Anti-Gaela Leĝo Konfimata

...de la BBC:

Senior judges have rejected a legal bid to overturn a 270-year-old ban on the use of the Irish language in NI courts.

The Court of Appeal dismissed claims that the centuries-old law was discriminatory and breached the European Convention on Human Rights.

The case was taken by Irish language speaker Caoimhin Mac Giolla Cathain.

He appealed the dismissal of a legal case he took after he was told his application in Irish for an occasional drinks licence could not be considered.

Under the Administration of Justice (Language) Act of 1737, all proceedings in NI courts must be in English….

Irlandalingvaj Bankaŭtomatoj en Nov-Jorko?

…de Irish Central:

Chase Bank has promised the Irish community of New York that it will review requests by at least one of its Irish-speaking customers in Queens, that the bank extend the courtesy of multi-lingual ATM service to those in places like Woodside who speak Irish. The bank's ATMs currently offer residents the option of an interface in any number of neighborhood languages, including Spanish and Chinese….

… Bank of Ireland made the move a few years ago making all their ATMs Irish-optioned, and in so-doing are joining a whole new generation of brands that wish to recognize their Irish customers as other groups are so recognized with service and advertisement in their language…

*** Facebook-grupo establiĝis subteni irlandalingvajn bankaŭtomatojn. Klaku ĉi tie vidi ĝin. / Bunadh grúpa Feidhmcláir chun tacaíocht le úsáid na Gaeilge ar uathmheaísíní bainc. Gliogáil anseo á fheiceáil.

"Malplimulto Lingvoj en la Unuiĝinta Reĝlando"

…de la Konsilio de Eŭropo:

The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has just made public the third report on the situation of minority languages in the UK. This report has been drawn up by a committee of independent experts which monitors the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

On the basis of the report, the Committee of Ministers calls on the UK to continue taking resolute action for the protection and promotion of Scottish Gaelic in all areas, in particular in education, through the training of teachers and the production of teaching and learning materials.

Furthermore, the UK authorities are encouraged to adopt and implement a comprehensive Irish language policy, preferably through the adoption of legislation.

The UK should also ensure that health and social care facilities offer services in Welsh.

Finally, the Committee of Ministers recommends the UK to adopt a strategy to enhance and develop Ulster Scots, in co-operation with the speakers.

The regional or minority languages protected under the Charter in the UK are Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots, Manx Gaelic and Cornish.

Curam

…de Market Watch:

...Curam Software is now driving the social welfare and pension systems in countries as far apart as the US and Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand," said HE Kenneth Thompson, Irish Ambassador.

"The name of the company is a word taken from the Irish language, meaning 'care and protection' and Governments in all of these countries put immense faith in the ability of Curam to care for and protect sensitive data both in their interests and in the interests of the ultimate beneficiary, the citizen."

The Irish Ambassador also noted that the company was a growing employer in India and expressed the "hope that Indian clients would also soon realise the advantages of using Curam's software which was in large part developed in Bangalore."...

Hebrea, Kimra kaj Irlanda Lingvoj

…de Irish Central:

Daithí MacLochlainn who does Irish language tours of downtown Manhattan told me he starts his tour on the docks by the Seaport Museum where they have one of the oldest examples on brick of grafitti ever written on a wall in New York, and it just so happens that the five lines of graffiti are written in Irish Gaelic. More on that later.

More to the point, MacLochlainn is the one who told me about the Welsh and how they use Israeli pedagogy to teach their rich Celtic language to foreigners and native Welsh alike in rapid time with great results--Welsh is a thriving widely-used language.

The Israelis developed a school called the Ulpan or אולפן. It's a "studio" setting for intensive language acquisition. The Welsh borrowed the school model and called it Wlpan, which is just a Welsh spelling on the Hebrew word…

Féile na Gaeilge

…de la Ionad Ealaíne Éireannaí:

Saturday, April 24, Noon – 5:00pm

With special reception to honor Breandán Ó Caollaí and Carmel Callan for their commitment to Irish language in New York

Join the Irish Arts Center for a day of festivities, classes for ALL skill levels from beginner to advanced, live music, film screening, poetry reading, panel discussion and a special wine and cheese reception to honor our special guests. Meet other Irish language enthusiasts, expand and supplement your Irish language skills, and support the growth of Irish language in New York, New Jersey and beyond!

Admission: $30 general sale/ $25 members / $15 students

For more information or to reserve, please contact Rachael at 212.757.3318 ext. 209 or rachael@irishartscenter.org. Reservations should be made in advance to secure your spot in a class.
poetry reading, panel discussion and a special wine and cheese reception to honor our special guests. Meet other Irish language enthusiasts, expand and supplement your Irish language skills, and support the growth of Irish language in New York, New Jersey and beyond!

