Coláiste Aodáin

…de la Sunday Business Post:

The Jesuits like to describe their education philosophy as ‘give me the boy and I’ll give you the man’.

Caoimhín Ó hEaghra is no Jesuit, but he says that if you give him your child for three weeks in the summer, he will give you back someone who speaks Irish and who has a real love of Irish culture.

Ó hEaghra, 37, is the director of Coláiste Aodáin, a new Irish college in his home village of An Cheathrú Rua in the south Connemara Gaeltacht. The area featured in the television series made by comedian Des Bishop, In The Name Of The Fada...

Henry Reilly

...de la Mourne Observer:

Newry and Mourne Councillor Henry Reilly boycotted the official opening of the new Mourne Esplanade environmental improvement scheme last Friday in protest at the use of Irish language signage in the area.

Cllr Reilly told the Mourne Observer he had informed Mayor Michael Cole of his decision before the event and said he was “disappointed but not surprised” that his advice on keeping the area an English language-only area had been disregarded.

He explained: “I am totally committed to good relations and creating a good environment in Kilkeel, but the way the DUP has behaved with the ‘Chuckle Brothers’ and senior DUP politicians describing Ulster as ‘The North,’ has led Newry and Mourne republicans to believe they can walk all over the Protestant community in Mourne and make them accept their culture and symbols.

“During the Council debate on the issue I suggested that if the Council intended to put Irish symbols in Kilkeel then it should erect a Union Jack in Rostrevor, to which Cllr Mick Murphy quickly asserted: ‘Not a chance’.“This shows that the Irish language plan for Kilkeel is all about republican dominance and marking out territory and in the interest of equality the Council should retract and overturn this discriminatory decision.”

Ceithearna Coille Nua Eabhrac

...de la Ceithearna Coille:

Tá forbairtí áirithe déanta ag ár bhfeachtais éagsúla le tamall anuas agus i measc na mbuaicphointí tá an chraobh nua atá bunaithe i Nua Eabhrach, Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá.

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Is eol dúinn ar fad go bhfuil pobal bríomhar Gaelach san Úll Mór leis na glúine agus anois tá glór na Gaeilge á ardú acu agus íomhá na teanga a chur chun tosaigh sa chathair i rith an ama.

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Tá Gaeil na cathrach ag teacht ar an tuiscint gur féidir leis an Ghaeilge bheith lárnach dá saol féin - agus cosúil le Gaeil na hÉireann - go bhfuil gá leis an ghníomh chun an teanga a chur chun cinn...

Brian Cowen

...de la Nenagh Guardian:

Mr Smyth, the current President of the college, revealed that the Offaly man was Captain of the college Irish language debating team and a member of the English debating team.

He was a bright, enthusiastic and great participant in college life as a boy and as a man he does not spare himself in giving public service. The skills of debating he learned here have been of immense help to him in the Dail.'

The Cowen family have firm associations with the college as the new Taoiseach's uncle Fr Andrew, who died earlier this year, was on the teaching staff for many years.

Mr Smyth said Fr Andrew, a teacher of Irish and career guidance, had a great love of the native language which, he said, had rubbed off on his nephew, who also had 'beautiful Irish'.

Ray Edwards

...de This Is Cornwall:

A man who devoted many years of his life to the study of the Cornish language and was keen to give others the opportunity to learn the ancient idiom wherever they were in the world has received glowing tributes from his many supporters.

Ray Edwards, who died at his home in Sutton Coldfield last month, was the founder of the Kernewek dre Lyther (Cornish by Letter) teaching method.

Born in 1924, he published several books on the subject, studied ancient texts, undertook huge translation projects and gently led and encouraged hundreds of students through their grades.

Paul Cummins kaj Telegael

...de la Galway Advertiser:

A former priest’s house in An Spidéal is not the location that immediately springs to mind for a major television and film production company, but that’s exactly where Telegael has been producing award-winning productions over the past 20 years.

With its HQ in Spiddal, further studios in Baile na hAbhann, Connemara, a subsidiary company Zoogon in Belfast, and plans to establish an office in Los Angeles, Telegael is enjoying a very credible international reputation...

Kimralingvo kaj la Banko de Anglio

...de la Daily Post:

Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas yesterday confirmed an extra 57 bodies, including the Bank of England, the Olympic delivery authority and Royal Mail, would be legally required to provide services in Welsh.

The Welsh language board will ensure the organisations draw up a language scheme, spelling out how they intend to deliver the services.

Mr Thomas insisted he was pressing ahead with plans, expected this spring, to bid for law-making powers for the Assembly over the language from Westminster, which could open the door to new rights for Welsh speakers in Wales...

Irlandalingvo kaj Sorĉarto

...de la blogo, From the Balcony, de Máirtín Ó Muilleoir:

The DUP often view the Irish language as the work of the devil and who can blame them when An Ghaeilge remains banned in courts in the north of Ireland — a ban now being challenged by West Belfast solicitor Michael Flannigan.

While banned in Belfast, the Irish language was permitted in courts in America as far back as 1688 — though Anne Glover whose statements in Irish were translated for the infamous Salem witchcraft trials was not particularly grateful. After getting a court-appointed translator to translate her ramblings into English, the Irish servant woman was hanged.

