Le Tricia Ní Chearra

AGALLAMH le Club Gaeilge na Bliana 2023: Ruairí Óg, Bun Abhann Dala, Co. Aontroma (interview with CLG Ruairí Óig).

Is iad muintir Bhun Abhann Dalla a bhí mar cheannródaí na Gaeilge sa Chúige le linn 2023, agus bhronn CLG Uladh Club Gaeilge na Bliana orthu ag Gradaim CLG Uladh mí Feabhra 2024 dá bharr.

Is iomaí rud a d’éirigh le Gaeil na nGlinntí agus le Gaeil Ruairí Óig a bhaint amach maidir le cuir chun cinn na teanga le déanaí. Labhair mé le ball den chlub agus le duine de na daoine a bhíonn ag obair go crua agus go cruthaitheach ar fhás agus ar fhorbairt na Gaeilge sa chlub agus sa cheantar, Áine Máíre Mhic Neachtain, faoin méid atá bainte amach go dtí seo, agus faoi fhís na todhchaí.

Bliain mhór a bhí in 2023 do CLG Ruairí Óig, Aontroim! Ní seo an t-aon ghradam a bhuaigh sibh in 2023 nó thug sibh BOI Community Sport Award ‘na bhaile libh fosta, inis dom faoin obair a bhí taobh thiar den ghradam sin. 2023 was a big year for the club across the board, tell us about the work behind BOI Community Sport Award?

Yes, in 2023, we won the Bank Of Ireland Community Sport Award and we are very proud of that.

Marie, our health and well-being officer, works tirelessly and we got the award because of the way we engage with the community. Not only do we take part in the GAA calendar – iománaíocht agus camógaíocht – but we also provide for the community in other ways.

For example, we organise classes, training courses and fun days. We help people in the community and we fundraise. Is pobal bríomhar muid agus tá an CLG ag croí an phobail.

Déan cur síos ar an turas a thug fhad leis an ghradam seo sibh, cá háit ar thosaigh sibh ar thuras na Gaeilge mar chlub? Could you tell us how the club got to where it is now re: the achievements in integrating Gaeilge into club life?

Bhí an Ghaeilge anseo riamh anall nó ba Ghaeltacht Bun Abhann Dalla uair den tsaol, agus ba bhreá linne an stádas sin a bhaint amach arís. In 2016, ceapadh mé féin mar oifigeach cultúir agus teanga sa chlub, agus tháinig grúpa againn – Neil McManus san áireamh – le chéile ar mhaithe leis an teanga a chur chun cinn sa chlub CLG agus sa phobal araon.

Is maith an rud é cúpla focal a bheith agat, ach is fearr i bhfad an Ghaeilge a labhairt, agus a roinnt, le daoine eile, teaghlaigh agus páistí go háirithe.

Ba léir dúinn go raibh géarghá leis an Ghaeilge sa cheantar, agus chinn muid ar sheirbhísí a chur ar fáil: ranganna, dianchúrsaí, ceol, damhsa, podchraoltaí, imeachtaí do dhaoine óga agus do theaghlaigh…cuireann seo uilig le stádas agus le próifíl na teanga. Agus tá an obair ag obair, mar a déarfá! Tá feidhm léi. Tá áthas an domhain orainn an gradam seo a fháil.

Tá sé breá tuillte ar achan duine sa chlub a bhíonn ag obair leis an teanga, go háirithe na páistí a thagann amach gach seachtain.

Cad é an gné is tábhachtaí den phróiseas seo, dar libhse? What is the most important part of this whole process?

Comhoibriú. Working with people. We are not looking at how we can make Irish a primary aim of the club, but how we can make Gaeilge present in every aspect of the club. And that’s about the lives of the people who are here at the club – the children, families, parents, mentors, managers and committee members. If you have a few words, come and join us, you can use Gaeilge every day.

When we set up coiste na Gaeilge, Gaeil Ruairí Óig and Gaeil na nGlinntí, our committee was able to focus only on Gaeilge sa chlub, and that made a big difference to the process.

Through this and the joint work with Ballycastle and Dún Lathaí, we now have an Irish Language Development Officer in the area. Her name is Deirdre Goodlad and the post is funded by Foras na Gaeilge through help from Deirdre to plan the Scéim Forbartha Líonra Gaeilge, and our dedicated mentors Orlaith and Shauna, Maírtín and Michael, all our children’s projects and adult classes are a great success.

