Cultúr Club was piloted by Conradh na Gaeilge in partnership with the Consulate General of Ireland for Hong Kong & Macau in the summer of 2016. The Consulate had identified the demand for Irish-language and culture classes for the children of Irish parents and those with strong Irish connections as a way to strengthen the sense of Irish identity within the community.
In April 2016, the Consulate contacted Conradh na Gaeilge for advice on the matter; representatives developed a proposal to this end in May 2016 and travelled to Hong Kong in June 2016 to meet key members of the Irish community and other interested parties in an effort to assess the interests, abilities, and requirements of potential students and their parents.
Having drafted a programme outline and developed a sample lesson plan with sample activities, the Consulate also arranged for Conradh na Gaeilge to run interactive language and culture awareness workshops with over 140 students in local and international schools in Hong Kong and Macau, to gauge and inspire interest in Ireland and the classes.
The interest from both Irish and Asian parents, children, and educators was phenomenal, and the Cultúr Club project was born.
