Mayo town works towards implementing an Irish language plan
On June 23 last, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, visited Áras Inis Gluaire to officially launch the process towards an Irish language plan for Belmullet town.
Minister Calleary was impressed with the large crowd in attendance and the committee expressed thanks to everyone for coming to celebrate the occasion.
Belmullet successfully applied to become a Gaeltacht Service Town in August 2023 and since then, with the help of Katie Ní Loingsigh, language planning officer of Údarás na Gaeltachta, the committee has been working hard and diligently to prepare the consultation process for a language plan.
A language planning consultant, Mait Ó Brádaigh, has been appointed to undertake the appropriate research work and to write the final plan for the town. A comprehensive questionnaire has been prepared and the group is looking forward to a good response and a lot of feedback from the community.
Speaking at the launch, Mait emphasised the importance of getting feedback from a diverse group of people, including people who don’t feel confident speaking Irish or never learned Irish. In order to prepare a successful language plan for the town, he said it was important to know where people are now in relation to our native language, and how they feel about it.
Minister Calleary spoke about the importance of making more people aware of this initiative and he encouraged everyone to complete the questionnaire in order take ownership of the process and have a stake in it. He said that consulting with the community at the beginning of the process was ideal. “Too often the launch happens at the end of the process rather than at the beginning of the process,” he pointed out.
Margaret Tallott, secretary of the committee, thanked Údarás na Gaeltachta, Mait Ó Brádaigh, Gaeilge Iorrais and Minister Dara Calleary, and highlighted the importance of reaching out to those who don’t speak Irish and those who would like to improve their use of Irish.
In her address, chairperson Katherine Mangan stated: “By preparing and implementing a language plan in the town, the community, the voluntary sector, the public sector and the private sector will work together to support and promote the Irish language. Many residents and businesses in the town have worked very hard to improve their Irish, and to nurture the language.
“There is a lot of grá in the community here in relation to the Irish language and this consultation process will help us to provide a better service and further improve Belmullet for residents and visitors alike."
The cultural and economic impact that the Irish language has on towns is enormous. Becoming a Gaeltacht Service Town will add yet another USP to Belmullet’s list of unique selling points.
“In terms of cultural and heritage tourism the Irish language is a huge asset. Many studies have shown that the promotion of Irish is not only about re-establishing the language, but that it can bring broader social, cultural and economic benefits to a town or area.”
Whether you are resident in Belmullet or whether you are a visitor, everyone is being asked to complete the questionnaire. A hard copy is available in Áras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet, and there is a box there for completed surveys. It is also available online – you will see the QR code on posters around the town or you will find it on the social media platforms of Baile Slachtmhar Bhéal an Mhuirthead (Belmullet Tidy Towns) and the Erris Chamber of Commerce. For more information about the process, email bailegaelach.banmh@gmail.com.