Clár ilchineálach forbartha le haghaidh Sheachtain na Gaeilge 2024 Diverse Programme of Events to Celebrate Irish Language Week 2024

Déanfaidh Comhairle Ceantair an Iúir, Mhúrn agus an Dúin ceiliúradh ar Sheachtain na Gaeilge i mbliana le hábhar agus imeachtaí speisialta ó 1 Márta go Lá Fhéile Pádraig, 17 Márta.  Is í an fhéile Ghaeilge is mó ar domhan Seachtain na Gaeilge. Déanann an fhéile ceiliúradh ar theanga dhúchais agus chultúr na hÉireann.   

Cuirfidh na himeachtaí deis ar fáil do dhaoine sult a bhaint as an Ghaeilge trí réimse leathan gníomhaíochtaí: siúlóidí treoraithe, ábhair físe, seónna puipéadóireachta agus Féile Scoildrámaíochta. Is cuma cé acu is foghlaimeoir nua thú nó is cainteoir líofa thú, cuirfear fáilte mhór romhat. Spreagfaidh na gníomhaíochtaí agus na himeachtaí toil agus suim daoine i leith na teanga. Spreagfaidh siad daoine leis an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim agus tabharfaidh na hábhair físe ar líne deis níos fearr do dhaoine taitneamh a bhaint as an Ghaeilge.

Dúirt Cathaoirleach na Comhairle, an Comhairleoir Valerie Harte, “Tá sé tábhachtach don Chomhairle seo go gcluinimid agus go bhfeicimid an Ghaeilge thart orainn, ní hamháin le linn Sheachtain na Gaeilge, ach i rith na bliana, agus ní hamháin sa phobal ach laistigh den eagraíocht féin chomh maith.  Ar an ábhar sin, tá mé an-sásta Maidin Chaifé a eagrú sa Chomhairle le Seachtain na Gaeilge 2024 a cheiliúradh. Déanfar sin i gcuideachta Comhairleoirí agus ball foirne na Comhairle ó na ranna éagsúla.”

Roinnt Príomhthograí le haghaidh Sheachtain na Gaeilge 2024:

Grúpa nua Tuistí agus Tachráin: Seal Spraoi 
Bíonn an Chomhairle ag obair le grúpaí Gaeilge sa phobal agus le heagraíochtaí Gaeilge thuaidh agus theas i rith na bliana. Le déanaí tá muid ag obair i gcomhpháirtíocht leis an eagraíocht uile-oileánda Ghaeilge Glór na nGael le grúpa tuistí agus tachráin a thosú sa cheantar.  Comhfhiontar speisialta atá ann le freastal ar theaghlaigh thart ar an Iúr agus in Ard Mhacha Theas ar mhaith leo an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim agus a labhairt le chéile sa teaghlach.   
 
Seal Spraoi is ainm don ghrúpa nua seo a seolfar go hoifigiúil san ionad siopadóireachta The Quays Dé Céadaoin 5 Márta le seó speisialta puipéadóireachta. Tháinig an grúpa le chéile den chéad uair i mí Feabhra na bliana seo agus tagann siad le chéile ar a 10rn ar an chéad Chéadaoin gach mí.  Más mian leat clárú don ghrúpa seo, déan teagmháil le niamh@glornangael.ie. Cuirfear fáilte roimh fhoghlaimeoirí agus tuismitheoirí a bhfuil Gaeilge líofa acu, agus rompu siúd a bhfuil spéis acu sa teanga teacht le chéile le sult a bhaint as an teanga agus as an chuideachta. 

Seó Puipéadóireachta agus Sraith físeán: Caoimhe agus an Chóisir
Forbraíodh sraith ghairid físeán dar teideal Caoimhe agus an Chóisir le tacaíocht ón Chomhairle. Dá thairbhe sin, cruthaíodh scéal agus saothar ealaíne úrnua mar chuid den togra.
Is sraith de thrí fhíseán atá léirithe ag Seán Ó Muireagáin agus Edel Ní Churraoin í Caoimhe agus an Chóisir, agus déanfar an tsraith a roinnt le linn Sheachtain na Gaeilge ar chainéil mheáin shóisialta na Comhairle.  Leis an tsraith físeán a sheoladh, rachaidh an seó puipéadóireachta ar camchuairt go naíscoileanna fud fad an cheantair agus beidh deis ag na páistí óga an seó beo a fheiceáil ina scoil féin. 

