Cé sinne 

Comhpáirtíocht phobail is ea Barr na gCnoc a bhunaigh an tOllamh Pádraig Ó Macháin (Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh) i bpáirt le Phil O’Flynn, Príomhoide, agus foireann Choláiste Phobail Thraolaigh Mhic Shuibhne, Cnoc na hAoine, Corcaigh. Cumasc idir dualgas UCC i leith na páirtíochta pobail agus an dualgas um thaighde agus teagasc is ea Barr na gCnoc. Cuireann an tionscnamh píolóiteach seo acmhainní acadúla, daonna agus praiticiúla sa Ghaeilge ar fáil ar mhaithe leis an bpobal.

Cad a dheineamair

Sa bhliain 2017 chuaigh UCC i bpáirt le Coláiste Pobail Thraolaigh Mhic Shuibhne i gCnoc an Chuilinn, Cnoc na hAoine, chun tacaíocht a thabhairt dóibh i mbunú Aonaid Lán-Ghaeilge sa scoil, mar a ndéanfaí gach ábhar a theagasc tré Ghaeilge, ón gcéad bhliain ar aghaidh go dtí an Ard-Teistiméireacht. Freagra ar éileamh ón bpobal féin ab ea é seo, go gcuirfí rogha sa mheánoideachas ar fáil dá bpáistí i gceantar ina mbraitheann go leor daoine go bhfuil siad fágtha i leataoibh ag an saol. Tugadh cuireadh do UCC páirt a ghlacadh sa togra seo, agus ba dá thoradh sin a bunaíodh Barr na gCnoc faoi cheannas an Ollaimh Phádraig Ó Macháin, Stiúrthóir Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha. Osclaíodh an tAonad (Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne) i 2019, agus tá tacaíocht UCC ag leanúint ar aghaidh ó shin.

Ar na mórghnéithe den dtacaíocht sin tá:

• Abhcóideacht tré oibriú i bpáirt le tuismitheoirí agus rannpháirtithe eile i gcruinnithe poiblí agus ar ócáidí eile, agus tréna shocrú go bhféadfadh idir thuismitheoirí agus dhaltaí turasanna a thabhairt ar champas UCC.

 

• Tacú le múinteoirí tré ranganna feabhais sa Ghaeilge a sholáthar sa phobalscoil Bhéarla chun éascú a dhéanamh ar aistriú na múinteoirí go dtí an tAonad nuair is gá sin, agus tré leanúint leis na ranganna sin laistigh den Aonad chomh maith. Is iad An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta a dheineann urraíocht ar na ranganna seo.

 

• Tacú le daltaí tré

– scoláireachtaí a sholáthar do dhaltaí céad bhliana an Aonaid. Tarlaíonn bronnadh na scoláireachtaí seo ag ócáid bhliantúil i UCC.

-urraíocht a dhéanamh ar sheal foghlama sa Ghaeltacht do na daltaí i gCampas seachtrach UCC i mBaile an Fheirtéaraigh, Co. Chiarraí.

-urraíocht a dhéanamh ar obair dheonach ag mic léinn UCC le daltaí an Aonaid (imeachtaí agus clubanna obair bhaile).

• Tacú le tuismitheoirí tré pháirt a ghlacadh in oícheanta faisnéise, agus tré ranganna Gaeilge a chur ar fáil dóibh um thráthnóna.

Agus an tionscnamh píolóiteach seo ag dul chun cinn, tharraing Barr na gCnoc ar thaighde idirnáisiúnta ó Ollscoil Phennsylvania (Netter Center for Community Partnerships) chun múnla a chruthú don bhfeabhsú oideachais a bhí bunaithe ar theoiric agus ar phraitic. B’é bun agus barr an taighde sin ná go dtairbhíonn daltaí scoile go mór de theacht a bheith acu ar fhoghlaim oiriúnach teanga, de roghanna éagsúla oideachasúla, d’acmhainní uileghabhálacha pobail, agus de dheiseanna cothroma a bheith ar fáil dóibh. Tá an togra píolóiteach seo bunaithe go hiomlán ar chaidreamh leis an bpobal ónar tháinig an t-éileamh seo chéad uair. Baineann sé leas as bun-shonraíocht náisiúnta um scoileanna DEIS maidir le míbhuntáiste oideachais.

