Molaim go haer é!

Tá grianghraif ealaíonta lándaite ó chlúdach go clúdach ann. Go bunúsach is iris Bhéarla é, ach tá Gaeilge

go leor ann. Is léir gur cuireadh a lán oibre isteach In ullmhúchán na hirise. Bhí an fhoirenn ábalta a lán fógraíochta a mhealladh – rud atá an-deacair na laethanta seo. Sa chéad alt tá cur síos ar an aerfort féin agus a áiseanna. Cuirtear dhá eitilt ar fáil go Baile Átha Cliath gach lá agus suas le ceithre cinn gach seachtain go Glaschú. Tá nasceitiltí ar fáil anois idir Dún na nGall agus na Stáit Aontaithe. Tá ailt ann faoi na rudaí atá le déanamh agus le feiceáil i nDún na nGall. Tá píosa ann faoin ‘Chabaret Chraiceáilte’, seó míosúíl le Rónán Mac a’ Bhuí, ar a mbíonn leithéidí Kila, Mairéad Ní Mhaoinigh, Breandán Ó Beaglaíoch agus Máire Ní Choilm. Bhí áthas

orm tagairt a fheiceáil d’ Fhióna Nic Pháidín. Is máistreás scoile í Fióna. Amhránaí agus cainteoir Gaeilge den chéad scoth atá inti. Bhí sí ag obair mar chúntóir Gaeilge i gColáiste Cholm Cille, Doire, roinnt blianta ó

shin. Insíonn Howard Chu a scéal féin. Is ceoltóir Meiriceánach é atá ina chónaí i nDún na nGall le trí bliana anuas. Cuirtear agallamh ar Martha L. Healy, amhránaí tíre de bhunadh Conallach a tógadh i nGlaschú. Chuir sí amach a céad albam i Nashville, Tennessee, anuraidh. Tá cur síos ann ar áiteanna éagsúla ar fud an chontae ó Bhun Dóbhráin go hInis Eoghain. Tugtar aichoimre iontach faoin leithinis, ‘áit a bhfuil achan rud ann’. Aontaímid uilig leis seo! Tugtar íomhá an-dearfach den chontae - áiteanna stairiúla, radhairc tíre a bhaineann an anáil díot,

siamsaíocht, spórt, bia. ‘Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine’. Tá géarchéim eacnamaíochta ag bagairt ar Aerfort Dhoire san am i láthair. Bheadh bainistíocht Aerfort na Cathrach in ann cúpla ceacht a fhoghlaim óna comharsana Conallacha le teacht as an tsáinn ina bhfuil sí.

Translation

I am looking at a very attractive publication at the minute: ‘Take Off’, the official magazine of Donegal Airport. It has high quality colour photographs from cover to cover. It is basically an English language magazine, but it contains quite a lot of Irish. It is obvious that a greatdeal of work went into putting the magazine together. The staff was able to attract a great amount of advertising- something which is very difficult nowadays.

The first article describes the airport and its facilities. There are two daily flights to Dublin and an average of four flights to Glasgow every week. There are now connecting flights between Donegal and the United States. There are articles about things to do and things to see in Donegal. There is a piece on the Cabaret Craiceáilte (Crazy Cabaret), a monthly show presented by Rónán Mac a’ Bhuí, with performers such as Kila, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Breandán Ó Beaglaíoch, and Máire Ní Choilm. I was delighted that Fióna Nic Pháidín got a mention. She is a school teacher, a first rate singer and a brilliant Irish speaker. She worked as an Irish language assistant in St. Columb’s College, Derry a number of years ago.

Howard Chu tells us about himself. He is an American musician who has been living in Donegal for the last three years. There is an interview with Martha L. Healy, a country singer who was brought up in Glasgow and whose people are from Donegal. She recorded her first album in Nashville, Tennessee, last year. Various places from Bundoran to Inishowen are described in the magazine. There is a very good brief description of the peninsula- ‘a place which has it all’. We all agree with that! A very positive image of the county is projected- historic sites, breathtaking scenery, entertainment, sport, food. ‘People depend on one another to survive’.

Derry Airport is facing an economic crisis at present. The airport management could take a few lessons from their Donegal neighbours on how to get out of the predicament.