'Tá na Gaeltachtaí ag imeacht uainn go mall ach go cinnte.' Léigh mé sin in 'Inniu' blianta ó shin. Níl an ráiteas sin fíor. Tá na Gaeltachtaí ag imeacht uainn, ach tá siad ag imeacht go gasta.
Bheifeá ábalta na cainteoirí dúchais uilig a chur isteach i bPáirc an Chrócaigh agus bheadh spás agat go fóill. Bhí an dífhostaíocht agus an imirce nios measa sa Ghaeltacht. Bhí sé an-doiligh tionscail a mhealladh chuig ceantracha Gaeltachta. Ar fea
dh tamaill tháinig biseach ar an scéal. Rinne an tAthair James Mc Dyer sárobair i nGleann Cholm Cille, mar shampla: bhunaigh sé comharchumann agus chuir sé fostaíocht ar fáil. D'oscail Gael Linn monarchana i gConamara, i nDún na nGall agus in áiteanna eile. Tá ardmholadh tuillte ag Údarás na Gaeltachta: bunaíodh eastát tionsclaíochta i nGaoth Dobhair, cuir i gcás, agus bhí na céadta oibrí in ann fostaiocht a fháil sa bhaile in áit dul go Baile Átha Cliath nó thar sáile. Bhunaigh Gael Linn, Oideas Gael agus eagraíochtaí eile coláistí do dhaoine fásta agus do dhaoine óga. Ansin thainig Bord Snip Nua. Le scéal fada a dhéanamh gairid, beidh an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht i mbaol má ghlactar lena mholtaí. Ach tá cuil troda ar mhuintir na Gaeltachta anois. Bunaíodh Guth na Gaeltachta leis an phobal a chur ar an eolas faoi impleachtai na gciorruithe atá molta don teanga agus don Ghaeltacht. Tabharfaidh mé sonraí den fheachtas níos moille. Idir an dá linn gabh chuig www.guthnag.com le tuilleadh eolais a fháil.
Ranganna
Bíonn ranganna Gaeilge ar siúl i Halla Mhuire, Magh gach Máirt óna 5,30 go dtí 7.30. Freastalaítear ar gach leibhéal. Agus beidh deis ag na mic léinn teg a dhéanamh.
más mian leo.
Voice of the Gaeltacht
'The Gaeltacht areas are disappearing slowly but surely.' I read this in 'Inniu' years ago, This statement is not true. The Gaeltacht areas are disappearing, but they are going quickly. You could fit all of the native speakers into Croke Park and you would still have room. Unemployment and emigration was worse in the Gaeltacht than elsewhere. It was very difficult to attract industry to Gaeltacht districts. But things improved for a while. Fr. James McDyer did great work in Gleann Cholm Cille, for instance. Gael Linn opened factories in Conamara, Donegal and elsewhere. Údarás na Gaeltachta deserves great credit: an industrial estate was set up in Gaoth Dobhair, for example, and hundreds of workers were able to get employment at home instead of going to Dublin or going abroad. Gael Linn, Oideas Gael and other organisations founded colleges for young and old. Then an Bord Snip Nua came along. To make a long story short, the Irish language and the Gaeltacht are in danger if its recommendations are accepted. But the people of the Gaeltacht are showing fight now. Guth na Gaeltachta was set up to inform people about the implications of the cut-backs that are recommended for the language and the Gaeltacht. I will give details of the campaign later. Meanwhile, go to www.guthnag.com for further information.
Classes
There are Irish classes in St. Mary's Hall, Muff, every Tuesday from 5.30 to 7.30pm. All levels are catered for and those who wish to can do the European Irish Certificate.