 

Páirc an Chrócaigh, Bealtaine 2023 

Tionchar

Tá comhpháirtíocht torthúil cruthaithe ag Barr na gCnoc a théann chun tairbhe an dá pháirtí. Tá feabhas á chur ar chaighdeán na beatha agus na foghlama sa scoil agus sa phobal, agus an pobal féin á chumasú anuas air sin. Tá tiomantas UCC i leith an chaidrimh phobail curtha chun cinn chomh maith. Ar thionchair an togra go dtí seo tá:

Cruthú Acadúil

B’iad an chéad díorma de dhaltaí 2019-2020 an chéad bhuíon riamh de dhaltaí Chnoc na hAoine a dhein scrúduithe stáit tré mheán na Gaeilge. Bhí a dtorthaí i dTeastas Sóisearach 2022 ar chomhchéim le torthaí scoileanna nach scoileanna DEIS iad, rud nach nós le scoileanna DEIS de ghnáth a mbíonn a dtorthaí níos ísle de ghnáth (S.M. Nelis et al., Beyond achievement (2021); E. Smyth et al. Learning from the Evaluation of DEIS (2015).

Capatal Sóisialta Feabhsaithe

Bhí páirt nár bheag ag an bpobal i mbunú agus i bhfás an Aonaid, arbh é éileamh na dtuismitheoirí ar rogha san oideachas mar cheart daonna a bhunús. D’eascair feabhas suaithinseach ar an gcapatal sóisialta – an pobal ag cur le chéíle chun leasa an uile dhuine – as seo, agus é le feiscint sa chur le chéile ag gach aon chéim den dtogra.

Féachaint Suas Oideachasúil

Toradh neamhchoitianta a bhaineann le Barr na gCnoc ná an t-athrú atá tagtha ar an tslí ina mbreithníonn na daltaí agus a dtuismitheoirí ar an ard-oideachas anois. Roimhe seo ní ritheadh an t-ard-oideachas leo mar sprioc réalaíoch, ach anois áirítear ina fhéidearthacht inrochtana réasúnta é. Do réir staidéir a deineadh ar an dtogra:

Parents and pupils of this new Irish-medium school, without exception, expressed the view that third-level education, and specifically UCC, had now become an aspiration of parents/guardians and an ambition of all pupils . . . It seems clear that one of the reasons for this remarkable shift in attitude is the presence of University College Cork . . . throughout the establishment process of this new school, and their continued presence and involvement as the school develops.

Aitheantas náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta

Is mó rud atá bainte amach ag Barr na gCnoc ar féidir a thoradh a thomhas ar na duaiseanna atá buaite ag Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne:

• Duais Gaisce an Uachtaráin
• Gaelbhratach Fhoras na Gaeilge
• Duais Euroscola, Parlaimint na hEorpa (i bpáirt le Coláiste Pobail Thraolaigh Mhic Shuibhne) 2023
• Duais Náisiúnta ‘Ríomheolaíocht’, Féile Kinia Tech 2023

Tharla an barr bua go luath Mí na Bealtaine 2023 nuair a bhuagh na daltaí an ‘Virgin Digital Innovators Award’ i searmanas i bPáirc an Chrócaigh, as leabhar dátheangach Códú 4 U a scríobh agus aip a chumadh a ghabhann leis.

Daltaí scoile ó Ghaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne ar cuairt i gColáiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh

An méid a d’fhoghlaimíomar

Léiríonn múnla Barr na gCnoc an mianach atá sa chaidreamh sóisialta, agus mianach tograí a bhíonn comh-dheartha leis an bpobal, chun torthaí dearfacha a ghiniúint. Tá léirithe aige freisin gur féidir le hollscoileanna acmhainní straitéiseacha a chur ar fáil go cuimsitheach agus go leanúnach do scoileanna DEIS agus do na pobail a bhaineann leo, agus gur rud é seo arbh fhéidir a mhacasamhail a chur ar bun ar bhonn náisiúnta i gcomhthéacsaí eile DEIS.

Ar na príomh-thorthaí foghlamtha tá:

• Tábhacht na Gaeilge mar chumasóir sóisialta, agus í ina huirlis chun an dalta agus an pobal a chumasú.
• Cumas Institiúidí Ard-Oideachais obair i bpáirt le pobail chun tabhairt faoin mhíbhuntáiste san oideachas, agus chun béim á leagaint ar idirghabháil a dhéanamh go luath.
• Ach caidreamh leanúnach páirtitheach a chruthú, conas is féidir le hinstitiúid tríú leibhéal tionchar claochlaitheach a bheith aici ar dhaltaí, ar scoil, agus ar phobal.
•  Conas is féidir le cruthú an chapatail shóisialta – cothú an mhórtais i measc na ndaltaí agus an phobail, mar shampla – gaiscíocht a spreagadh lasmuigh den scoil, ag leibhéal náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta.

 

 

Barr na gCnoc: University Assisted Community Schools Pilot Initiative

Who we are

Barr na gCnoc is a community partnership co-ordinated by Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin, Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha, University College Cork, with staff in Terence MacSweeney Community College, Knocknaheeny led by Principal, Phil O’Flynn.  It marries UCC’s commitment to community engagement with our research and teaching missions, to bring academic, human, and material resources in the Irish language into action for the benefit of the community.

