Latest news with #ConradhnaGaeilge
RTÉ News
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Láthair champála Ghaeltachta le filleadh ar an bPicnic Leictreach
Ardán Gaeilge sa Chollchoill agus Láthair Champála Ghaeltachta ag EP mar chuid d'fheachtas Croí na Féile le Conradh na Gaeilge. Beidh Croí na Féile, feachtas de chuid Chonradh na Gaeilge, faoi bhláth arís ag an bPicnic Leictreach agus arís eile beidh deis ag lucht campála a bpubaill a chrochadh i gcomhluadar na nGael sa láthair oifigiúil champála, an Láthair Ghaeltachta. A bhuíochas le tacaíocht ó Festival Republic beidh Croí na Féile ag cur an Ghaeilge i lár an aonaigh ag EP arís i mbliana. Tabharfaidh suíomh an champa deis do dhaoine a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid le linn an deireadh seachtaine. Tá An Láthair Ghaeltachta ann le deis a thabhairt do dhaoine an teanga a chur ag Croí na Féile agus taitneamh a bhaint as spás le campálaithe Gaeilge eile le linn an deireadh seachtaine, le ticéid díolta amach don láthair le blianta beaga anuas. Leanfar leis an mbéim ar chúrsaí athchúrsála agus aire don timpeallacht sa Láthair Ghaeltachta i mbliana, le háiseanna athchúrsála agus eolas maidir leis an láthair - agus an domhan! - a choinneáil glan. Ag labhairt faoin bhféile, dúirt Orlaith Nic Ghearailt, Conradh na Gaeilge: "Tá lúcháir orainn tacaíocht a fháil ó Festival Republic agus láthair champála na Gaeltachta agus an t-ardán sa Chollchoill a thabhairt thar nais go Electric Picnic arís an samhradh seo. Fágann a dtacaíocht leanúnach gur féidir le lucht na féile bheith ag súil le go leor ceoltóirí Gaelacha a chloisteáil i rith na deireadh seachtaine sa Collchoil (Hazelwood) agus is féidir leo clárú don láthair champála Ghaeltachta freisin." Dúirt Melvin Benn, Stiúrthóir Bainistíochta Festival Republic: "Mar an fhéile cheoil agus ealaíon is mó in Éirinn, tá sé tábhachtach dúinne go bhfuil ról lárnach ag an nGaeilge ag Electric Picnic. Ag obair le Conradh na Gaeilge le blianta beaga anuas tá méadú tagtha ar líon na n-ealaíontóirí Gaeilge a bhíonn ag an bPicnic agus i mbliana beidh láithreacht níos mó fós ag an láthair champála Ghaeltachta ag an bhféile. Tá súil againn go n-ardóidh seo ar fad, mar aon le tionscadail eile a bhfuilimid ag obair orthu, feiceálacht na Gaeilge ag Electric Picnic agus go dtabharfaidh sé deis do dhaoine a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid ar feadh an deireadh seachtaine." Clárúchán don Láthair Champála Ghaelach: Tugann Conradh na Gaeilge cuireadh do lucht freastail Electric Picnic teacht agus fanacht sa láthair champála Ghaeltachta, áit ina mbeidh an Ghaeilge mar phríomhtheanga labhartha le ceol, craic agus cannaí i measc na nGael ag an bhféile. Ticéid ar fáil trí Ticketmaster.