Ábhar físe ar chainéal YouTube na Comhairle
Le cúig bliana anuas, tá an Chomhairle ag cruthú ábhar físe don phobal a roinntear ar chainéal YouTube na Comhairle, agus ar na meáin shóisialta. Anois in 2024, tá cartlann ábhar físe ar líne a mbeidh an pobal in ann taitneamh a bhaint aisti. Tugann an t-ábhar ar líne deis bhreise do dhaoine taitneamh a bhaint as an Ghaeilge. Chun teacht ar na tograí físe Gaeilge atá léirithe thar na blianta téigh go: www.youtube.com/@newrymournedowndistrictcouncil

Siúlóidí Treoraithe 
Mar is eol dúinn uilig, ní gá bheith sa tseomra ranga le Gaeilge a fhoghlaim agus i mbliana tá an Chomhairle ag tabhairt cuireadh dá fostaithe teacht chuig siúlóid threoraithe ar Fháinne Chnoc Shliabh gCuillinn nó i bPáirc Delamont.  Beidh deis ag daoine cúpla focal Gaeilge a úsáid agus beidh treoraí ag roinnt eolais ar an dúlra go dátheangach ag na himeachtaí inmheánacha seo. 

Féile Scoildrámaíochta 
Leis na blianta anuas, tá Féile Scoildrámaíochta an Iúir ag tabhairt deiseanna do pháistí ó na bunscoileanna áitiúla lán-Ghaeilge taithí a fháil ar ardán Halla an Bhaile, páirt a ghlacadh i gcomórtas drámaíochta atá ag dul ó neart go neart, agus scileanna nua a fhorbairt tríd an Ghaeilge.  I mbliana, beidh an Fhéile ar siúl ar ardáin eile, ach beidh na deiseanna céanna ar fáil do na páistí.  Tá an Chomhairle sásta tacaíocht a thabhairt don Fhéile Scoildrámaíochta a bheas ar siúl in Ionad Ealaíon an Dúin Dé Máirt 12 Márta ar a 10am agus in Amharclann Phlás an Mhargaidh Dé Céadaoin 13 Márta ar a 10am agus beidh an cúig bhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge páirteach sa chomórtas i mbliana. 

Ábhar ceiliúrtha san earnáil oideachais
Tá Gaelscoil Phádraig Naofa ag ceiliúradh 20 bliain agus ba mhaith leis an Chomhairle  comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le foireann na scoile atá ag tabhairt deis do pháistí sa cheantar seo a gcuid scolaíochta a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge. Thosaigh ranganna Gaeilge in Ardscoil Naomh Muire ar an Iúr ag tús na bliana acadúla seo, rud a thugann deis do na daltaí an teanga a fhoghlaim.  Leis an fhorbairt seo a cheiliúradh tá an Chomhairle ag tabhairt tacaíochta don scoil sa dóigh is gur féidir leis na daltaí agus a múinteoir Seachtain na Gaeilge 2024 a cheiliúradh.

Scéim Sparánachta na Gaeilge 2024-25
Osclófar Scéim Sparánachta na Gaeilge 2024-25 Dé Luain 11 Márta 2024 ag meán lae. Chun a thuilleadh eolais a fháil agus le hiarratas a dhéanamh, téigh go: www.newrymournedown.org/ssng  

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais ar Sheachtain na Gaeilge nó ar na himeachtaí thuasluaite, déan teagmháil le gaeilge@nmandd.org nó féach www.newrymournedown.org/snag.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council will celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Language Week) this year with a programme of events from 1 March to St. Patrick's Day, 17 March. Seachtain na Gaeilge the largest Irish language festival in the world, annually celebrating the native language and culture of Ireland.