An Taoiseach kaj tha Heid Männystèr

...de la BBC:

It was a day of symbolism on many levels at Oldbridge in County Meath.

It was a ceremony few could have imagined 11 years ago, when Bertie Ahern first took office as taoiseach.

But on Tuesday, in blazing sunshine, Fianna Fáil faithful invited by Ahern rubbed shoulders with members of the Orange Order in full regalia, to see the taoiseach in his last day of office open a new visitor centre at the site of the Battle of the Boyne with Stormont First Minister Ian Paisley...

...As they lined up, one of those bedecked in Orange regalia greeted Ahern in the Irish language, who returned the greeting.

Orangemen speaking Irish at the Boyne to an Irish taoiseach could not have been imagined in the recent past, a snapshot of shared culture which both Ahern and Paisley would hope they have helped forge, as well as a peace they would want to be their lasting political legacy.

Hilary Mhic Suibhne

...de Silicon Republic:

Before you wonder why I am plugging a certain US presidential candidate, I must explain that this is actually an Irish language blog run by Hilary Mhic Suibhne, Irish language teacher and New York resident.

As one of thousands of Irish people who hasn’t used my teanga dhúchais or native language since my Leaving Cert, I didn’t think I would understand a word of this blog. However, it is surprisingly accessible and I am convinced regular visits would improve my Gaeilge no end.

There was a recent debate on Irish language in the 21st century which questioned its function in preserving our cultural identity and whether it is just ‘the bane of our childhood education’.

While you don’t have to speak Irish to be Irish, we could well do with relegating our rote-learning primary school past to where it belongs and embrace the new.

Hilary NY doesn’t push the Irish language upon us, she chats about her life and issues close to her heart – it just so happens to be as Gaeilge.

Tartezalingvo

...de la Western Mail:

The Welsh have more in common with sun-kissed glamour pusses like actress Penelope Cruz and footballer Christiano Ronaldo than pale- faced Germans like Helmet Kohl, according to an academic.

Professor John Koch suggests the Welsh can trace their ancestry back to Portugal and Spain, debunking the century-old received wisdom that our forebears came from Iron Age Germany and Austria.

His radical work on Celtic origins flatly contradicts the writing of Sir John Rhys, who in the late 19th century established the idea that we originally came from central Europe.

Sir John believed the Celts were the remnants of a great culture that extended here from modern-day eastern France, Switzerland, southern Germany and Austria.

But Professor Koch, of the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies, in Aberystwyth, says archaeological inscriptions on stones show we came from southern Portugal and south-west Spain….

… One key piece of evidence is the earliest written language of western Europe – Tartessian, found on inscribed stones in Portugal and Spain dating back to between 800BC and 400BC. The professor maintains this language can be deciphered as Celtic…

Kimralingvo en Novjorko

...de la blogo, From the Balcony, de Máirtín Ó Muilleoir:

Driving down to see Larry Kirwan and his dancer/choreographer wife June Anderson for dinner at a Filipino restaurant in the Village in New York, I had a taxi driver from Bangladesh who could speak Welsh.

Turns out he lived in Fishguard for four years and learnt Welsh with his kids as they took the language at school.

Which sort of says it all about the diversity of the Big Apple...

Festo de Belanos

...de la Agence France-Presse:

Les druides bretons ont célébré jeudi à Arzano, près de Quimperlé, la fête de Beltaine en l'honneur du dieu du soleil Belenos, marquant ainsi le passage de la saison sombre à la saison claire, a indiqué le nouveau grand druide, Per-Vari Kerloc'h….

…Après le rituel en langue bretonne à l'intérieur d'un cercle de pierres, les druides sont passés à plusieurs reprises entre deux feux spécialement allumés avec "douze essences sacrées", symbole de purification selon la tradition druidique.

La cérémonie s'est achevée par l'hymne national breton "le vieux pays de nos pères" (bro goz va zadou), ponctué de "bevet breizh" (vive la Bretagne)...

An Ceathrú Gaeltachta

…de 4NI:

Groundbreaking plans to drive forward the regeneration of Belfast through the establishment of An Ceathrú Gaeltachta – a dedicated 'Gaeltacht' quarter - are centre stage today (Thursday) as Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams addresses a national regeneration conference.

Speaking in Birmingham, at the Locality and Language Conference, Mr Adams outlined innovative proposals which could see one square mile around the city's Falls Road area transformed into a hub for traditional Irish language, culture and business, in line with recommendations in the 'Dutton Report'.

Written by Clive Dutton, Birmingham City Council Director of Regeneration - who will also deliver a keynote speech at the conference - the Dutton Report was commissioned in 2003 and builds upon recommendations by the Joint West Belfast and Greater Shankill Taskforce.

As well as promoting the establishment of Irish language, arts, cultural and educational projects, Dutton's proposals seek to fuel an economic and tourism boom, while regenerating neighbourhoods which are home to more than 20,000 people.

Gerry Adams said: "An Ceathrú Gaeltachta is an innovative proposal which builds upon the enthusiasm of the Irish speaking community in west Belfast..."