Féiniúlacht agus Oidhreacht Teangleolaíochta

Exploring how language influences our sense of self

Tionscadal Trasteorann Gaeilge i mbun €83,951 a bhaint amach faoi Chlár PEACEPLUS

Tá tionscadal nua trasteorann a bhfuil sé mar aidhm aige caidrimh a chothú idir pobail éagsúla trí mheán na Gaeilge tar éis €83,951 a bhaint amach ó PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme

A new cross-border initiative aimed at building relationships between communities through the Irish language has secured €83,951 in funding from the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme. English version below.

Beidh an tionscadal 15 mhí á stiúradh ag Líonra Leitir Ceanainn lonnaithe i mbaile Leitir Ceanainn i gcomhpháirtíocht le Cairde Dhroim nDamh i gCarn Tóchair, Contae Dhoire, agus Cairde Turas in Oirthear Bhéal Feirste. Tabharfaidh na heagraíochtaí daoine ó chúlraí cultúrtha, geografacha agus polaitiúla éagsúla le chéile trí ghníomhaíochtaí teanga agus cultúir.

Tabharfaidh an tionscadal deis do rannpháirtithe machnamh a dhéanamh ar an ról atá ag an teanga ina bhféiniúlacht agus ina n-eispéireas muintearais. Cé go bhfuil stair shaibhir fhada ag an Ghaeilge, is mionteanga í fós agus is minic a bhíonn ceisteanna muiníne, aonraithe, braistinte pobail agus féiniúlachta ag dul i bhfeidhm ar an dóigh a mbíonn daoine ag plé léi.

Tiocfaidh rannpháirtithe ó chúlraí éagsúla. I gcás roinnt acu, d’fhoghlaim siad Gaeilge ar scoil ach ní raibh mórán deiseanna acu í a úsáid mar dhaoine fásta. Tagann cuid eile ó cheantair ina raibh an Ghaeilge láidir tráth agus obair ar bun le tríocha bliain anuas chun pobal labhartha na Gaeilge a athbhunú ann. Beidh foghlaimeoirí páirteach chomh maith ó phobail ina ndearnadh polaitiú ar an teanga go stairiúil nó ina raibh amhras fúithi.

Beidh rannpháirtithe páirteach ón phobal Aontachtach den chuid is mó in Oirthear Bhéal Feirste, ón phobal tuaithe i gCarn Tóchair, agus ón phobal uirbeach i Leitir Ceanainn. Dar leis na heagraíochtaí, is tionscadal trasteorann agus trasphobail é seo a dhíreoidh ar thuiscint agus ar chaidrimh a fhorbairt idir daoine nach mbuailfeadh lena chéile de ghnáth.

In ainneoin na ndifríochtaí sin, roinneann rannpháirtithe taithí choitianta: easpa deiseanna le bualadh le foghlaimeoirí eile taobh amuigh dá bpobal féin. Trí dhaoine a thabhairt le chéile, tá súil ag na heagraíochtaí dúshlán a thabhairt don tuairim go mbaineann an Ghaeilge le háiteanna nó le pobail áirithe amháin, agus tuiscint níos cuimsithí ar an oidhreacht teanga a chur chun cinn.

Beidh croíghrúpa foghlaimeoirí Gaeilge ó na trí cheantar páirteach sa tionscadal, chomh maith le daoine óga agus teaghlaigh. Creideann na comhpháirtithe go gcuideoidh rannpháirtíocht trasghlúineach le naisc láidre a chruthú agus leis na caidrimh a thógfar a chothú go fadtéarmach.

Beidh clár leathan gníomhaíochtaí ar siúl le linn an tionscadail. Ina measc beidh turas go Béal Feirste ina dtiocfaidh foghlaimeoirí fásta ó na trí cheantar le chéile le haghaidh turais chultúrtha, ceardlann agus plé ar theanga agus ar oidhreacht.

Tabharfaidh daltaí ó Leitir Ceanainn cuairt ar Bhéal Feirste chomh maith le foghlaim faoi thionscnaimh Ghaeilge na cathrach agus le plé a dhéanamh ar chúrsaí féiniúlachta agus cultúir. Beidh lá teaghlaigh bunaithe ar scéalaíocht ar siúl i dTearmann Dúlra Dhroim nDamh i gCarn Tóchair do theaghlaigh atá bainteach le hoideachas Gaeilge sna trí cheantar.

