By Liam de Lása
Aistear Teangan na gCat
N’FHEADAR éinne, conas mar a thitfidh scéal an ghalair COVID-19 amach sna seachtainí agus míonna atá amach romhainn.
Ní chuimhin liomsa go pearsanta am chomh cinniúnch, imeaglach riamh i mo shaol agus ní chuirfinn an milleán ar aon duine agaibh as dearmad a dhéanamh go bhfuil ‘Seachtain na Gaeilge 2020’ buailte linn dá bharr. Amhail imeachtaí agus gnáthchúramaí an tsaoil ar fud an domhain mhóir anois, tá imeachtaí na tréimhse Gaelaí curtha ar athló fad is a dhíreoimid ar n-aigne ar chúrsaí slándála na tíre.
Fós féin tá dea-scéala le tuairisciú an tseachtain seo agus is é sin go bhfuil clubanna CLG Chill Chainnigh ag tabhairt féna n-aistear teangan féin i mbliana.
Bhí cruinniú ana-dhearfach ar fad ag Gaeil an chontae d’fhonn is athbheochan a dhéanamh ar stádas na Gaeilge i measc lucht CLG i bPáirc Uí Nualláin le déanaí.
Labhair an Cathaoirleach, Jimmy Walsh, fé thábhacht na teangan san eagraíocht agus na pleananna a bhí beartaithe ag an gCoiste Contae ó thaobh na Gaeilge de don mbliain atá romhainn.
Labhair Oifigeach Gaeilge/Cultúir an Choiste Contae, Séan Breathnach, faoin gcomórtas Scór agus d’impigh sé ar a raibh i láthair tréaniarracht a dhéanamh ceoltóirí, amhránaithe agus aisteoirí a mhealladh i dtreo an chomórtais chultúrtha.
Bhíos féin i láthair thar ceann Ghlór na nGael ar an oíche agus is cúis mhór áthais dúinn go bhfuil 22 club sa chontae cláraithe linn le haghaidh Fhondúireacht Sheosaimh Mhic Dhonncha.
Is scéim tacaíochta de chuid Ghlór na nGael agus de chuid an Chumainn Lúthchleas Gael í Fondúireacht Sheosaimh Mhic Dhonncha le haghaidh clubanna CLG ar mian leo an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn.
Tá formhór na gclubanna ag cur na Gaeilge chun cinn bealach amháin nó bealach eile.
Is é cuspóir na fondúireachta seo ná na hiarrachtaí sin a fhorbairt ar bhonn tomhaiste agus pleanáilte.
Cuirfidh Glór na nGael cabhair ar fáil don Oifigeach Gaeilge i bhfoirm chomhairle, tacaíochta agus idéanna le tógaint ar an obair mhaith atá á déanamh sa chlub cheana féin. Is féidir deontas a lorg ón Fhondúireacht chun cabhrú leis na pleananna sin a chur i gcrích.
Bronnfar bonn snasta, Bonn Sheosaimh Mhic Dhonncha ar na clubanna atá cláraithe as méid áirithe gníomhaíochtaí ar son na teangan a chur i gcrích sa chlub. Is comhartha aitheantais atá sa bhonn ar an dea-obair atá déanta sna gclubanna thar tréimhse ama.
De réir mar a chuireann club gníomhaíochtaí ón liosta molta i gcrích, bronnfar bonn cré-umha, bonn airgid nó bonn óir de réir mar is cuí.
Bronnfar bonn cré-umha as 25% den liosta a chur i gcrích, bonn airgid as 50% agus bonn óir as 80% de na gníomhaíochtaí a chomhlíonadh.
Ar an ábhar seo tá spreagadh agus spriocanna cinnte ag clubanna chun bheith ag éascú ról don teanga i measc a gcuid ball.
Agus, dár ndóigh, beidh ardstádas agus ardghradam ag dul d’aon chlub a bhaineann an bonn óir amach dó féin.
