Hope and praise in the President of Ireland’s speech for the Irish-language & Gaeltacht community at Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis
The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, opened the Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis with a speech inspiring hope among the Irish-speaking community in Dublin Castle last night (Friday, 26 February 2016), saying:
“With regard to the statistics I mentioned, they ought to be a pillar of hope for the Irish-speaking community in so far as we are going in the right direction. While there were fundamental weaknesses to be found in the various approaches taken by our governments as regards the language since the foundation of the State, it is obvious that the populace’s Irish-language ability, and the good will they feel towards Irish, is a strong foundation upon which we can strengthen and expand the use of the language. The language revival is happening and it is succeeding, and it will endure until we realise our aim.”
It was Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President of Conradh na Gaeilge, who welcomed the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, on the Friday night of the Ard-Fheis (26 February 2016), and he was reappointed unopposed as President of Conradh na Gaeilge for another year at the Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis this morning (Saturday, 27 February 2016).
Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President of Conradh na Gaeilge as reappointed for 2016 – 2017 says:
“The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, reminded the Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis in his speech that the language community ought to take heart from the work that is ongoing to promote Irish. That is not to say that there are not difficulties to overcome as the state system refuses to accept its rightful responsibility for the revival of the Irish language – it seems to me that the state has now adopted a policy of language preservation as opposed to language revival. Ne hundred after Patrick Pearse stood his ground in the GPO, would anyone be confident of attempting to buy so much as a stamp there today through the medium of Irish?
“It has been the custom of the people since before the founding of the state to deal with the state system in English only, and that habit will not be broken without awareness and promotion, but that is the raison d’être of Conradh na Gaeilge. It is up to us – the Irish-language and Gaeltacht community, both branches and individual members of Conradh na Gaeilge and other Irish speakers besides – to raise that awareness, and to foster the promotion of the language. It is time for us to look at the question of the language revival, and at the incredible boost to the morale and spirit of the people of Ireland that would result from undertaking and achieving such a thing, for the revival of the Irish language remains one of the most inspiring and courageous ideas ever.”
The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, commended Conradh na Gaeilge for “standing their ground from the time of its establishment to today,” and wished the organisation the best of luck with its efforts, before he officially launched Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016, an international Irish-language festival that over 750,000 people around the world will take part in from 1 – 17 March 2016 again this year.
Groups working within the community to continuously promote the Irish language will also be honoured at the Ard-Fheis Dinner in Trinity College, Dublin tonight (Saturday, 27 February 2016), as the Gradaim Chonradh na Gaeilge awards will be presented to branches and individual members of the organisation in recognition of their work on behalf of the language as part of the Ard-Fheis for the first time.
ARD-FHEIS CHONRADH NA GAEILGE 2016:
Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis on Facebook: on.fb.me/1QfUtR0
Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis on Twitter: #AFCnaG @CnaG
Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis live broadcast on YouTube (Friday): http://youtu.be/szGpKqbwiag Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis live broadcast on YouTube (Saturday): http://youtu.be/9-QPycvIiw8
The Conradh na Gaeilge 2016 Ard-Fheis will be held in Dublin from 26 – 27 February 2016 and will commemorate the importance of the Irish language for both the leaders of the Easter 1916 Rising and the general public throughout the island at that time. It will be a unique occasion with the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, in attendance to launch Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016 in Dublin Castle on the Friday of the Ard-Fheis, while there will be a special dinner held in the Trinity College dining hall on Saturday night. A wide range of events have been planned through Irish for families, branch members, individual members, and the general public in the capital throughout the weekend, and the full Ard-Fheis programme can be found below. Ard-Fheis Dinner Tickets: €50. Registration & Bookings:
Friday, 26 February 2016
Dublin Castle
19.00 Reception
20.00 Speech and Launch of Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016
- President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins
20.30 Plé 16 Seminar: Conradh na Gaeilge agus Saoirse Intinne
- Peadar Kirby, Professor Emeritus, University of Limerick
- Regina Uí Chollatáin, Head of School, School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore, UCD
- Colm Ó Néill, Vice-President, AMLÉ
- Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President, Conradh na Gaeilge
Saturday, 27 February 2016
Dublin Castle
09.30 Development of Conradh na Gaeilge
10.00 Ard-Fheis Business
- Discussion of the motions in order of priority
- Conradh na Gaeilge
- Reports from associated organisations of Conradh na Gaeilge
- President of Conradh na Gaeilge’s speech
Saturday, 27 February 2016
Dublin City Centre
14.00 – 17.00 Family Day through Irish throughout Dublin city
- History tours
- Museums
- Cultural centres
- Events for families
- Conversation circles
- Guided tours of Mansion House with the Lord Mayor Críona Ní Dhálaigh at 15.00 & 16.00
Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2
14.00 Turas Gaeilge
Jack FitzGerald will give a free guided tour of the Chester Beatty Library in Irish and free tea or coffee will be provided after the tour.
The Band Stand, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2
14.00 Open-air concert with Seo Linn
Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016 ambassadors Seo Linn will be playing a mixture of traditional and modern Irish music on what will hopefully be a lovely spring afternoon! It’s a free concert, open-air, and all are welcome.
Conradh na Gaeilge, 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2
14.00 – 17.00 Bilingual exhibition: Athbheochan na Gaeilge agus Éirí Amach na Cásca | The Revival of the Irish Language and the Easter Rising
The Bell Tower, Campe Nile, Trinity College, Dublin 2
14.30 Irish-language tour of Trinity College Dublin
A student from Scéim Chónaithe Choláiste na Tríonóide, Trinity College’s Irish-Language Residency Scheme, will take visitors on a guided tour of the campus in Irish, starting at the Bell Tower, Campe Nile, at 2.30pm. Following the tour, visitors will be able to gain entry to the Old Library and the Book of Kells with an Irish-language brochure for the reduced price of €5.
Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2
Guided tours of Mansion House with the Lord Mayor Críona Ní Dhálaigh at 15.00 & 16.00
15.00 Irish-Language Tour of Mansion House
16.00 Irish-Language Tour of Mansion House
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Críona Ní Dhálaigh, will provide a special welcome for the public to come to visit Mansion House, and she will personally give a free guided tour of the House in Irish. Mansion House holds an important place in Irish history; built in 1710, many historic events have unfolded there since that time, including the First Dáil Assembly which was held in the Round Room on 21 January 1919.
Saturday, 27 February 2016
Trinity College Dining Hall, Dublin 2
19.00 Reception with music
- Trinity College Tradsoc
19.30 Talk before the meal: Réabhlóid: Conradh, Teanga, Coláiste na Tríonóide
- Dr Éamonn Ó Ciardha, Lecturer in Irish/English Literary & Historical Studies, University of Ulster
19.45 Short drama
- Cumann Gaelach Choláiste na Tríonóide, Trinity College’s Irish-Language Society
20.00 Ard-Fheis Dinner in association with Oifig na Gaeilge, Trinity College’s Irish-Language Office
- Presentation of Gradaim Chonradh na Gaeilge 2016 awards
- Auction
- Céilí agus music with Rónán Ó Snodaigh (Kíla) & other musicians
