Irish language tweetup will take place in The Culture Box, 12 Essex Street in Dublin’s Templebar on Thursday 27 September from 6-17.15 pm. Developments in technology as well as the success stories of Irish language campaigns online will be some of topics discussed at the open event which is free to the public.
Irish language news and information website, Gaelport.com is organising the event. It is timely that the event should take place as 2012 has been a phenomenal year for social media and a year where the Irish language community has really harnessed digital media to communicate with speakers across the globe, according to editor of Gaelport.com, Niamh Ní Shúilleabháin.
“We hope to give Irish speakers and those with an interest in digital media and technology the chance to network in person with those who use social networks on a daily basis to communicate as Gaeilge”, she notes.
The event is taking the format of a mash-up between a tweetup and information session but will be open not only to Twitter users but to users of other social networks such as Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ as well as users of the Irish languages own social network Abair Leat which was launched earlier this year.
“We are delighted that one of the founders of Abair leat, Mícheál Ó Foighil will speak at the Gtuít about the abair leat social network and he will also speak about Irish language college Coláiste Lurgan’s sensational success in bringing the Irish language to a new generation on YouTube”, she adds.
Emerging trends and developments on line will also be discussed by Fiachra Ó Marcaigh, Director of internet consultancy firm Amas.
“We hope that the #Gtuít will kick-start a discussion of the role of the Irish language in future technologies and that it will inspire new developers, bloggers, organisations to come together and create new Irish language digital projects in the future”, says Niamh.
An #Gtuít will take place from 6-7.15pm in the Culture Box in Templebar Thursday September 27th. All are invited to attend. Gtuíters wishing to tweet and blog from the #Gtuít are invited to use the #Gtuít hashtag on Twitter and on other social networks.
Gaelport.com is a digital media project of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and receives funding from Foras na Gaeilge. Gaelport.com wishes to acknowledge the support of the Templebar Cultural Trust in organising this event.
For further information contact Niamh Ní Shúilleabháin: 01 679 4780/0879624868 niamh@gaelport.com
www.gaelport.com/gtuit ¦ www.facebook.com/gaelportcom ¦@gaelport ar Twitter
(Source: .gaelport.com)
Common Irish Place name meaning
Baile Town
Ros Headland
Dún Fort
Cnoc Hill
Rinn Heading
Litir Hillside
Loch Lake
Cloch Stone
Rath Ringfort
Béal Mouth
Inis Island
Oileán Island
Trá Beach
Cill Small church
Droichead Bridge
Bun Lowland
Lis Ringfort
Cluain Meadow
For anyone really interested in place names, this website (logainm.ie) is a good resource. It includes Irish names, audio pronunciations, and, for a good amount of places, scanned documents giving translations and etymology of the names of places.
Gaeilge: interview in Irish about learning the language, with a native speaker (subtitled)
Okay, I might be helped by the fact that I’ve studied som Irish, but I think the interviewee is talking slow enough to understand him even without the subtitles, thanks to my Gaelic.
Now, Irish and Gaelic are very similar as I’ve already said - even if they sometimes end up looking completely unintelligible to each other because of spelling and pronunciation - but when spoken it’s really only the speed of speech that complicates things: Irish, as far as I am concerned, is often harder to understand as a lot of sounds are swallowed and not pronounced, in stark contrast to the Lord’s own language Scottish Gaelic.
(Source: youtube.com)
The empty wallet
SIMON TIERNEY finds ways to explore the Irish language and culture on less cash
Conradh na Gaeilge (6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, tel: 01-475 7401) is a good spot for learning the lingo because it’s so central and easy to pop into after work. It operates Irish language classes for adults of all levels throughout the year. The next term begins at the end of September.
CnaG is offering a full term of weekly classes (worth up to €180) to the first five people to email brenda@cnag.ie. For details of times and levels, visit cnag.ie. Even without realising it, we are surrounded by the cúpla focal every day, whether it’s hopping on the Luas at Na Ceithre Cúirteanna or listening to the Luas tannoy. The Church (Jervis Street/Mary Street Junction, Dublin 1, tel: 01-828 0102) hosts live traditional music from Sunday to Wednesday every week. It is offering dinner for two, with a bottle of house wine, in their Gallery Restaurant (normally up to €100), to the first three to email competitions@thechurch.ie with the answer to this question: who was married in The Church in 1761? This is a great spot to enjoy some traditional music in a location steeped in Irish history.
The Newbridge 200 Festival marks the bicentenary of the Co Kildare town, on September 6th-16th. A parade, fireworks, theatre and family activities are some of the events that will be lighting up Newbridge. There are four pairs of tickets (normally €15 for each ticket) up for grabs for the Anúna concert at St Conleth’s Church (Naas Road, Newbridge, Co Kildare) on September 15th. Email hazel@riverbank.ie
Conradh na Gaeilge has set up weekly gatherings around the country for those keen to develop Irish language conversational skills. The scheme is entitled “Is Leor Beirt”, or “It Only Takes Two”. For details see the Campaigns section of their website , cnag.ie.
Irish language play An Triail is being performed by Fíbín at the Hawks Well Theatre (Temple St, Sligo, Co Sligo, tel: 071-916 1518) on November 15th-16th. There are five free pairs of tickets (normally €12.50 for each ticket) available to the first readers to email info@hawkswell.com
Last but not least …
Eumom.ieand ClapHandies.comare running a series of free play coffee mornings during September. Taking place in locations across Dublin, this is an opportunity to chat with other young parents in the community while the kids are entertained. To register, book and find out location details, log on to eumom.ie
(Source: irishtimes.com)
