Gradam na Gaeilge le bronnadh ar Laoise Ní Dhúda agus Gaeilge Iorrais mar chuid de Phearsa Mhaigh Eo na Bliana

FÓGRAÍODH pearsana Mhaigh Eo na bliana 2025 le gairid. Is cúis mhór áthais do Ghaeilge Iorrais go bhfuil gradam na Gaeilge le bronnadh ar Laoise Ní Dhúda agus ar Ghaeilge Iorrais i mbliana.

Bronnfar 22 gradam san iomlán ag searmanas speisialta in óstán Bhréachmhaí oíche Dé hAoine, 21 Samhain. Seo í an 31ú bliain den ócáid seo a eagraíonn RehabCare, Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo agus The Connaught Telegraph.

Tháinig Gaeilge Iorrais le chéile don chéad uair i mí an Mheithimh 2015 faoi stiúir Ní Dhúda chun dlús a chur faoin bpróiseas pleanála teanga faoi Acht na Gaeltachta 2012 i limistéar Mhaigh Eo Thuaidh (Iorras agus Béal Deirg) agus d’fhonn borradh a chur faoi úsáid na Gaeilge sa cheantar ar bhonn comhordaithe straitéiseach. Ba í seo an chéad uair go raibh rannpháirtíocht agus comhoibriú idir eagraíochtaí ó pharóistí éagsúla ar aon choiste amháin agus ar mhaithe le cúrsaí pleanála teanga sa limistéar seo. Tá mar fhís ag Gaeilge Iorrais, i gcomhar le muintir na háite agus le heagraíochtaí áitiúla, úsáid laethúil agus eolas ar an nGaeilge a éascú, a mhéadú agus a threisiú i nGaeltacht Iorrais de réir a chéile. Ón tús, bhí fócas ag clár oibre Ghaeilge Iorrais ar ghréasáin Ghaeilge a fhorbairt i measc daoine óga, pobal na scoileanna Gaeltachta, teaghlaigh agus foghlaimeoirí fásta, chomh maith le próifíl na Gaeilge a ardú sa cheantar agus féiniúlacht uathúil Ghaeltacht Iorrais a cheiliúradh agus a chothú.

Tógadh Laoise ar an taobh eile den chontae i mBéal Átha hAmhnais ach tá sí ina cónaí i gceantar na hEachléime le fada. Thoisigh sí ag tarraingt ar an gceantar seo mar scoláire Gaeilge gionsaí 30 bliain ó shin! Tá cáilíochtaí acadúla bainte amach aici sa Nua-Ghaeilge agus sa Phleanáil Teanga (BA, MA agus PhD san áireamh). Tá go leor taithí aici ag obair sa réimse seo, in Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge agus i gColáiste UISCE, mar shampla. Tá foilseacháin éagsúla i gcló aici, Roghanna: Lámhleabhar Eolais faoin bPleanáil Teanga, ina measc. Anuas air sin, tá taithí na mblianta aici ag obair i measc an phobail sa Ghaeltacht seo.

Scríobh sí an Plean Teanga do Mhaigh Eo Thuaidh (2018). Ceapadh mar oifigeach pleanála teanga í le Gaeilge Iorrais chun an plean sin a chur i bhfeidhm i 2019. Tá a gcuid oibre ag dul ó neart go neart ó shin. Tá coiste stiúrtha de seachtar agus foireann de thriúr ag Gaeilge Iorrais anois, a áiríonn Éimear Ní Ghallachóir agus Seoirsín Bashford ar phost-roinnt chomh maith.

Seo mar a bhí le rá ag Laoise Ní Dhúda faoin ngradam seo: “Tá muid maraithe le bród. Is aitheantas faoi leith é seo do chuile dhuine atá ag saothrú ar son na Gaeilge agus ar son phobal na Gaeilge sa cheantar álainn Gaeltachta seo.