The programme of events will give people the opportunity to enjoy the Irish language through a diverse range of activities ranging from guided walks, video content, puppet shows to a Schools Drama Festival. If you are a new learner or if you are fluent in Irish, you will be warmly welcomed. The activities will encourage people to learn, grow and be motivated towards the language, and the online video materials give people a better opportunity to enjoy the Irish language.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Cllr Valerie Harte said, "It is important for this Council that we hear and see the Irish language around us, not only during Seachtain na Gaeilge, but throughout the year, and not only in the community but within the organisation itself as well. For that reason, I am very happy to organise a Coffee Morning in the Council to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge 2024 for all Councillors and staff."

Key Projects for Seachtain na Gaeilge 2024 will include: 

New Parents and Toddlers Group: Seal Spraoi
We work with Irish language groups in the local community and with Irish language organisations throughout the year. Recently we have been working in partnership with the all-island Irish language organisation Glór na nGael to start a parent and toddler group in the district. It is a special joint venture to serve families around Newry and South Armagh who are interested in learning and speaking Irish together as a family.

Seal Spraoi will be officially launched in The Quays shopping centre on Wednesday 5 March with a special puppet show. The group met for the first time in February this year and meets at 10am on the first Wednesday of each month. If you would like to register for this group, contact niamh@glornangael.ie. Learners and parents who are fluent in Irish, and those who are interested in the language are welcome to come together to enjoy the language and the company.

Puppet Show and Video Series: Caoimhe agus an Chóisir
A short video series entitled ‘Caoimhe agus an Chóisir’, meaning ‘Caoimhe and the Party’, was developed with the support of Council. The outputs included the creation of a brand-new story and artwork which was commissioned as part of the project. ‘Caoimhe agus an Chóisir’ also features a series of three videos produced by Seán Ó Muireagáin and Edel Ní Churraoin, and the series will be shared during Seachtain na Gaeilge on Council's social media channels. To launch the video series, the puppet show will tour to Irish medium nursery settings throughout the area and the young children will have the opportunity to see the show live in their own school. 

Video content on the Council's YouTube channel
For the past five years, Council has been creating video content for the public, which is shared on the Council's YouTube channel, and on social media. Now in 2024, there is an archive of video content online for the community to enjoy. The online content gives people an additional opportunity to enjoy the Irish language. To find the Irish language video projects that have been produced over the years go to: www.youtube.com/@newrymournedowndistrictcouncil

Irish Language Guided Walks
As we all know, it is not necessary to be in the classroom to learn Irish and this year the Council is inviting its employees to attend a guided walk on the Ring of Gullion or in Delamont Park. During these internal events, staff will have the opportunity to use a few words of Irish and the guides will share information about nature bilingually. 

Schools Drama Festival
Over the past few years, the Irish Language Newry Schools Drama Festival has been providing children from the local all-Irish primary schools the opportunity to experience the stage in Newry Town Hall. The drama competition has been going from strength to strength and assists children and young people to develop new skills through the Irish language. This year, the festival will take place in alternative venues, but the same opportunities will be available to the children. The School Drama Festival will take place in the Down Arts Centre at 10am on Tuesday 12 March, in the Market Place Theatre at 10am on Wednesday 13 March and the five all-Irish primary schools will participate in the competition this year.

Celebration in Education 
Gaelscoil Phádraig Naofa is celebrating 20 years, and the Council congratulates the school staff in offering children the opportunity to do their schooling through the medium of Irish. Classes started in St Mary’s High School, Newry at the beginning of this academic year, which gives the students an opportunity to learn the language. To celebrate this development, Council is supporting the school in celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge 2024.

Irish Language Bursary Scheme 2024-25
The Irish Language Bursary Scheme 2024-25 will open on Monday 11 March 2024 at midday. For more information and to apply, go to: www.newrymournedown.org/ssng. For further information on Seachtain na Gaeilge or the events mentioned above please email gaeilge@nmandd.org or visit www.newrymournedown.org/snag.