Tá grúpa tacaíochta curtha ar bun ag rannpháirtithe na scéime a thugann treoir agus comhairle do na hOifigigh i gCill Chainnigh le spriocanna na scéime a bhaint amach.
Táimid ag súil go dtiocfaidh fás agus forbairt ar stádas, úsáid agus foghlaim na Gaeilge agus go spreagfaidh sé baill na gcumann chun gnímh.
Bóthar go Páirc an Chrócaigh
Bronnfar Gradaim Sheosaimh Mhic Dhonncha ag ócáid bhronnta i bPáirc an Chrócaigh ag deireadh mhí na Nollag agus táimid ag súil go mór le hócáid stairiúil do chlubanna Chill Chainnigh. Is maith go deimhin, an t-aitheantas a fhaigheann na hoifigigh ar son a gcumann agus le cúnamh Dé tabharfaidh sé misneach dóibh treabhadh leo lena gcuid oibre agus meitheal áitiúil a thabhairt ina dteannta ar an turas stairiúil seo sa todhchaí.
An scéal as Béarla
Language Journey Begins
NOBODY knows exactly what lies in store in the weeks and months ahead as COVID-19 grips the world with panic.
Many of our readers will struggle to recall such unprecedented times and one could certainly be forgiven for overlooking ‘Seachtain na Gaeilge 2020’ in time of of such uncertainty.
The Irish events organised to celebrate our language and culture were amongst the first casualties as our minds focused on the health and safety of our citizens.
We do have some positive news to lift the spirits however, as our GAA clubs embark on a historic Irish language journey this year.
Positive Meeting
Nowlan Park was the venue for the launch of this latest GAA initiative last week as Irish Language and Cultural Officers came together to discuss the status of the language in our local clubs. Kilkenny County Board Chairman Jimmy Walsh opened the meeting by speaking about his vision for the language and outlined plans for the year ahead.
Irish Language and Cultural Officer, Séan Breathnach also spoke on the night about the prestigious Scór competition.
He appealed to officers to encourage the participation in Scór as they look for singers, musicians and actors to represent their local club in the GAA’s celebration of talent and culture.
I then spoke about the Joe McDonagh Foundation and it is hugely encouraging that Kilkenny now has 22 clubs currently registered for the Glór na nGael funded scheme this year.
Irish Language Scheme
The Joe McDonagh Foundation is a support service provided by Glór na nGael and the Gaelic Athletic Association to GAA clubs wishing to further the Irish Language in their community.
Most clubs have been promoting the Irish language in some form or another. The Foundation is here to help develop that promotion in a more measured and planned fashion.
Glór na nGael will offer help to the Oifigeach Gaeilge to give them direction, support and ideas to build on the good work that has already been done within the club.
Grants are available from the Foundation to help realise your plans and medals will be awarded to clubs for various levels of achievement in promotion of the language.
The Joe McDonagh medal will be presented to registered clubs for implementing a certain number of actions with regards the promotion of the language within the club.
The medal is a noted sign of achievement and recognition for continued work on behalf of the language.
As a club completes the recommended activities listed, bronze, silver and gold medals will be awarded as appropriate.
The bronze medal will be awarded on completion of 25% of the list of recommended activities, the silver for 50% and the gold on completion of 80%.
The medal serves as both motivation and recognition, providing a clear attainable goal for clubs wishing to facilitate a role for the language within their membership.
And of course, any club earning a gold medal will well deserve and enjoy the prestige and esteem that comes their way.
Road to Croker
The Joe McDonagh awards will be presented to successful clubs at a ceremony in Croke Park in December and we are hoping that this will be a historic night for the Kilkenny clubs.
It is of course great recognition fort he Irish Language Officer for the work they carry out on behalf of their local club and hopefully it will inspire more members to join them on the language journey in years to come. If you would like to register your club for the scheme you can do so by emailing me on: liam@glornangael.ie
