COMHCHOISTE GAEILGE AN OIREACHTAIS AR CUAIRT CHUIG CILL DARA

CUAIRT AR NÁS NA RÍOGH
Déardaoin an 4ú Iúil, bhí Óstán an Townhouse i Nás na Ríogh ina Ghaeltacht bheag agus toscaireacht ó Chomhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge ó Thithe an Oireachtais ar cuairt go Nás na Ríogh le bualadh le hoifigigh Chill Dara le Gaeilge. Bhí sé de sprioc ag an toscaireacht an t-iarratas chun Líonra Gaeilge a bhaint amach do cheantar Nás na Ríogh/na Sollán a phlé. Bhí na comhairleoirí nuathofa Anne Breen agus Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh, baill de choiste Gaeilge na Comhairle Contae, i láthair freisin mar aon le baill de bhord stiúrtha Chill Dara le Gaeilge. Is é an Teachta Dála Aengus Ó Snodaigh atá ina chathaoirleach ar an gCoiste agus thug sé ardmholadh don obair mhór atá ar siúl ag Cill Dara le Gaeilge agus ag na grúpaí pobail sa chontae chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. Toradh ar chuireadh a fuair Cill Dara le Gaeilge labhairt os comhair an Choiste i dTithe an Oireachtais i mí na Bealtaine i seisiún faoin bpleanáil teanga lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht a bhí sa chuairt seo agus deis ag Cill Dara le Gaeilge a chás maidir le stádas líonra a bhaint amach a chur i láthair.

CAD IS STÁDAS LÍONRA ANN?

Tugadh an coincheap de Líonra Gaeilge isteach le hAcht na Gaeltachta, 2012, agus go bunúsach is aitheantas é a thugtar do cheantair lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht ina bhfuil an Ghaeilge á cur chun cinn, á cothú agus á buanú. Stádas oifigiúil a thugtar ar leibhéal an Rialtais is ea é, agus ar cheann de na coinníollacha a bhaineann leis an stádas seo a bhaint amach tá plean teanga a scríobh agus a aontú leis an bpobal. Tá Cill Dara le Gaeilge ag obair i dtreo an stádais seo a bhaint amach do cheantar Nás na Ríogh/na Sollán ón mbliain 2017 agus go leor bainte amach acu ó shin. Ní hamháin go bhfuil siad ag obair ar phlean teanga don chontae agus don cheantar, ach tá go leor imeachtaí agus tionscadal á gcur chun cinn sa cheantar chun deiseanna a thabhairt do dhaoine ar gach leibhéal cumais a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid. Bíonn ranganna Gaeilge ar siúl sa cheantar, dar ndóigh, ach anuas orthu sin bíonn rogha rialta de dheiseanna cainte eile idir chiorcail chomhrá, club leabhar, club siúlóide, imeachtaí do theaghlaigh, seisiúin scéalaíochta do leanaí, imeachtaí cultúrtha, clár cuimsitheach imeachtaí do Sheachtain na Gaeilge agus féilte ar nós Fhéile na Sollán i mí Lúnasa agus an Fhéile Sráide ar Lá le Pádraig.

SUÍOMH BUAN DO GHAELCHOLÁISTE MHAIGH NUAD
Le linn a cuairte ar Chill Dara, chuaigh an toscaireacht chomh fada le Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad freisin le bualadh leis an bpríomhoide agus le grúpa tuismitheoirí. Ó bunaíodh é, tá an Gaelcholáiste lonnaithe ar shuíomh sealadach agus iad i mbun stocaireachta le suíomh buan, oiriúnach a fháil don scoil.

JOINT COMMITTE OF THE OIREACHTAS VISITS KILDARE

VISIT TO NAAS
On Thursday the 4th of July, the Townhouse Hotel in Naas was transformed into a mini-Gaeltacht area with the visit of a delegation from the Joint Committee of the Oireachtas on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Language Community who were visiting Naas to meet with members of Cill Dara le Gaeilge. The goal of the delegation was to discuss the application to establish an Irish Language Network (Líonra) for the Naas/Sallins area. The newly elected councillors Anne Breen and Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh, members of the County Council’s Irish language committee, were also present along with members of the board of directors of Cill Dara le Gaeilge. The Committee is chaired by Aengus Ó Snodaigh, T.D>, and he paid tribute to the great work being done by Cill Dara le Gaeilge and by the community groups in the county to promote the Irish language. The visit was the result of an invitation to Cill Dara le Gaeilge to speak before the Committee in the Houses of the Oireachtas in May in a session on language planning outside the Gaeltacht, and an opportunity for Cill Dara le Gaeilge to present their case for achieving Líonra status.

WHAT IS LÍONRA STATUS?|

The concept of an Irish Language Network/Líonra was introduced by the Gaeltacht Act 2012, and is essentially a recognition given to areas outside the Gaeltacht where the Irish language is being promoted, fostered and perpetuated. It is an official status given at Government level, and one of the conditions for achieving this status is to write and agree a language plan with the public. Cill Dara le Gaeilge has been working towards achieving this status for the Naas/Sallins area since 2017 and has achieved a lot since then. Not only are they working on a language plan for the county and the area, but many events and projects are being promoted in the area to give people of all levels of ability opportunities to use their Irish. Not only are there Irish classes in the area, but there is also a regular choice of other conversation opportunities such as conversation circles, a book club, a walking club, family events, children’s storytelling sessions, cultural events, a comprehensive programme of events for Seachtain na Gaeilge and festivals such as Féile na Sollán in August (coming soon!) and the St. Patrick’s Day Festival.

A PERMANENT SITE FOR GAELCHOLÁISTE MHAIGH NUAD
During their visit to Kildare, the delegation also travelled to Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad to meet the principal and a group of parents. Since its inception, the Gaelcholáiste has been located on a temporary site and is lobbying for a permanent, suitable site for the school.