“Agus muid ag ceiliúradh deich mbliana ar an bhfód i mbliana, tá sé thar a bheith caoithiúil an deis seo a thapú chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar bhuaicphointí ár gcuid oibre go dtí seo. Ina measc, tá, mar shampla, aitheantas oifigiúil na 6 bhunscoil Ghaeltachta agus Gaelcholáiste Chomáin in Iorras, club UISCE (i gcomhar le Coláiste UISCE), an clár amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós (a bhuí le tacaíocht ó Ealaín na Gaeltachta), comórtas díospóireachta Uí Chonaire (i gcomhar le Coláiste Bhreandáin Naofa agus iarbhunscoileanna eile an limistéir), Clár sa Charr (i gcomhar le Midwest Radio), Scaip an Scéal (i gcomhar le Fighting Words na Gaeltachta), feachtas ‘Labhair Gaeilge Liom,’ ár gcuid oícheanta sóisialta, ranganna ealaíne agus drámaíochta do dhaoine óga, ceardlann na n-óg: spórt agus cultúr (i gcomhar le CLG Cill Chomáin), traenáil na gcoistí Gaeilge (i gcomhar le Meánscoil Mhuire), seisiúin na n-óg (i gcomhar le CCÉ Craobh Iorrais agus Áras Inis Gluaire), puball na Gaeilge mar chuid de Lá Mhaigh Eo (i gcomhar le hoifig na Gaeilge, comhairle contae Mhaigh Eo), comórtas reatha na Gaeltachta (i gcomhar le Erris Parkrun), an Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge (faoi Ollscoil na Gaillimhe), clár imeachtaí do theaghlaigh ó Thuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta, Éigse in Onóir do Chaitlín agus Mícheál Ó Seighin (i gcomhar le Comhar Dún Chaocháin), ár ndréachtliosta acmhainní a bhaineann le canúintí Ghaeilge Iorrais, Éigse na hEachléime (i gcomhar le Comharchumann Ionad Deirbhile agus Solas), scéim an Oireachtais, Ceiliúradh Ghaeilge Iorrais, na siúlóidí pobail, tacú le baile Gaelach Bhéal an Mhuirthead chun stádas a bhaint amach mar bhaile seirbhíse Gaeltachta, tacú le post úr a chruthú d’oibrí óige le Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht seo (i gcomhar le BOOMSL, Muintearas, Foróige agus Údarás na Gaeltachta), gan ach cúpla sampla ó réimsí áirithe a lua.

“Ar bhealach, tá dearmad déanta ar an saol anseo roimh Ghaeilge Iorrais. Tá an-teacht le chéile le brath anois idir lucht labhartha na Gaeilge sa cheantar seo agus cuireann muid fáilte mhór i gcónaí roimh dhuine ar bith eile a bheith linn. Tá réimse maith cláracha agus imeachtaí ar ardchaighdeán ar siúl i nGaeilge sa cheantar seo anois ar bhonn rialta nach mbeadh ar fáil nó ag tarlú murach an tacaíocht ó Ghaeilge Iorrais faoin bpróiseas pleanála teanga. Tá na bunchlocha leagtha go maith againn, bunsraith láidir fúinn, struchtúr i bhfeidhm, comhoibriú maith ar siúl againn le páirtithe leasmhara agus cláracha fiúntacha ar bun againn. Tá muid ag dúil go mór lena bhfuil romhainn agus leis an deis a fháil tógáil ar an obair thábhachtach seo de réir a chéile agus i gcomhar lena chéile i nGaeltacht Iorrais.

“Gabhann muid buíochas ó chroí le chuile dhuine a bhíonn ag obair i gcomhar linn agus a thugann tacaíocht dúinn. Ar aghaidh linn!”

Gradam na Gaeilge to be awarded to Laoise Ní Dhúda and Gaeilge Iorrais as part of the Mayo People of the Year Awards 2025

THE recipients of the 31st annual Mayo People of the Year Awards were announced recently. Gradam na Gaeilge will be awarded to Laoise Ní Dhúda and Gaeilge Iorrais this year.

In total 22 awards will be presented at the gala banquet in Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, on Friday night, November 21. The event is organised by Rehab Care, Mayo County Council and The Connaught Telegraph.

Gaeilge Iorrais came together for the first time in June 2015 under the guidance of Ní Dhúda to expedite the language planning process in the North Mayo Gaeltacht area (Erris and Belderrig) as set out under Acht na Gaeltachta 2012 and with the aim of increasing the use of the Irish language in our area in a more strategic and co-ordinated way. This marked the first time that there was widespread participation and collaboration between organisations from different parishes on one committee for the benefit of Irish language planning in this area.

