Third-level students are being encouraged to become activists for the Irish language under a new scheme ‘Gníomhaí Gaeilge’
By Maura O'Shea
Posted: 26 August, 2022
A new scheme, Gníomhaí Gaeilge, has been set up by Conradh na Gaeilge in collaboration with the Union of Students in Ireland and the Higher Education Authority, that will see students in Ireland using Irish regularly and proudly while active in the Irish language movement.
The new scheme is being supported by the Higher Education Authority through funding totalling €150,000 over three years
The new scheme has been welcomed by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD.
“This is a really positive step driven by our education and student leaders. I have recently discovered a new grá for the language and am embarking on a new journey to learn Irish. I believe those of us in leadership positions have a duty to be custodians of our national language.”
“But we also have to ensure the next generation of leaders have the ability to engage with the language and promote it too. That is why this partnership between the HEA, USI and Conradh na Gaeilge will be a fundamental cornerstone in preserving our national language into the future.”
CEO of the Higher Education Authority, Dr Alan Wall, said the Authority is delighted to partner with Conradh na Gaeilge and the USI in this new approach to preserving, promoting and increasing the usage of the Irish language in Higher Education Institutions.
“We recognise that Higher Education Institutions have an important role in influencing the whole of life language choice and use among students. Gníomhaí Gaeilge has many sustainable features that should result in a positive outcome,” he said.
Conradh na Gaeilge and the Union of Students in Ireland have been collaborating with the Irish Language Societies and with the Irish Language Officers in third level colleges to develop, strengthen and expand them since 1998.
While significant progress has been made, they now want to build on this strong structure.
President of Conradh na Gaeilge Paula Melvin added:
“We are excited to develop the new Gníomhaí Gaeilge mentoring, training and awards scheme in third level colleges in collaboration with USI and with the support of the HEA. We believe that it is important to recognise and support students in their work to promote and engage with the language in their colleges. We believe also that this recognition will stand to them when they seek employment in the future and introduce them to the wider Irish language speaking community, if they are not already part of it.”
The Union of Students in Ireland VP for Gaeilge, Róisín Nic Lochlainn, said the new scheme will help to normalise the use of the Irish language as part of everyday life in higher education.
“By training and awarding students for their use of Irish as part of college life, they will be encouraged to use it more in their future. Normalising its use is vitally important to achieve this momentum,” she said.
The main objective of Gníomhaí Gaeilge is to build on the development, strengthen and increase the number of Irish Language Societies and Irish Language Officers over the last 20 years.
Each student, Irish language society and Students’ Union taking part will be allocated a mentor to support them in their work plan that will be agreed at the start of the year. There will also be Gníomhaí Gaeilge Awards based on the progress of these work plans at the end of the year. In addition there will be individual Gníomhaí Gaeilge Certificate’s for active students on the scheme.
Training workshops will be organised several times a year to equip students/officers with additional skills.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Aodhán Ó Deá
Director of Development, Conradh na Gaeilge
+353863102691| aodhan@cnag.ie
Twitter: @cnag
Follow online: #GníomhaíGaeilge
Tá mic léinn tríú leibhéal á spreagadh le bheith ina ngníomhaithe ar son na Gaeilge faoi scéim nua ‘Gníomhaí Gaeilge’
Tá scéim nua, Gníomhaí Gaeilge, curtha ar bun ag Conradh na Gaeilge i gcomhar le hAontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn agus leis an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas, scéim ina mbeidh mic léinn in Éirinn ag úsáid na Gaeilge go rialta agus go bródúil agus iad gníomhach i ngluaiseacht na Gaeilge.
Tá an scéim nua á tacú ag an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas trí mhaoiniú €150,000 ar an iomlán thar thréimhse trí bliana.
Chuir Simon Harris TD, an tAire Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta fáilte roimh an scéim nua:
“Is céim an-dearfach í seo atá á stiúradh ag ár gceannairí oideachais agus mac léinn. D’aimsigh mé grá nua don teanga le déanaí agus táim ag tabhairt faoi thuras nua chun an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim. Creidim go bhfuil dualgas orthu siúd atá i bpoist cheannaireachta a bheith ina gcaomhnóirí ar ár dteanga náisiúnta.”
