Students and societies recognised for outstanding work promoting Irish across campuses nationwide
Last night, students, Irish-language societies, and representatives from Students’ Unions from across the country gathered to celebrate the excellent work carried out in support of the Irish language and Gaeltacht throughout the year through the Gníomhaí Gaeilge scheme and the Glór na gCumann competition.
Storm Eaton Killgallen hosted the ceremony, and the keynote address was delivered by James Knoblauch, a former mentee and Programme Manager of Foraois, who spoke about the importance of community-building and leadership in fostering Irish among young people.
Gníomhaí Gaeilge, established in 2021, is a mentoring, training, and awards scheme that encourages students and societies to use Irish more confidently and actively in their personal lives and within the Irish-speaking community at university. This year, 44 groups took part in the scheme, along with 134 individual students who received mentoring throughout the year. Nearly 70 mentors contributed their expertise to support participants in achieving their goals. All applicants were assessed, and Gold, Silver, Individual Awards, or Certificates of Participation were awarded accordingly.
Fourteen societies took part in the Glór na gCumann competition, which celebrates the vibrant work of Irish-language societies nationwide. Awards were presented for first, second, and third place on the night, along with special recognition awards including the Cross-Community Award, Cross-Border Award, Social Media Creativity Award, and Best New Entry.
Órlaith Ní Thuathaigh, Gníomhaí Gaeilge Coordinator, said:
“Tonight is a celebration of everything achieved through Gníomhaí Gaeilge this year and the incredible commitment shown by students across the programme. It is also an opportunity to recognise the broader work taking place at third level, where students, societies, and unions are actively promoting the Irish language and creating vibrant Irish-speaking communities on campuses across the country. This year has been extremely successful for the scheme, with strong participation, creativity, and leadership demonstrated throughout. I would also like to sincerely thank our mentors, whose guidance and support have been invaluable to participants at every stage.”
Speaking about Gníomhaí Gaeilge, Amy Davies Byrne, a student from Dublin City University, said:
“I am delighted to be here tonight at this special Gníomhaí Gaeilge awards ceremony. Through the mentoring programme and workshops provided, I learned how to promote Irish not only in my personal life but also through my work with my society. This year showed me that students have real power to shape the future of the Irish language on our campuses, and it is incredibly inspiring to be part of that movement.”
For more information about Gníomhaí Gaeilge and how to get involved, visit cnag.ie/gg.
Gníomhaí Gaeilge is run by Conradh na Gaeilge and the Union of Students in Ireland, and is funded by the Higher Education Authority.
Glór na gCumann is run by Conradh na Gaeilge and funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Online:
IG : @gaeltachtx @cnagaeilge
X : @CnaG
CONTACT
Órlaith Ní Thuathaigh,
Gníomhaí Gaeilge Coordinator, Conradh na Gaeilge
Kate Ní Dhubhlaoich,
Communications Executive, Conradh na Gaeilge