It is the vision of Gaeilge Iorrais, in cooperation with the local community and organisations, to support and gradually increase the daily usage and knowledge of the Irish language in this Gaeltacht area.

From the outset, Gaeilge Iorrais' work has focused on creating networks of Irish speakers amongst young people, Gaeltacht school communities, families and adult learners, while also raising the profile of the Irish language and Gaeilge Iorrais, and celebrating and bolstering the unique identity and heritage of the Erris Gaeltacht.

Laoise was raised on the other side of the county in Ballyhaunis but has lived in the Eachléim area for a long time. She first came to Erris as a young Irish language student

many moons ago. She has achieved academic qualifications in the Irish language and language planning (including BA, MA and PhD). She has also gained practical and academic experience working in this field in Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge and in Coláiste UISCE, for example.

Laoise has various publications to her name, including Roghanna: An Information Handbook on Language Planning. She also has years of experience working in the Erris Gaeltacht community. She wrote the Language Plan for North Mayo (2018). She was appointed as a language planning officer with Gaeilge Iorrais to implement that plan in 2019.

Their work has gone from strength to strength since then. Gaeilge Iorrais now has a steering committee of seven and three staff which also includes Éimear Ní Ghallachóir and Seoirsín Bashford.

Here is what Laoise Ní Dhúda had to say about this award: “We are thrilled with this great news. This is recognition for everyone who is working with the Irish language and the Irish-speaking community in this beautiful Gaeltacht area. As we celebrate our tenth anniversary this year, it is particularly fitting to take this opportunity to celebrate some of the highlights of our progress to date. These include, for example, the official recognition and status of 6 Gaeltacht primary schools and Gaelcholáiste Chomáin in Erris, club UISCE (in partnership with Coláiste UISCE), our sean-nós singing programme (thanks to the support of Ealaín na Gaeltachta), comórtas Uí Chonaire debating competition (in association with Coláiste Bhreandáin Naofa and local post-primary schools), Clár sa Charr (in association with Midwest Radio), Scaip an Scéal (in association with Fighting Words na Gaeltachta), our 'Labhair Gaeilge Liom' campaign, our social events for adults, youth workshops such as ceardlann na n-óg: sport and culture (in association with Cill Chomáin GAA), as well as our art and drama programmes for young people, training workshops to support Irish language committees amongst post primary students (in collaboration with Meánscoil Mhuire and local secondary schools), junior music, singing and storytelling sessions (in association with CCÉ Craobh Iorrais and Áras Inis Gluaire), Irish language tent as part of Mayo Day (in partnership with Oifig na Gaeilge, Mayo County Council), comórtas reatha na Gaeltachta (in association with Erris Parkrun), an Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge in Belmullet (in collaboration with the University of Galway), a programme of events for families from Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta, Éigse in Onóir do Chaitlín agus Mícheál Ó Seighin (in association with Comhar Dún Chaocháin), our list of resources about local dialects of Irish, Éigse na hEachléime (in collaboration with Comharchumann Ionad Deirbhile and Solas), our Oireachtas na Samhna scheme, Ceiliúradh Ghaeilge Iorrais, other community events such as walks and talks, support baile Gaelach Bhéal an Mhuirthead to achieve status as a Gaeltacht service town, support the creation of a new Irish language youth worker position in Erris (in collaboration with MSLETB, Foróige, Muintearas, Údarás na Gaeltachta), to name just a few examples.

“In a way, although a bold claim, it is hard for us to remember life here before Gaeilge Iorrais. There is now a great sense of coming together between the Irish speakers in our area and we always welcome anyone else that would like to join us. There is a good range of high-quality programmes and events taking place in Irish in our area on a regular basis that would not be available or happening without the support from Gaeilge Iorrais as part of the language planning process in the Gaeltacht. We have laid a solid foundation, we have a good structure in place, we enjoy collaboration with relevant stakeholders and we have developed many worthwhile programmes. We are very much looking forward to what lies ahead and to the opportunity to build on this important work gradually and in collaboration with others in Gaeltacht Iorrais.

“We sincerely thank everyone who works with us and who supports us. Onward we go!”