The Independent
27-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Irish language group workers strike over funding cuts
Irish language group workers took part in strike action across Ireland on Wednesday over a funding crisis. The action involved more than 40 groups on both sides of the border. including in Londonderry, Dublin, Galway and Donegal. Some of them claim they are having to choose between paying bills or providing services. A number of people also gathered outside Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich in west Belfast. The strike action comes after the cross-border Irish language body Foras na Gaeilge announced funding cuts of 820,000 euro (£679,608). The cuts will directly impact Irish language groups across Ireland, and are expected to result in many community schemes having to be cut in the coming months. Padraig O Tiarnaigh, from Conradh na Gaeilge, said Foras na Gaeilge has suffered a real-time funding cut of 45% over the last 20 years. He said the latest cuts will leave groups unable to offer classes or services. 'We're all at breaking point,' he told the PA news agency. 'Some of these groups have told us that they're now having to choose between whether to pay for their heating or their broadband, cancel their youth clubs or close their premises altogether. 'It is now an existential crisis for groups that have done a huge amount of work to develop the Irish language and offer vital community services.' However, he also said there is funding available from the Irish Government if the Stormont Executive agreed to a new framework. He said Foras na Gaeilge, the north-south body tasked with promoting the Irish language, depends on a match-funding mechanism that must be agreed by both Stormont and the Irish Parliament. 'We believe there is a solution on the table. We know there is extra money available in the south, but that money cannot get through to Foras na Gaeilge due to the funding mechanism that requires match-funding from the northern Executive,' he said. 'Over recent months, both finance ministers agreed a new framework to reform that funding relationship which would allow either Government to provide Foras with additional funding without the need for the equivalent match-funding from the other government. 'There is a big question now for the Executive, particularly the DUP, who have blocked, over the last four or five months, a proposal to amend the north/south funding mechanism. 'They don't seem willing to budge on that, and that is putting the groups here under a lot of pressure through the funding cuts from Foras na Gaeilge.' West Belfast People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll joined the strike action. 'I support the sector, and my kids avail of Irish language education services and will probably be impacted directly by these cuts,' he said. Mr Carroll also said the current funding model for Irish does not work, and described the sector generally as underfunded. 'A lot of that is the fault of the Stormont Executive, there is lip service towards supporting the Irish language sector but when it comes to the funding of organisation, of Irish medium education, it is not enough,' he said.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Irish language group workers strike over funding cuts
Irish language group workers took part in strike action across Ireland on Wednesday over a funding crisis. The action involved more than 40 groups on both sides of the border. including in Londonderry, Dublin, Galway and Donegal. Some of them claim they are having to choose between paying bills or providing services. A number of people also gathered outside Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich in west Belfast. The strike action comes after the cross-border Irish language body Foras na Gaeilge announced funding cuts of 820,000 euro (£679,608). The cuts will directly impact Irish language groups across Ireland, and are expected to result in many community schemes having to be cut in the coming months. Padraig O Tiarnaigh, from Conradh na Gaeilge, said Foras na Gaeilge has suffered a real-time funding cut of 45% over the last 20 years. He said the latest cuts will leave groups unable to offer classes or services. 'We're all at breaking point,' he told the PA news agency. 'Some of these groups have told us that they're now having to choose between whether to pay for their heating or their broadband, cancel their youth clubs or close their premises altogether. 'It is now an existential crisis for groups that have done a huge amount of work to develop the Irish language and offer vital community services.' However, he also said there is funding available from the Irish Government if the Stormont Executive agreed to a new framework. He said Foras na Gaeilge, the north-south body tasked with promoting the Irish language, depends on a match-funding mechanism that must be agreed by both Stormont and the Irish Parliament. 'We believe there is a solution on the table. We know there is extra money available in the south, but that money cannot get through to Foras na Gaeilge due to the funding mechanism that requires match-funding from the northern Executive,' he said. 'Over recent months, both finance ministers agreed a new framework to reform that funding relationship which would allow either Government to provide Foras with additional funding without the need for the equivalent match-funding from the other government. 'There is a big question now for the Executive, particularly the DUP, who have blocked, over the last four or five months, a proposal to amend the north/south funding mechanism. 'They don't seem willing to budge on that, and that is putting the groups here under a lot of pressure through the funding cuts from Foras na Gaeilge.' West Belfast People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll joined the strike action. 'I support the sector, and my kids avail of Irish language education services and will probably be impacted directly by these cuts,' he said. Mr Carroll also said the current funding model for Irish does not work, and described the sector generally as underfunded. 'A lot of that is the fault of the Stormont Executive, there is lip service towards supporting the Irish language sector but when it comes to the funding of organisation, of Irish medium education, it is not enough,' he said.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Irish language to be used in NI courts with repeal of 18th Century law
