Groups planning events for the international Irish-language festival, Seachtain na Gaeilge 2012, have only a few days left to register and the TV and radio star Eoghan Mac Diarmada is encouraging everyone to get involved in this year's entertainment!
Eoghan Mac Diarmada is this year's ambassador for Seachtain na Gaeilge and has made his name both at home and abroad as a TV presenter on the new RTÉ programme The Voice and as a drive-time radio DJ on XFM in London. Mac Diarmada is also an actor and a choreographer that has starred in successful shows like the Irish-language drama Seacht and has danced with world-class superstars such as Rihanna, Pussycat Dolls and Chris Brown.
A fluent Irish speaker and someone whom MTV named as one of the best presenters of 2008, it is no surprise that Mac Diarmada was chosen as this year's ambassador for Seachtain na Gaeilge to encourage people across the world to speak in Irish.
The Irish-language festival will run from 5 - 17 March 2012 and Eoghan Mac Diarmada hopes that hundreds of thousands of people will be motivated to use whatever Irish they have at home and abroad again this year. Whether you're Irish or Australian, everyone that is taking part in this massive celebration of the Irish-language needs to register their events with Seachtain na Gaeilge through their website at www.snag.ie by Friday, 3 February 2012, to make sure that they are listed in the official programme for the festival.
Almost all of us speak at least a little Irish, even if it's only a few words, and Seachtain na Gaeilge gives us a fantastic opportunity to use Ireland's own unique language as we celebrate St Patrick's Day and what it means to be Irish in places all around the world - so seize the chance to use your cúpla focal as Gaeilge for this year's SnaG celebrations!
Organisations, local councils, schools, libraries, music, sporting and cultural bodies all register for Seachtain na Gaeilge each year, and groups have until Friday, 3 February 2012 to register their events for this March in time to be included in the official programme for the festival, which will be published in the national Sult magazine towards the end of February.
Brenda Ní Ghairbhí, Acting Manager of Seachtain na Gaeilge said: "Not only do we have the massive relay race and festival for the Irish language, Rith 2012, registered as one of the biggest, most exciting and innovative events being run as part of this year's Seachtain na Gaeilge but we have surfing classes and speed dating in Irish on our programme of events too!
"Local groups around the country run hundreds of Irish-language events for Seachtain na Gaeilge each year and you can keep an eye on www.snag.ie, where the list of festival events will continue to grow apace between now and the registration deadline of 3 February 2012."
In recent years, Seachtain na Gaeilge ambassadors have included the likes of TV presenter Craig Doyle; the boxer Bernard Dunne; Danny O'Reilly, lead singer with The Coronas; and Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, a PhD student and former Rose of Tralee.
MORE INFORMATION:
Brenda Ní Ghairbhí,
Acting Manager, Seachtain na Gaeilge
+353 (0)86 3649776 / +353 (0)1 4757401
Jen Ní Mhathúna,
Administration Officer, Seachtain na Gaeilge
+353 (0)1 4757401 /
EDITOR'S NOTE:
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 has built up incredible momentum in recent years, becoming the largest celebration of our native language and culture held in Ireland every year and sweeping other countries up in the whirlwind along the way. 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. Organisations, local councils, schools, libraries, music, sporting and cultural bodies all register their Seachtain na Gaeilge events with the main office and this year's festival will run from 5 - 17 March 2012. www.snag.ie
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, 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.