Glacfaidh déagóirí ó Bhéal Feirste, Doire agus Dhún na nGall páirt i gceardlanna meán chun gearrscannáin a dhéanamh a dhéanfaidh fiosrú ar chúrsaí teanga, oidhreachta agus féiniúlachta ina bpobail féin.

Beidh deireadh seachtaine tumoideachais sa Ghaeltacht i nDún na nGall mar chuid den chlár freisin, áit a mbeidh ranganna, ceol, amhránaíocht agus scéalaíocht ar siúl. Críochnóidh an tionscadal le hócáid i Leitir Ceanainn ina dtaispeánfar saothar na ndéantóirí scannán óga agus ina mbeidh ceardlanna agus comhráite faoi oidhreacht teanga agus féiniúlacht.

Deir na comhpháirtithe go gcuideoidh an tionscadal le comhoibriú trasteorann a neartú agus le muinín agus cairdeas a fhorbairt i measc foghlaimeoirí Gaeilge ó chúlraí éagsúla.

Trí dheiseanna a chruthú do dhaoine bualadh lena chéile, foghlaim óna chéile agus comhoibriú le chéile, tá súil acu go gcuirfidh an tionscadal le tuiscint níos fearr ar mar a chuireann ár bhfréamhacha teangeolaíochta le féiniúlacht s’againne.

Chun tuilleadh sonraí nó urlabhraí a fháil déan teagmháil le

Bairbre Uí Chathail Líonra Leitir Ceanainn eolas@lionralc.ie  0353 86 0751663

Joe Ó Dochartaigh Cairde Dhroim nDamh joe.odoherty@ancarn.org   0044 7464946667

Niall Páirc Cairde Turas niall.pairc@ebmorg.uk 0044 7923 463632

The 15-month project will be led by Líonra Leitir Ceanainn in Letterkenny, working in partnership with Cairde Dhroim nDamh in Carntogher, Co. Derry, and Cairde Turas in East Belfast. The organisations will bring people from different cultural, geographic and political backgrounds together through shared language and cultural experiences.

The project will involve participants from the largely unionist communities of East Belfast, the rural community of Carntogher and the urban community of Letterkenny. Organisers say the initiative is both a cross-border and cross-community programme, focused on building understanding and relationships between people who might not otherwise meet.

The initiative will explore the role of language in shaping identity and belonging in different communities. While Irish has a long and rich cultural history, it remains a minority language and engagement with it can be influenced by factors such as confidence, isolation, perception and identity.

Participants will come from a variety of linguistic and social backgrounds. Some have studied Irish throughout their schooling but feel they have lacked opportunities to use it meaningfully as adults. Others come from areas where Irish was historically strong and where over the past thirty years work has gone on to re-establish it as an Irish speaking community . A further group will include learners from communities where Irish has traditionally been viewed with suspicion or politicised in public discourse.

Despite these different experiences, organisers say participants share a common challenge: limited opportunities to connect with other learners outside their own community. By bringing people together, the project hopes to challenge assumptions about who the language belongs to and encourage a more inclusive understanding of linguistic heritage.

At its core will be a group of Irish language learners from the three areas, alongside young people and families. The organisers believe that involving participants across generations will help strengthen connections and ensure the long-term sustainability of the relationships developed through the project.

A range of activities is planned throughout the programme. These include a major visit to Belfast where adult learners from the three regions will take part in cultural tours, workshops and discussions about language and heritage. Young people from Letterkenny will also travel to Belfast to explore the city’s Irish language initiatives and discuss identity and culture.

Families involved in Irish-language education in the three communities will take part in a storytelling-themed family day at the Drumnaph Nature Reserve in Carntogher, while teenagers from Belfast, Derry and Donegal will receive media training to create short films exploring language, heritage and identity.

The programme will also include residential workshops in the Donegal Gaeltacht, where participants will take part in classes, music, storytelling and reflective discussions about their experiences. The project will conclude with a showcase event in Letterkenny featuring the young filmmakers’ work and facilitated conversations about linguistic diversity and identity.

Organisers say the project aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation while building confidence and friendships among Irish language learners of all backgrounds.

By creating opportunities for meaningful interaction and dialogue, the partners hope the initiative will foster greater understanding across communities and contribute to a deeper appreciation of how the languages we are rooted in shape our sense of self.

For further details or comment please contact

Bairbre Uí Chathail Líonra Leitir Ceanainn eolas@lionralc.ie  0353 86 0751663

Joe Ó Dochartaigh Cairde Dhroim nDamh joe.odoherty@ancarn.org   0044 7464946667

Niall Páirc Cairde Turas niall.pairc@ebmorg.uk 0044 7923 463632