Scaoil Seol

...de la Kilkenny Advertiser:

Up until last summer Owen Ardill was more used to soaring through the clouds above Kilkenny, but in a new reality TV series for TG4, Owen and nine other sailing novices had little choice but to find their sea legs.

Scaoil Seol will hit television screens across the country next week after the 10 participants were put through their paces in a boot camp-style sailing school on Collanmore Island, Co Mayo and then in Galway bay on a traditional Galway hooker, a 'Gleoiteog'.

The rub being that none of the 10 had any sailing experience before setting off for Collanmore Island and it was their ability to grasp the techniques and safety aspects of life on the water that would determine whether they would be slicing their Gleoiteogs through the waves alongside some of the most established sailors in the land or going home wet and exhausted with little to show for their efforts…

Vivo de la Gaeloj 2008

...de la Northern Times:

Amatuer photographers are being asked to capture the life of Scottish and Irish Gaels on camera in a competition being run by Colmcille, the cultural agency which encourages links between Gaelic speakers from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. The competition is open to amateur photographers, and the first prize for adults is £2000.

The competition, Saoghal nan Gàidheal or the Life of Gaels, which ran for the first time in 2006, was launched in Donegal last Friday at the Irish cultural festival An Oireachtas by Irish radio presenter Ronan Mac Aodha Bhui. Speaking at the launch he said: "This competition gives a great opportunity to the Gaels of Scotland and Ireland to display the contemporary life of the Gaels."...

Gradam Chumarsáide

…de la Galway Advertiser:

Irish language media stars swept the boards at the Oireachtas na Gaeilge Gradam Chumarsáide Awards held at Harvey’s Point Hotel in Donegal last weekend.

The Minister of State Pat ‘The Cope’ Ó Gallachóir presented the nine coveted awards to the actors, TV and radio presenters, journalists, producers, and language activists who excelled in their contribution to the Irish language media sector in 2007.

Now in its eighth year the Gradam Chumarsáide Awards celebrates the success achieved by the Irish language media sector in recent years in heightening its’ profile and securing higher than ever audience and readership figures...

Cúrsa Ardteistiméireachta

…de la Galway Adverstiser:

Conradh Na Gaeilge will run intensive courses - starting this weekend - for students sitting their Junior and Leaving Cert Irish exams.

Conradh na Gaeilge will run an intensive course for Leaving Cert 2008 students in preparation for the Irish language oral exam.

This course will run on Saturday April 5 from 10am to 5pm. It will involve intensive practice sessions along with interview preparation and tips. All students will receive a taped recording of their interview. The course costs €125 and places are limited to 14 students...

Éamon Ó Cuív en Usono

...de la Press Association:

Ireland needs 250,000 Gaelic speakers by 2028 to save the future of the language, Gaeltacht Minister Eamon O Cuiv has said.

Speaking during a visit to the US, Mr O'Cuiv called for more courage and leadership to ensure the native tongue thrives in a globalised world.

The Government is currently preparing a 20-year strategy for the Irish language, due to be launched before the end of the year…

Camanfa Ganu

…de Eglwys Y Cymry Efrog Newydd:

The Welsh are a nation of singers. Welsh emigrants to America brought their vocal traditions with them and the Cymanfa Ganu remains significant to the Welsh.

Come sing traditional melodies and harmonize with us.

Sunday, April 13, 2008, 3:00 pm.

The Welsh Congregational Church of New York
Eglwys Y Cymry Efrog Newydd
Rutgers Presbyterian Church
236 W 73rd St, New York, New York

Rekta Agado!

...de la Daily Post:

Welsh language protesters slapped stickers across the windows of Morrisons and Tesco stores yesterday demanding the adoption of bilingual policies.

Shops belonging to the two chains were targeted in Bangor, Caernarfon, Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and Cardiff.

Slogans asking “where is the Welsh” were painted on the wall alongside Morrison in Caernarfon.

It’s part of a campaign against the two supermarket giants which, members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith warn, will continue throughout this month.

The language society is demanding the adoption of “comprehensive and effective” bilingual policies by Tesco and Morrisons.

Ceardlann 2008

...de la Universitato de Sankta Tomaso:

The Center for Irish Studies will continue its decadelong association with Gaeltacht Minnesota, an organization that promotes the Irish language through noncredit classes, programs and events, by jointly sponsoring “Ceardlann 2008.”

“Ceardlann 2008” will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12, on the university’s St. Paul campus.

“Ceardlann” is Irish for "workshop." Similar workshops have been held for a number of years, providing instruction and practice in the Irish language for students at all levels...

….To learn more about the workshop, visit the Gaeltacht Minnesota Web site, or call Jim Rogers, Center for Irish Studies, (651) 962-5662.

Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig

…de AllMedia Scotland:

One of the partners in a proposed new digital TV channel, dedicated to Gaelic language programming, has bolstered its senior management team.

The Gaelic Media Service has taken on Neil Graham as its head of operations and Murdo Morrison as its marketing and audience communications executive.

The GMS is publicly-funded to promote Gaelic media and, in partnership with BBC Scotland, is aiming to launch the new TV station within the next few months...

Ceithearna Coille Abú!

