Mayo Gradam na Gaeilge distinction for Laoise and Gaeilge Iorrais

Laoise Ní Dhúda and Gaeilge Iorrais will be presented with the Gradam na Gaeilge Award at the Mayo People of the Year gala banquet at Breaffy House Hotel tomorrow (Friday) night.

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 co-operation with our local community and organisations, to support and gradually increase the daily usage and knowledge of the Irish language in our 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 workingwith the Irish language and the Irish-speaking community in this beautiful Gaeltacht Gaeilge Iorrais.

"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.

The awards are organised by RehabCare, The Connaught Telegraph and Mayo County Council.