Bairbre Uí Chathail has been appointed as Irish Language Development Coordinator for Letterkenny as a Gaeltacht Service Town.
Bairbre will be responsible for the implementation of the language plan approved by Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in August this year.
The news has been warmly welcomed by Líonra Leitir Ceanainn.
Bairbre is experienced in community development work and facilitation having worked with a variety of groups throughout the county and indeed the country.
Although originally from Strabane, Bairbre knows the people of Letterkenny well having lived in the town for more than 26 years and raised her family there.
She is the Chairperson of the Board of Management in Gaelscoil Adhamhnáin and Irish Language and Cultural Officer with Letterkenny Gaels.
This is a seven year plan and the key aim of the plan is to promote greater use of Irish in the educational, social, cultural and economic life of the town, responding to the needs of the people of the Letterkenny area and the surrounding Gaeltacht areas.
The intention is to raise the profile of Irish, provide more social and cultural opportunities through Irish to people of all ages and to increase the opportunities for all age groups to learn Irish both within and outside the education system.
In addition, the Coordinator will be working with businesses, community organisations and service providers to encourage and support them to use more Irish. Working on behalf of the people of Letterkenny and of the Gaeltacht, Líonra Leitir Ceanainn wants to promote, encourage and celebrate the use of Irish as the language of daily life in Letterkenny.
The Líonra Leitir Ceanainn committee believes strongly that the strength of this plan is rooted in community ownership.
The plan is based on research and public consultation over a two year period with the people of Letterkenny, under the guidance of Foras na Gaeilge. The Coordinator will work intensively with the public offering every opportunity for people to take ownership of the plan and to have an ongoing input into the plan as it develops over the seven year term.
An office will be established which will also function as the headquarters for Líonra Leitir Ceanainn. The committee looks forward to the days when people will be able to call in and visit us. There will be a warm welcome for anyone, from anywhere, who is interested in the language whether they are fluent or just learning Irish.
The committee wishes to thank Foras na Gaeilge for their ongoing support and advice. We also thank Glór na nGael and Donegal County Council for the support they have given to date. Bairbre began in the new role, under the direction of the Líonra Leitir Ceanainn committee and Foras na Gaeilge, on Monday 14 December.
She can be contacted at bairbre.cpt@lionra.ie or eolas@lionralc.ie We wish her every success in the work ahead.
Tá lúcháir ar Choiste Líonra Leitir Ceanainn fógairt go bhfuil Bairbre Uí Chathail ceaptha acu mar Chomhordaitheoir Pleanála Teanga do Leitir Ceanainn mar Bhaile Seirbhíse Gaeltachta.
Beidh Bairbre freagrach as an phlean teanga a cheadaigh An tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán Catherine Martin i mí Lúnasa na bliana seo a chur chun cinn. Tá an-taithí ag Bairbre ar obair forbartha pobail agus mar aisitheoir agus obair déanta aici le ghrúpaí éagsúla fud fad an chontae agus na tíre. Cé gurb as an tSrath Bán dí ó dhúchas tá aithne mhaith ag Bairbre ar mhuintir Leitir Ceanainn i ndiaidh bheith ina cónaí agus clann a thógáil anseo le sé bliana is fiche anuas.
Tá Bairbre ina Cathaoirleach ar Bhord Bhainistíochta Ghaelscoil Adhamhnáin agus feidhmíonn sí mar Oifigeach Gaeilge agus Cultúir le Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn.
Plean seacht mbliana atá i gceist agus is í príomhaidhm an phlean ná úsáid na Gaeilge a spreagadh i gcúrsaí oideachais, sóisialta, cultúrtha agus eacnamaíochta an bhaile, ag freastal ar riachtanais mhuintir cheantar Leitir Ceanainn agus ar mhuintir na Gaeltachta.
Is iad aidhmeanna an phlean ná feiceálacht na Gaeilge sa bhaile a ardú, deiseanna sóisialta agus cultúrtha trí Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil do gach aoisghrúpa agus cur le líon na ndeiseanna foghlama Gaeilge taobh istigh agus taobh amuigh den chóras oideachais do gach aoisghrúpa. Ina theannta sin tá aidhmeanna ann chun gnólachtaí, eagraíochtaí agus soláthróirí seirbhísí sa bhaile a spreagadh le tuilleadh Gaeilge a úsáid.
Teastaíonn ó Líonra, thar ceann pobal an bhaile agus pobal na Gaeltachta úsáid na Gaeilge mar ghnáth-theanga laethúil i Leitir Ceanainn a chur chun cinn, a chothú agus a cheiliúradh.
Tá coiste Líonra Leitir Ceanainn tiomanta don phrionsabal “Ní fiú plean gan pobal “. Tá an plean bunaithe ar thaighde agus ar chomhairliúcháin phoiblí le muintir Leitir Ceanainn faoi stiúir Fhoras na Gaeilge thar tréimhse dhá bhliain. Beidh an Comhordaitheoir Pleanála Teanga ag obair go dlúth le pobal Leitir Ceanainn chun achan deis a sholáthar do dhaoine seilbh a ghlacadh ar an phlean agus ionchur leanúnach a bheith acu ann.
Beidh oifig le bhunú amach anseo a bheidh mar spás oibre don Chomhordaitheoir agus a bheidh mar cheanncheathrú na ceanneagraíochta fosta. Tá an coiste ag súil go mór leis na laethanta nuair a bheidh daoine in ann bualadh isteach, comhrá agus comhluadar a bheith acu linn. Cuirfidh muid fáilte flaithiúil roimh Ghaeilgeoirí as achan chearn den tír a bhfuil dúil acu sa teanga, bíodh siad líofa nó ar bheagan Gaeilge.
Ba mhaith linn ár mbuíochas ó chroí a ghabháil le Foras na Gaeilge as ucht an tacaíocht agus treoir a bheireann siad dúinn agus do Ghlór na nGael agus do Chomhairle Chontae Dhún na nGall as ucht an tacaíocht agus maoiniú ar thug siad dúinn go dtí seo. Thosaigh Bairbre sa ról úr seo atá faoi stiúir Choiste Líonra Leitir Ceanainn agus Fhoras na Gaeilge ar an Luan 14 Nollaig agus tá sí ar fáil ar ríomhphost ar bairbre.cpt@lionralc.ie nó ar eolas@lionralc.ie Guíonn muid achan uile ráth ar an obair.
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