Admission: $30 general sale/ $25 members / $15 students; For more information or to reserve, please contact Rachael at 212.757.3318 ext. 209 or rachael@irishartscenter.org.

Baile Monaidh

…de la Ballymoney Times:

Call from Sinn Fein to erect street nameplates in a language other then English has been squashed once again!

Despite being 'in accordance with Council's policy', the recommendation to proceed with the Irish signs was overruled at a recent Council meeting by a request for representatives from the Equality Commission to address the Health and Environmental Committee.

The news resulted in a hot debate mainly between SF Cllr Daithi McKay who slammed the decision as 'double standards' and DUP Cllr Mervyn Storey who said the issue was being used as a 'political football'...

An Muileann gCearr

…de la Westmeath Examiner:

Irish language signs could be the key to improving tourism and business across the Mullingar area councillors agreed at a meeting of Mullingar Town Council.

It was Cllr. Pat Collins who raised the need to upgrade signage on Mullingar streets and housing estates, suggesting that outdated signs could be replaced with bi-lingual ones.

Signs which were erected nearly twenty years ago have greatly deteriorated he said, pointing out the Mullingar Business Park as one of the more obvious areas for an overhaul, which is much needed for business generation.

Some of the housing states have no signage what-so-ever, he added.

While Cllr. Collins said he knew finance was a main factor in considering such a facelift, he asked that money be found from somewhere:

"There might even be a few bob if we went down the bilingual route," said Cllr. Collins.

Cllrs. Ken Glynn, Mick Dollard and Aidan Davitt all agreed with Collin's motion, with Cllr. Glynn saying the Council owed it to the buisness community of Mullingar to have better signage...

“Cén Teanga?”

…de la Irish Independent:

A television series for parents who want to raise their children on the Irish language was launched yesterday.

It will be a four-part series created by Comhluadar Teoranta -- a support group for parents raising children through Irish -- and Dublin Community Television which will air the series to about 200,000 viewers in the next couple of weeks on Chorus/NTL channel 802.

'Cen Teanga?' will also be distributed in DVD-form to schools and libraries around the country, but won't be available to buy in shops.

"The idea behind it was to make a programme and show people the Irish-speaking community," said director Feargal O Cuilinn.

"There are interviews with families talking about their experiences raising their children through Irish in an Ireland where English is the first language," he said...

Séamus de Blaca

...de Irish Central:

Séamus Blake's Míle Fáilte is New York City's only bi-lingual Irish Gaelic radio program, broadcast from his native Bronx across the tri-state region and across the world. An archive of his broadcast is available on-line--here.

.

His program is chock full of media from the world of Irish language music and literature, while connecting up the Gaeilgeoirí and their friends to what's the latest from Ireland's most interesting cultural movement--the re-popularization of our heritage's language.

I sat down with Séamus in Manhattan to learn about his life, his family from Clare and to pick his brain for better insight into the Irish language movement. I've broken the interview, which was four hours of enlightening conversation, into morsels that you can play and listen-in on yourself….

Eastáit na Sí

...de la Irish Times:

Ghost Estates are a recent phenomenon. Housing developments lie empty throughout the country, thanks to the magical disappearing act of the Celtic Tiger. Being a recent Irish phenomenon, it has taken a little time for Irish language wordsmiths to come up with a translation.

“Eastáit na Si” or “Fairy Estates” is, of course, open to misinterpretation in today’s sexually-oriented parlance, but is an elegant Gaelicisation of this modern landmark feature and can be linked to the longstanding regard in which the Irish have held the “little people” or those from an “domhan eile”…

...My proposal is to designate a number of these estates as new Gaeltachtaí. There hasn’t been a new Gaeltacht, officially, since 1956, when the current boundaries for the Irish- speaking areas were set in legislation by Patrick Lindsay, the then Minister for the Gaeltacht.

There have been other attempts to establish Gaeltachtaí by dedicated communities in Cork and Belfast and these have had spectacular success with a significant benefit to society as a whole – though they haven’t received official recognition…

Ciorcal Comhrá en Nov-Jorko

…de Máire Ní Mhaoileagáin:

Starting March 21st from 3:00 -5:00 p.m, the NY Irish center invites you to join our Ciorcal Comhrá (conversation circle).

This will be a monthly or by weekly (depending on interest) informal gathering led by Maura Mulligan.

Whether you are a beginner, an advanced learner, or somewhere in-between, join us for our 1st session on 3/21/10 & enjoy a cup of tea while you practice your Gaeilge.

This experience can serve as a supplement to your Irish language study.

You'll meet others interested in improving their conversation skills.

It's FREE. Bí linn!

Bladair

…de la Mayo Adverstiser:

A new Irish language blog, www.bladair.com, launched in Mayo to help primary and second level students improve their proficiency in the Irish language, is to be launched to a national audience following its success in Mayo.