Tá bua an spóirt go smior sa chlub. Bhronn an tUachtarán gradam ar iomanaí de bhur gcuid, Neil McManus, ar oíche na ngradam. Cad é mar is féidir cothromaíocht a bhaint amach idir spórt agus cultúr sa chlub? How can I strike the balance between sport and language in the club?

Sin agat ceist! Nuair a chuirtear tús le séasúr na hiománaíochta agus na camógaíochta, níl mórán spáis do ghné ar bith eile den chumann. Tá deachrachtaí leis sin agus tugann sé dúshlán. Tá Gaeilge mhaith ag cathaoirleach an chlub, Fergus, agus beidh mé ag obair leis níos mó den teanga a bhrú isteach sa traenáil.

Tá Gaeilge ag cuid dár gcóitseálaithe ach tá doiligh agus tú ag obair i rith an lae agus ag obair sa chlub san oíche cuimhne a bheith ag duine ar an chúpla focal atá acu. Bheadh sé iontach dá mbeadh oíche Luain againn d’fhoghlaim na teanga amháin, ach ceist mhór í sin agus dúil gan fháil, b’fhéidir, ach coinneoimid orainn.

Ar thug sibh faoi deara gur tháinig athrú ar mheon mhuintir an chlub i leith na Gaeilge agus sibh i mbun na hoibre?Did you notice that the attitude of the club to An Ghaeilge has changed during the course of your work?

Thug, cinnte! People are telling us that there is a difference between the Irish they had at school long ago and the way they see Irish alive in the club these days. More and more people are attending the events, and they are proud of the work we do, especially with the young people. The people of the club are really happy that the next generation have a chance they didn’t have.

Todhchaí an chlub agus na Gaeilge sa chlubtheach agus sa cheantar: cad é an fhís? Cad é an chéad chéim eile? What’s the next step?

Is í an fhís atá againn ná go mbeidh an Ghaeilge ag croí an phobail: le feiceáil, beo, le cluinstin, agus deis ag gach duine í a fhoghlaim ar scoil agus sa chlub CLG. An chéad chéim eile? Comhoibriú le scoileanna sa cheantar deiseanna foghlama a chruthú do pháistí maidir leis an Ghaeilge. Tá an t-ádh orainn go bhfuil Maeve McAlister linn sa chlub, d’fhoghlaim sí an Ghaeilge ar scoil agus d’imir sí camógaíocht linn nuair a bhí sí óg.

Tá clann da cuid féin aici anois agus ba mhaith léi Gaeilge a thabhairt don chéad ghlúin eile. Sin agat sealbhú teanga.

Is mór an gníomh daoibh é an gradam seo, cad iad na héachtaí is mó a bhfuil sibh bródúil astu? What are you most proud of of all the efforts made by the club?

We are delighted to have won this great award and to be Club Gaeilge na Bliana CLG Uladh 2023.

Táimid iontach go deo bródúil as an obair a dhéanaimid leis na daoine óga. Tá cuid mhaith bainte amach acu tríd an Ghaeilge, agus nuair a bhronn CLG Uladh an gradam seo orainn, ba léir dúinn go raibh muid ag dul sa treo ceart. Is fiú go mór an obair a dhéanaimid ar son na teanga.

Tá mé féin bródúil as na físeáin a dhéanann na páistí agus iad sna ranganna. Cuirtear in airde iad ar na meáin shóisialta, agus bíonn dúil bhocht ag na páistí iontu nó feiceann siad iad féin os comhair an phobail ar dhóigh agus an Ghaeilge curtha ar shúile dhaoine.

Is minic a bhíonn iontas ar na tuismitheoirí an Ghaeilge atá foghlamtha ag na páistí.

In Scór, a young boy from the club called Eoin Lorcan recited in Irish. We didn’t win, but I was bursting with pride when he finished the aithriseoireacht.

Another great achievement for An Ghaeilge sa chlub was our podcasting project in 2023.

We went to Raidió Fáilte with a group of teenagers who really enjoyed the experience, made possible through funding and support from Community Foundation.

We were delighted to help in their promotional video which was shown all over Ireland. The teenagers learned new skills with the equipment – camera and recording – all done trí Ghaeilge.

Is féidir níos mó a léamh fá CLG Ruairí Óig thíos.