What we did

In 2017 a community partnership was formed between UCC and Terence MacSweeney Community College, Knocknaheeny, Cork, to support the establishment of an Aonad Lán-Ghaeilge in the school, where all subjects would be taught through Irish from first year to Leaving Certificate. The proposal to establish the Aonad came from the local community’s demand for educational choice in an area of high socio-economic exclusion. An invitation to UCC to become involved resulted in the collaboration titled Barr na gCnoc, led by Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin, Head of Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha. The Aonad (Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne) opened its doors in 2019, and UCC support is ongoing.

Prominent aspects of this support include:

• Advocacy through engagement with parents and key stakeholders at public meetings and other fora, and hosting visits by parents and students to UCC campus.
• Teacher Support is provided through upskilling classes in the English-speaking parent-school to enable transfer of teachers, when required, to the Aonad Lán-Ghaeilge, and continuing this support within the Aonad itself. These classes are sponsored by An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta.
• Student Support consisting of
  • a scholarship scheme, sponsored by UCC, for first year entrants to the Aonad. An annual scholarship award ceremony is hosted by UCC.
  • sponsorship of Gaeltacht residency courses for pupils in UCC’s external campus in the Kerry Gaeltacht.
  • sponsorship of an undergraduate student-volunteer programme (event organisation, homework clubs).
• Parent Support including engagement through information nights, and support for language acquisition/upskilling through evening classes in Irish.

As it progressed, Barr na gCnoc drew on international evidence from the University-Assisted Community Schools programme at the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships to develop a theoretically and empirically informed education-improvement pilot model, embracing the idea that those learners who have access to culturally appropriate language-learning, holistic community resources, and equal opportunities, are better equipped to develop and flourish in society. This pilot initiative is firmly based on community demand and community engagement, and responds to national DEIS school baseline data on educational disadvantage.

Croke Park, May 2023

Impact Achieved

Barr na gCnoc created a mutually beneficial partnership that is improving the quality of life and learning in the school and the community and empowering the community while advancing UCC’s community engagement. Noteworthy outcomes to date are:

Academic Performance

The 2019-2020 cohort were the first group from Knocknaheeny to sit state exams through Irish. The Junior Certificate results of 2022 matched non-DEIS schools, overcoming a trend where DEIS schools show lower attainment scores in State exams (S.M. Nelis et al., Beyond achievement (2021); E. Smyth et al. Learning from the Evaluation of DEIS (2015).

Increased Social Capital

Community participation was crucial to the establishment and growth of the Aonad, which originated in parents’ advocacy for educational choice as a human right. The establishment and continuous development of the school was supported by strong community participation, leading to improved levels of social capital – the gelling of societal connections for the betterment of all.

Educational Aspirations

Improved educational aspirations was an outstanding impact of Barr na gCnoc as the beneficiaries of the project now see higher education as a realistic future possibility. A study commissioned in 2021 stated that “. . . parents and pupils of this new Irish-medium school, without exception, expressed the view that third-level education, and specifically UCC, had now become an aspiration of parents/guardians and an ambition of all pupils . . . It seems clear that one of the reasons for this remarkable shift in attitude is the presence of University College Cork . . . throughout the establishment process of this new school, and their continued presence and involvement as the school develops” .

National and International Recognition

There have been many achievements from the Barr na gCnoc project including a range of awards for Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne:

• The President’s Gaisce Award
• Foras na Gaeilge’s Gaelbhratach
• Euroscola at European Parliament for pupils to be MEP for a day
• National Ríomheolaíocht Award at the Kinia Tech Féile

A major achievement for the students in 2023 was winning The Virgin Digital Innovators Award for the bilingual book and app written and designed by the pupils of the Gaelcholáiste, Códú 4 U.

 

Pupils from Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne visiting University College Cork.

What we learned

The Barr na gCnoc model demonstrates the potential of societal engagement and community co-designed initiatives to produce positive outcomes. It also demonstrated that universities have the potential to provide strategic sources of comprehensive and sustained support to DEIS schools and their communities, as well as being replicable in other DEIS contexts nationally.

Key Learnings

• The importance of the Irish language as a social enabler and a tool for empowering students and their community.
• The potential for Higher Education Institutions to collaborate with communities to address educational disadvantage, with a strong focus on early intervention.
• How sustained and collaborative engagement by a third-level institution can have transformative impact on pupils, school, and community.
• How a focus on building social capital, such as generating pupil and community pride, can provide the ignition for achievements beyond the school, at national and international level.