Minister Carál Ní Chuilín MLA and Minister of State Dinny McGinley TD will discuss planning for the Irish language in the north and in the Gaeltacht, giving an all-island overview of the future of Irish in Ireland at Conradh na Gaeilge's Oireachtas seminar at 11.00am on Saturday, 3 November 2012, in the Glendowan Suite, Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Minister Ní Chuilín has responsibility for the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) in the north and as well as launching the Líofa initiative last year to encourage fluency in Irish, her Department is currently holding a public consultation regarding the development of an Irish-language strategy for the Six Counties. Minister of State McGinley has responsibility for the Irish language and Gaeltacht affairs in the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the south and his talk at Conradh na Gaeilge's Oireachtas seminar Ag Pleanáil don Ghaeilge ó Thuaidh & Sa Ghaeltacht - Cad Í Do Thuairim? will focus on the implementation of the 2012 Gaeltacht Act.
Niall Comer is President of Comhaltas Uladh, Conradh na Gaeilge's provincial committee for Ulster and Co. Louth, while Cabríní de Barra is the Conradh's Gaeltacht spokesperson, both of whom will also speak about Ag Pleanáil don Ghaeilge ó Thuaidh & Sa Ghaeltacht at this year's seminar as representatives of the Irish-speaking community; the floor will be open to questions for all speakers at the end of the talks.
Donnchadh Ó hAodha, President of Conradh na Gaeilge will chair the 2012 Oireachtas seminar and says: "The years ahead will be full of challenges for the Irish language, the erosion of Irish as the normal language of use in the Gaeltacht on a daily basis and problems teaching Irish included; it is therefore more important than ever that any language-related legislation, north or south, faces these challenges head-on to ensure that Irish survives as a thriving, living language for the next generation of Irish people.
"With Ministers from both Governments speaking at this year's Oireachtas na Samhna seminar organised by Conradh na Gaeilge, everyone is welcome to attend this inspiring talk on Ag Pleanáil don Ghaeilge ó Thuaidh & Sa Ghaeltacht to gain a more comprehensive overview of the future of Irish in the 32 counties, as we ask the audience: what is your opinion on the question of Irish-language planning in Ireland?"
A special launch of Bliain na Gaeilge 2013 and the language initiative's new website at www.gaeilge2013.ie will follow Conradh na Gaeilge's 2012 Oireachtas seminar in the Glendowan Suite, Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal at 1.00pm on Saturday, 3 November 2012. Bliain na Gaeilge is a year of festivities celebrating the Irish language and will include different fun and exciting events organised both locally and nationally throughout Ireland to inspire the public to use their Irish regularly in 2013. END
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Donnchadh Ó hAodha
President, Conradh na Gaeilge
+353 (0)87 2421267 / +353 (0)1 4757401
Julian de Spáinn
General Secretary, Conradh na Gaeilge
+353 (0)1 4757401 / +353 (0)86 8142757
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Líofa initiative was launched by DCAL Minister Carál Ní Chuilín in September 2011. It had the initial goal of encouraging 1,000 people to sign up to become fluent in Irish by 2015. It surpassed this target by the end of the year and, with the total now standing at over 3,000, has a new goal of 5,000 people. The aim of Líofa is to encourage people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities across the north and beyond to learn Irish. Anyone wishing to sign up for Líofa can do so through the DCAL website: www.dcalni.gov.uk/liofa
Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community working to promote the language. There are over 200 branches of Conradh na Gaeilge and since its foundation in 1893, members of the Conradh have been actively promoting Irish in every aspect of life in Ireland and especially its use in their own areas. Conraitheoirí are at the forefront of campaigns to secure and strengthen the rights of the Irish language community. It is also possible to register as an individual member of the Conradh. Conradh na Gaeilge runs Irish courses in Dublin, Galway, Mayo and other places throughout the country as well. www.cnag.ie/courses
Aontas Phobal na Gaeilge (APG) is an alliance of Irish-language organisations working to promote Irish across Ireland and the world through more strategic language-planning. Aontas Phobal na Gaeilge consists of Comhaltas Uladh, Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge, Comhluadar, Conradh na Gaeilge, Glór na nGael and Seachtain na Gaeilge, organisations dealing with different aspects of the promotion of Irish in the community that came together to form a working alliance that would ensure a better provision of services and more value for money. www.aontaspg.ie
Bliain na Gaeilge is a year of festivities celebrating the Irish language and will include different fun and exciting events organised both locally and nationally throughout the island of Ireland to inspire the public to use their Irish regularly. In addition to international gatherings and local activities, there will be festivals, concerts, sporting events, music, drama, literature and dance held on behalf of the Irish language across the country throughout 2013. Join In - Bígí Linn - Let's Celebrate Our Language! www.gaeilge2013.ie
Tóstal Éireann / The Gathering 2013 is an exciting tourism initiative and year-long celebration of Ireland, its people and all that is great about its connections, both at home and abroad. The Gathering Ireland invites anyone who has a link to Ireland or just a love of the country, to come to Ireland for a series of events throughout 2013. Throughout 2013, Ireland will open its arms to hundreds of thousands of friends and family from all over the world - the 70 million people worldwide who claim Irish ancestry included - calling them home to gatherings in villages, towns and cities. The Gathering Ireland 2013 aims to attract 325,000 new tourists from abroad to Ireland in 2013 and to generate €170 million in tourism. www.thegatheringireland.com