The brainchild of Art Ó Súilleabháin, director of Mayo Education Centre, Bladair was developed to encourage Mayo’s post primary school students to engage with the Irish language using the latest internet technology.

The project is aimed directly at students and teenagers using technology that they understand and use in their everyday lives.…

"La Nova Interkonsento"

...de la Demokrata Unuecisma Partio:

There will be NO Irish Language act.

.

Apelacio por la Irlandalingvo

...de la BBC:

.

The Court of Appeal has been urged to overturn a ban on the use of Irish in the courts in Northern Ireland.

Caoimhin Mac Giolla Cathain is challenging the dismissal of a legal case he took after being informed his application in Irish for an occasional drinks licence could not be considered.

Under the Administration of Justice (Language) Act of 1737, all proceedings in NI courts must be in English.

The appeal was adjourned until Tuesday.

Mr Mac Giolla Cathain was seeking a liquor licence in connection with a musical concert in the Culturlann arts centre on the Falls Road in west Belfast....

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir en Nov-Jorko

….de Irish Central:

The New York Irish Center--situated a train stop from Grand Central Station in Long Island City--is many things to all those who volunteer, work and use the splendid facilities, but it has become an especially important hub for the Gaeilgeoirí of New York City and their friends.

Paul Finnegan is the center's director and was host to an interesting evening of bi-lingual talks about Irish language revival in Belfast's Gaeltacht Quarter, where multi-tasking leaders like Máirtín Ó Muilleoir found freedom by adopting Irish amidst an occupation by soldiers from England. Irish is now a major draw that brings untold tourist dollars to the city, because the renaissance there is unique and fascinating….

Interkelta Festo Noz

...de BZH Novjorko:

BZH New York has organized the first Interceltic Fest Noz which will take place in New York on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at Connolly’s Times Square.

The Fest Noz is a celebration of music, dance, and culture of Brittany, Galicia, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and will feature 40 musicians from the 5 Celtic nations, dance sets from the different Celtic cultures and a silent auction.

In addition, the evening will celebrate the Celtic festival of Imbolc. Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals celebrated among Celtic peoples, either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring.

The current lineup of performers includes the following:

Bretagne: Duo Morgane Labbe and Francois Tiger - Bagad de New York - Marie Martin

Ireland: Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra Led - Tony DeMarco and Friends - Niall O'Leary School of Irish Dance

Scotland: Wild Thistle featuring Mary Morrisson Abdill and Hannah Maire Marcus – Aodhagán - Capital Region Celtic Pipe Band,

Wales: Honey and Biscuits featuring Helen Ellis and Mary Morrisson

Galicia: Nosa Terra

Silent auction from 7pm to 10pm: Artists Capucine Bourcart and Christophe LeGris will auction 6 photographies with all proceeds going to Action Against Hunger and its Relief Efforts in Haiti...

Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge

...de la Kilkenny Advertiser:

The fact that it is never ever too late to start something is evidenced by the increasing numbers of adults who are determined to finally make a fist of learning Irish. Reasons abound, whether personal or professional, and numbers attending Irish-language classes and conversation groups in various parts of the county remain firm.

Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (the European Certificate in Irish), run by the Language Centre in NUI Maynooth, offers adult learners of the language a series of examinations at six competency levels, from Beginner 1 to Advanced 2, which will act as a structure for their path to fluency. Successful exam candidates are awarded a certificate indicating clearly their level of proficiency in the language.

Until 2009 there were TEG exam centres in four locations in Ireland – in Maynooth, Co Donegal, Co Galway and Co Cork. Year on year there has been growing demand for new centres, leading in 2010 to the opening of five new centres in Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Castlebar, Cork city and in Limerick city, giving Irish language learners an opportunity to test their level of Irish in a centre close to them....

"Filistro kiel Kulturo Ministro"

La Irlandalingvo en Kvinzo

…de Irish Central:

More than 20 Irish speakers and readers gathered in Long Island City to have a raucous round-table talk together this past Saturday. The impressive turn-out had come to discuss the novel “Sobalsaol,” written by the popular author and screenwriter Pádraig Standún.

"Irish speakers make excellent use of the Internet," said Daithí MacLochlainn who organizes Club Leabhar for Irish language book-lovers (hence the name). It's how he explained the group's unexpected size. The club uses a Facebook page; while club member Séamus Blake described the reading material and has promoted the gathering on his bi-lingual Irish language radio program Míle Fáilte on WFUV -available on-line.

The Irish Center of Long Island City plays host to Club Leabhar and is also the home of Maura Mulligan's Irish language school, where she teaches the teanga using total immersion techniques in two classes divided according to different levels of introduction...