Fingal County Council will be celebrating the Irish Language and culture throughout the Seachtain na Gaeilge festival which runs from March 1-17 2022. Following on from 2021 when all events were online we are delighted to return to some in-person events with an evening of music in County Hall Swords to compliment the fantastic online events organised by Fingal Libraries. The main focus of Seachtain na Gaeilge is to reawaken love for the language and encourage its use and we will be doing this within the council and through events and promotion on our various Social Media channels encouraging everyone to use whatever Irish they have – Bain Triail Aisti.
Antaine Ó Faracháin and Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh are old friends of Seachtain na Gaeilge in Fingal and the Council are delighted to be able to welcome them back to County Hall for an evening of music, song and Gaeilge on Wednesday March 9th from 7 to 9 pm. Antaine Ó Faracháin sings in the the traditional style in English and Irish and runs the Sean-Nós Cois Life song festival. Nollaig, a fluent Irish speaker, is an excellent piper and highly regarded as a musician who teaches the uilleann pipes and could be heard playing regularly at sessions. All are welcome – contact [email protected] to book. The council will also hold a bilingual walk in the beautiful grounds of Ardgillan Castle at 11am Tuesday 8th with head gardener Dominica.
Fingal Libraries will start their events with Journalist and Author Edel Coffey in conversation with Manchán on Zoom about his latest book Tree Dogs, Banshee Fingers and Other Irish Words For Nature, through English with a little bit of Irish, so everyone can listen along on Tuesday the 1st of March @8pm. They will have an Introduction to Scratch as Gaeilge/Scratch Coding through Irish for ages 10 -12 Saturday 5th at 11am and you can hear Irish author Carmel Uí Cheallaigh talk about her three fascinating Irish History Centenary Books bilingually on Youtube.
Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh said, “tá Seachtain na Gaeilge linn arís! Táim ag súil go mór le teacht le chéile go pearsanta an bhliain seo chun ár dteanga is cultúr a cheiliúradh. Mar is eol dúinn tá pobal na Gaeilge ag méadú i bhFine Gall agus is iontach an rud é.”
“The Irish language is a very important aspect of our culture at all times but the celebration of Seachtain na Gaeilge is very important as it brings a welcome excitement and focus to it each year. Following two years of restrictions it is lovely that we can begin to meet up in person to enjoy the language at live events while also continuing to enjoy online content, not only for our growing Irish language community in Fingal but for everyone. Beatha Teanga í a Labhairt.”
Chief Executive of Fingal AnnMarie Farrelly said, “I am delighted that we can return to the tradition of welcoming Irish enthusiasts in Fingal to County Hall Swords for Seachtain na Gaeilge this year and I hope that they will also enjoy our varied online content. Fingal County Council is committed to supporting the Irish language and culture in Fingal.”
Source: Fingal County Council