...de Na Ceithearna Coille:

Tá a fhios againn ar fad gur dhiúltaigh aerlíne náisiúnta na hÉireann, Aer Lingus, Gaeilge a chur ar fhógraí eitiltí isteach agus amach as Béal Feirste. Bhí scéal ag Lá Nua le déanaí fosta go bhfuil Continental Airlines SAM anois ag machnamh faoi fhógra fáilte a dhéanamh i nGaeilge ar a gcuid seirbhísí go hAerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath agus Aerfort na Sionna.

Bhuel, a bhuí arís leis an Ghael Meiriceánach Daithí Mac Lochlainn, tá sé tagtha chun solais go bhfuil barúil ar leith ag ceannasaí Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, faoin Ghaeilge chomh maith. I litir a sheol sé chuig Daithí, léiríonn an fear gnó go bhfuil sé go hiomlán i gcoinne úsáid na Gaeilge ar eitiltí Ryanair nó comhlachtaí eile.

Ní hamháin go gcuireann sé a thuairim in iúl ar bhealach sotalach aineolach, tugann sé le fios chomh maith go bhfuil an ceart ag Aer Lingus gan Gaeilge a úsáid ar eitiltí as Béal Feirste agus nach fiú am a chur amú ag plé leis an teanga.

Táthar ag caint anois ar bhaghcat a dhéanamh ar Ryanair. Muna féidir leat sin a dhéanamh, déan cinnte go mbíonn greamaitheoir Gaeilge leat an chéad uair eile agus tú ag eitilt leis an bhoc seo O'Leary.

* NÁR LAGA DIA BHUR LÁMHA, A CHOMRÁDAITHE! *

The Cyber Miracles

...de WSKG/Off the Page:

"The Cyber Miracles" by Mary Pat Hyland opens with a scene of apprehension and glamorous excitement in New York City, turns from a silly misfortune to a personal tragedy and then whips its protagonist through incidents that are both trying and comical before settling into themes of genuine religious experience.

.

All this happens with an Irish lilt and, for readers in New York's Southern Tier, a strong sense of local color.

Hyland's protagonist Maeve Kenny is a Binghamton girl who has found her dream job with the New York office of an Irish public relations firm called Clú (the name is Irish Gaelic for "renown" - there is a Gaelic glossary in the back of the book).

.

Maeve is also dating a handsome soap opera actor and seems to be enjoying Irish luck when a foolish mistake costs her the job. She parts company with good Irish friends and goes back to her old hometown.

Labhair Gaeilge!

…de LabhairGaeilge:

TalkIrish is a brand new Irish language learning project. We're creating great resources that will enable you to learn Irish online, anytime, anywhere.

Pretty soon, we'll be launching our free Irish word-a-day email, podcast and flashcards service. Join now or click here to learn more.

Later in the year, we’ll be launching our free audio dictionary and even more great free learning resources – including games and quizzes. Make sure you join now so you don’t miss a word!

“Malŝparo de Tempo”

...de Lá Nua:

Tá sé ráite ag príomh-fheidhmeannach Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, gur “cur amú ama” a bheadh ann plé a dhéanamh faoi fhógraí Gaeilge a bheith ar eitiltí de chuid Aer Lingus as Béal Feirste.

Is le Ryanair beagnach 30% de scaireanna Aer Lingus, ach agus é ag tabhairt freagra ar iarratas go n-ardódh an aerlíne ceist na Gaeilge ag cruinniú scairshealbhóirí, dúirt O’Leary nach raibh sé ar intinn ag Ryanair brú a chur ar Aer Lingus faoin ábhar.

Ba é cainteoir Gaeilge as Nua-Eabhrac, Dáithí Mac Lochlainn, a mhol do Ryanair an cheist a ardú.

Sheol Michael O’Leary litir ar ais chuige ag rá “We would expect the management of Aer Lingus to concern themselves with more important issues such as cost reductions, punctuality, lowering air fares and getting rid of unjustified fuel surcharges, rather than wasting time discussing irrelevancies such as the use of the Irish language on internal UK flights.”

Ag caint dó le Lá Nua, dúirt an tUasal Mac Lochlainn go raibh freagra O’Leary ‘dochreidte’ agus nach raibh ann ach ‘racht feirge’.

Mhol sé do phríomh-fheidhmeannach Ryanair cúrsa láimhseála feirge a dhéanamh chomh maith…

…Dúirt Michael O’Leary áfach:

“I note you intend to fly in future with Continental Airlines out of Newark, New Jersey, despite the fact that you won’t hear any Irish language PA’s on Continental Airlines flights…

…Mhol Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh, Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge, do Ryanair agus d’aerlínte eile sampla Highland Airways a leanúint, aerlíne Albanach a bhfuil leagan dá shuíomh idirlín ar fáil i mBéarla, i nGàidhlig agus i mBreatnais…

Bunscoil Cholmcille

…de la Derry Journal:

The 86th annual Feis Dhoire Cholmcille was hailed a resounding success by the organisers and adjudicators who were amazed at the talent of this year's competitors.

Ursula Clifford, event registrar, said the standard of the competitors was extremely high with "the majority of marks in all categories being in the 80 per cent range."

Bunscoil Cholmcille, winner of the James Doherty Cup for Irish language, even achieved top marks in the competition. The 100 per cent result was awarded to the primary school children who astounded the judges with their perfect pronunciation and knowledge of the Gaelic language...