“Ach ní mór dúinn freisin a chinntiú go mbeidh an chéad ghlúin eile de cheannairí in ann idirghníomhú leis an teanga agus í a chur chun cinn freisin. Sin é an fáth a mbeidh an chomhpháirtíocht seo idir ÚAO, AMLÉ agus Conradh na Gaeilge mar bhunchloch chun ár dteanga náisiúnta a chaomhnú amach anseo.”
Dúirt Príomhfheidhmeannach an Údaráis um Ard-Oideachas, an Dr Alan Wall, go bhfuil áthas ar an Údarás a bheith i gcomhpháirtíocht le Conradh na Gaeilge agus le hAMLÉ sa chur chuige nua seo i leith úsáid na Gaeilge in Institiúidí Ardoideachais a chaomhnú, a chur chun cinn agus a mhéadú.
“Aithnímid go bhfuil ról tábhachtach ag Institiúidí Ardoideachais maidir le tionchar a imirt ar rogha agus ar úsáid iomlán an tsaoil i measc mic léinn. Tá go leor gnéithe inbhuanaithe ag Gníomhaí Gaeilge agus bo chóir go mbeidh toradh dearfach orthu,” a dúirt sé.
Tá Conradh na Gaeilge agus Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn ag comhoibriú leis na Cumainn Ghaelacha agus leis na hOifigigh Ghaeilge i gcoláistí tríú leibhéal chun iad a fhorbairt, a neartú agus a mhéadú ó 1998 i leith.
Cé go bhfuil dul chun cinn suntasach déanta, tá siad ag iarraidh cur leis an struchtúr láidir seo anois.
Dúirt Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge, Paula Melvin:
“Táimid ar bís chun an scéim nua meantóireachta, oiliúna agus dámhachtainí Gníomhaí Gaeilge a fhorbairt i gcoláistí tríú leibhéal i gcomhar le AMLÉ agus le tacaíocht an ÚAO. Creidimid go bhfuil sé tábhachtach aitheantas agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do mhic léinn ina gcuid oibre chun an teanga a chur chun cinn agus idirghníomhú léi ina gcoláistí. Creidimid chomh maith go seasfaidh an t-aitheantas seo
leo nuair atá siad ag lorg fostaíochta amach anseo agus iad a chur i láthair phobal na Gaeilge i gcoitinne, mura bhfuil siad páirteach ann cheana féin”.
Dúirt Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge, Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn, Róisín Nic Lochlainn, go gcuideoidh an scéim nua le húsáid na Gaeilge a normalú mar chuid den ghnáthshaol san ardoideachas.
“Trí oiliúint a chur ar mhic léinn agus duais a bhronnadh orthu as Gaeilge a úsáid mar chuid de shaol an choláiste, spreagfar iad chun í a úsáid níos mó ina dtodhchaí. Tá sé ríthábhachtach a húsáid a normalú chun an fuinneamh seo a bhaint amach,” a dúirt sí.”
Tabharfar meantóir do gach mac léinn, Cumann Gaelach agus Aontas Mac Léinn a ghlacfaidh páirt ann chun tacú leo ina bplean oibre a bheidh aontaithe ag tús na bliana. Chomh maith leis sin, beidh Gradaim Ghníomhaí Gaeilge bunaithe ar dhul chun cinn na bpleananna oibre seo ag deireadh na bliana. Chomh maith leis sin beidh Teastas aonair Gníomhaí Gaeilge do mhic léinn gníomhacha sa scéim.
Eagrófar ceardlanna oiliúna roinnt uaireanta sa bhliain chun scileanna breise a thabhairt do mhic léinn/oifigigh.
TEAGMHÁIL
Aodhán Ó Deá
Stiúrthóir Forbartha, Conradh na Gaeilge +353863102691| aodhan@cnag.ie
Twitter: @cnag
Follow online: #GníomhaíGaeilge
