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Celebrating Irish Language Week 2023 with a Programme of Animation, Film, a Family concert and Traditional Music
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council will celebrate Irish Language Week this year through a special programme of projects and events from 1 March to St. Patrick's Day, 17 March. Seachtain na Gaeilge is the largest Irish Language festival in the world celebrating the native language and heritage of Ireland, with great events taking place across different countries every year.
The programme of events will give people the opportunity to enjoy the Irish language through a diverse range of subjects. If you are a new learner or if you are fluent in Irish, you will be warmly welcomed. Music and storytelling can encourage us to learn, grow and be motivated towards the language, and the online materials give people a better opportunity to enjoy the Irish language.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Michael Savage said, “Our local Irish language groups and individuals have shown resilience and determination by coming through the challenges that recent years have presented. I am delighted to see the local Irish language community coming together again to celebrate the language throughout our district during Irish Language Week. The Council has developed projects and events to complement the work done by our local community, and I very much look forward to seeing new Irish language animations and placenames video series on our YouTube channel.”
The Irish Language Bursary Scheme 2023-24 will open on Monday 13 March at 12noon.
To find out more about it and to apply, go to: www.newrymournedown.org/ssng
Key Projects for Seachtain na Gaeilge 2023 will include:
'Unbelievable' launch - An animation series written by local pupils
The 'Unbelievable' project is a series of ten animations produced by production company Boom Clap Play. The basis of the scripts came from creative stories written by ten students from local primary schools during the pandemic. The video series was developed with the support of Council, as well as Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund.
Now that the videos have been completed, there will be a special event at the start of Irish Language Week 2023 to launch them on Wednesday 1 March on the big screen in Newry’s Omniplex Cinema. Pupils from the five all-Irish primary schools in the area, as well as post-primary pupils will come together to see these animation clips for the first time on screen. The series of 10 animations entitled ‘Dochreidte / Unbelievable’ will be streamed on the Council's social media platforms and via the online Irish Language platform ‘Meon Eile’ as part of Irish Language week celebrations this year. To find out more please visit: www.meoneile.ie or
www.youtube.com/@newrymournedowndistrictcouncil
Irish Language Day with 'Ceol na Sióg / ‘Music of the Fairies' Concert - Tí Chulainn
On Saturday 11 March, a special day full of music has been programmed. The first concert entitled 'Ceol na Sióg / Music of the Fairies' with Gráinne Holland will take place at 11:00am in Tí Chulainn, Mullaghbawn.
‘The fairies are inviting you to visit the magical world around us: the natural world. You’ll find them among the flowers, hiding in tops of the trees, in the shade of the full moon or under the waves. The fairies are waiting to share their songs with you.
Join singer, songwriter and storyteller Gráinne Holland and band on a journey to the magical world of the fairy folk. Through stories, songs, music and dance we shall explore the magic and beauty of nature.'
After lunch a special ceremony will take place to celebrate the musical and cultural talents of the south Armagh Irish Language community. The Chairperson of Council, Councillor Michael Savage, will be present in Tí Chulainn to present an award to Gaelphobal Ard Mhacha Theas and commend them for their achievements. There will be a music session as part of this event led by 'Traditional Arts Partnership' from south Armagh.
Video content on the Council's YouTube
During the pandemic, the Council started creating video content for the public which was shared on its YouTube channel and on social media. Now in 2023, there is an online archive of video content for the public to enjoy: www.youtube.com/@newrymournedowndistrictcouncil
Among them, the Council will soon be launching a new series of videos: 'Ar Leac an Dorais Agat / On Your Doorstep'. It is a series of fourteen videos, which give an insight into the placenames to be found in the Newry, Mourne and Down district area. This project has been undertaken with the help of local historical experts, and features aerial photography that gives a stunning ‘birds eye’ view of our locality.
There will be two launches for this video series, the first will take place in the Down County Museum on Saturday 18 March at 12noon and another event in Newry and Mourne Museum on Saturday 1 April at 12 noon, both of which will be open to the public. A news release for the event series including venues and ticketing information will be issued in due course and shared online via the Council’s corporate website and social media channels.
Accelerated Reading Project with Irish Medium Primary Schools
An Accelerated Reading project will be carried out again this year in conjunction with local primary schools. This project provides an excellent opportunity for students in the five Irish-medium primary schools in the area to practice their reading skills by providing them with suitable books.
Down Youth Club – Trip to Saul
A new community organisation has been founded this year with the support of three Irish Language groups in the Newry, Mourne and Down district area called Down Youth Club (Club Óige an Dúin). Conradh na Gaeilge – Boirche Íochtar, Glór Uachtar Tíre and Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail came together to establish this organisation, with the aim of bringing together youth clubs in the area for events, and to ensure that there is enough support and resources at these groups.
A special event will be held for Irish Language Week this year to bring young people from these three Irish groups together for a guided tour to Saul on Saturday 11 March.
Local Groups and Online Resources
Irish Language groups and individuals the world over are organising their own events, many of which will be accessible online. Local Irish language community forum, Fóram an Dúin & Oirialla, through facebook.com/Fóram-an-Dúin-Oirialla can keep you up-to-date regarding online events and resources during Seachtain na Gaeilge and throughout the year.
There are lots of other local Irish language groups who work very hard behind the scenes to enable everyone to celebrate the language. Below is a list of Irish Language based groups on Facebook to help you find out more and become involved.
facebook.com/CrotlieveIrishSociety
facebook.com/cumanngaelach.leathchathail
facebook.com/cumannGaelachNaomhMochai
facebook.com/Gaeláras-Mhic-Ardghail
facebook.com/gaelphobalardmhachatheas
In addition, below are some other great online resources to help you find out what Irish Language events are going on near you or even on the other side of the world!
facebook.com/SeachtainnaGaeilge
instagram.com/snagaeilge
twitter.com/SnaGaeilge
For further information on Seachtain na Gaeilge or the events mentioned above please email gaeilge@nmandd.org or visit www.newrymournedown.org/snag.