The Irish language is set to be used in court in Northern Ireland due to the repeal of a law that is almost 300 years old. A proposal to allow the use of Irish in court was contained in the New Decade New Approach deal in January 2020. But it required the repeal of a penal law from 1737 which made it "a criminal offence to use any language other than English" in court. According to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), Secretary of State Hilary Benn has now signed the commencement order which repeals the act. The move has been welcomed by the president of the Irish language organisation Conradh na Gaeilge, Ciaran Mac Giolla Bhein. "This same legislation was repealed in England and Wales well over 150 years ago," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme. "It brings into focus the historical context in which we're talking about a revival of the Irish language," he said. "The reason we need a revival is because Irish was identified as the chief target in the colonial process." He said there was a deliberate process to try to make Irish "extinct". "We need to understand where we've come from, to understand the particular nature of the support that we need," he said. Sinn Féin assembly member Aisling Reilly described the repeal of the law as "a hugely significant moment for Gaels in the north". "For Irish speakers, this is another positive step in the right direction as the energetic revival of the language continues at pace," she added. However, TUV leader Jim Allister MP said: "The repeal of the ban on Irish in our courts is a regressive move in terms of equality, justice and finances. "The change will result in the legal profession becoming more a cold house for the unionist community who are already underrepresented in the sector." Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme, Irish-speaking solicitor Niall Murphy said that "today is a momentous day". He added that the penal law was "a very regressive, malicious set of laws". "That it has taken almost 300 years to have that struck from the statutory record is lamentable but we have to welcome the positives and today is a very positive day for the Irish speaking community." The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act was passed in Westminster in 2022. It enabled many of the language changes agreed by politicians in New Decade New Approach in 2020 to go forward. But parts of the legislation passed in 2022 have to be "commenced" in Parliament. That is what the secretary of state is now doing regarding the use of the Irish language in court. The Administration of Justice (Language) Act (Ireland) 1737 said that all proceedings in courts in the UK "shall be in the English Language". The fine for using another language that was not English was £20 - a hefty sum in 1737. According to the Bank of England's inflation calculator, £20 in 1737 would be the equivalent of about £3,800 in 2025. In a letter to Conradh na Gaeilge, Benn said that while he would commence repeal of the 1737 Act, the implementation would be a matter for the Executive. In a statement, the NIO said: "The provision to repeal the 1737 Act is part of the Identity & Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022, which is for the Northern Ireland Executive to implement. "Implementation of the Identity & Language Act will help enshrine respect and tolerance for all of Northern Ireland's diverse identities, cultures and traditions." BBC News NI has asked the Department of Justice if Justice Minister Naomi Long has to issue guidelines before Irish can be used in legal proceedings in Northern Ireland. A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Department of Justice said that the Justice Minister "welcomes the long overdue repeal of the 1737 Act" and that is an "important recognition of the importance of Irish to many in our community". "It will not, however, change the common law position that English is the working language of the courts", they added. Alliance Executive Office spokesperson Paula Bradshaw said that the move is "belated but welcome". Bradshaw called on the first and deputy first minister to "move forward with the Identity and Language Act in its entirety, and not least with the appointment of the three relevant Commissioners". "There is no excuse for further delay", she added. Cuts to an Irish language bursary scheme were among the reasons the Stormont executive collapsed in 2017. The Department for Communities, under the then minister Paul Givan, cut funding to the Líofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme. Although the funding was subsequently restored, the then deputy first minister Martin McGuinness said the £50,000 cut was part of the reason for his resignation. The New Decade New Approach deal in January 2020, which then paved the way for the restoration of the Executive, included a number of measures for the Irish language and Ulster-Scots. That included the creation of a new Office of Identity and Cultural Expression and two separate language commissioners. One commissioner is to be appointed to "recognise, support, protect and enhance the development of the Irish language in Northern Ireland". The other is to "enhance and develop the language, arts and literature associated with the Ulster Scots/Ulster British tradition". But the role of the Ulster British commissioner has been questioned. And despite the New Decade New Approach deal being agreed five years ago, the commissioners have yet to be appointed. However, simultaneous translation services in Irish and Ulster-Scots can now be used in the Northern Ireland Assembly. In 2024, an Assembly committee heard evidence conducted entirely through the medium of Irish for the first time. BBC News NI experts examine the NDNA deal NI language law could spell significant change Stormont committee hears evidence only in Irish
