The biggest training weekend for Irish-Language Societies and Irish Officers from third level institutions across the country is being organised for the sixth year running from 12 - 13 October 2012 by Conradh na Gaeilge, Glór na nGael and the Union of Students in Ireland in association with Comhluadar and Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge, with support from the Department of Education and Skills and Foras na Gaeilge.
Peadar de Blúit, Vice President for the Irish Language, Union of Students in Ireland (USI) says: "Up to 100 students come to this training session each year as it's a brilliant opportunity for them to get advice from inspiring people with years of experience working in the Irish-language sector; this year there will be specific sessions with former Irish Society members to focus on different roles within a Cumann Gaelach committee."
As well as offering expert workshops on Irish-language issues over the course of the weekend, the contact details of the Irish Officers and members of the Irish Societies' committee members are distributed amongst attendees so that committees and student union officers from across the country can work together to promote the language throughout the year.
Aodhán Ó Deá, Student Coordinator says: "We have seen a huge improvement in the cooperation between different third level institutions working on national campaigns, lobbying on Irish-language issues and organising Irish events together in recent years, all as a result of the training organised by Conradh na Gaeilge, Glór na nGael and the Union of Students in Ireland in association with Comhluadar and Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge. Tá an réabhlóid ag teacht, the Irish-language revolution is well on its way!"
There is also a private group on Facebook, created as a discussion forum for all the Irish Societies and Irish Officers, and as a way for students from different colleges to share information, ideas, event posters with one another. Student Coodinator Ó Deá provides additional design support for any Cumann Gaelach looking to adapt any poster from the Facebook group for their own event.
Representatives from Irish Societies of the various third level institutions will be welcomed with an ice-breaker and information session in DIT at 6.30pm on Friday, 12 October 2012, where refreshments will be provided and a special guest speaker will talk about the advantages speaking Irish has given them in their own life. The Irish-language chartstation for young people, Raidió Rí-Rá, will host Club Rí-Rá in Club Chonradh na Gaeilge at 6 Harcourt Street on Friday night; the Club will also host a bbq after the training on Saturday.
Students will partake in empowerment workshops on political issues, language rights, third level competitions and language transmission as well as sessions dedicated to organising events, Seachtain na Gaeilge and national campaigns for the Irish language at 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, on Saturday, 13 October 2012.
Lunch will be provided free of charge for all participants and there a limited number of accommodation spaces available for students coming from outside Dublin, but these must be pre-booked by contacting Aodhán Ó Deá at
MORE INFORMATION:
Peadar de Blúit
Vice President for the Irish Language,
Union of Students in Ireland (USI)
+353 (0)83 143 4405 /
Aodhán Ó Deá
Student Coordinator
EDITOR'S NOTE:
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
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is the sole national representative body for students in Ireland. Founded in 1959, USI now represents more than 250,000 students in over forty colleges across Ireland. www.usi.ie
Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community. There are over 200 branches of Conradh na Gaeilge working to promote the language. 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 and other locations across Ireland. www.cnag.ie/courses
Glór na nGael's vision is to develop people's ability and awareness of the language, so as they will be able to use it in every area of life, through a range of competitions between communities with partners local groups across the country in the promotion of the Irish language. Every year Glór na nGael award more than €150,000 worth of prizes to committees from around the country through the concept of a public competition, and Glór na nGael's evaluation process is the equivalent of a language-planning framework, the only language-planning system operating in Ireland. www.glornangael.ie
Comhluadar was founded in 1993 to support parents who want to speak Irish with their children. Comhluadar works on an all-island basis as the primary organisation promoting the transmission of the Irish language from generation to generation and are a united voice in supporting the rights of families to public services in Irish. Parents and children are invited to a wide range of sociable and educational events organised by Comhluadar every month. www.comhluadar.ie
Raidió Rí-Rá is a chart-station for young people playing all the latest music from the charts and broadcasting completely through the medium of Irish. You can listen to Raidió Rí-Rá all year round online at www.rrr.ie, on all Nokia phones, on the iPhone via the station's application, on Android smartphones via TuneIn, and on the DAB platform in Dublin and Waterford. Raidió Rí-Rá aims to have an Irish-language radio station for young people broadcasting full-time on the national FM and DAB platforms. www.rrr.ie
Seachtain na Gaeilge is an international Irish-language festival promoting the use of Irish language and culture, both at home and abroad, running over a fortnight in March every year. Conradh na Gaeilge established the organisation in 1902. The festival gives absolutely everyone a chance to enjoy the Irish language, be they native Irish speakers, language learners or those with only a few words. Next year's festival runs from 4 - 17 March 2013 as part of the year-long Bliain na Gaeilge celebration of Irish and The Gathering. www.snag.ie
Club Chonradh na Gaeilge at 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 is the main meeting place and social spot for the capital's Irish speakers. The bar is open to everyone 6 nights a week from 8.00pm and there is always music and chat in Irish to be heard at various different Irish events held here, including Oíche na Mac Léinn student night, book launches, conversation circles and music sessions. All event information is on the website: www.anclub.ie
Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge was established in 1964. The organisation functions as a support and source of direction to all teachers in the country - who are teaching Irish or through the medium of Irish - in their efforts to expand on their own professionalism and to improve upon the syllabus and learning of Irish. To facilitate this, various teaching resources and professional services are provided in the form of seminars and courses. www.cnmg.ie
