Bí i do Ghael! Is é sin an cuireadh atá á thabhairt ag Líonra Leitir Ceanainn dúinn uilig ach cad is Gael ann? Is é an rud atá tábhachtach go príomha ná a bheith i do dhuine a bhfuil meas agat do theanga na nGael agus iarracht a dhéanamh agat an Ghaeilge a labhairt.
Agus is é sin an dara chuid den chuireadh – giota Gaeilge a labhairt achan lá! Tá sé mar sprioc ag Líonra Leitir Ceanainn daoine a spreagadh Gaeilge a bheith fite fuaite fríd an tsaoil acu, nós fadsaoil ar fhorbairt acu agus an Ghaeilge á labhairt go laethúil acu. Beidh an chéad daonáireamh eile againn i mí na Bealtaine ar an bhliain seo chugainn agus nach mbeadh sé go hiontach dá dtiocfadh le daoine a rá go hionraic, fiú mura bhfuil siad líofa, go bhfuil Gaeilge a labhairt acu achan uile lá.
Be a Gael! That is the invitation which Líonra Leitir Ceanainn is giving to us all. But what is a Gael? The most important thing is to be someone who has respect for the Irish language and who makes an effort to speak Irish. And that is the second part of the invitation – to speak some Irish every day! Líonra Leitir Ceanainn wants to encourage and inspire people to weave the language throughout all areas of their lives, to develop a lifelong habit and speak Irish each and every day. The next Census will be happening in May 2027 and wouldn’t it be amazing if people could honestly say, even if they are not fluent, that they speak Irish every single day.
Maidir le bheith i do Ghael, is cuma cá háit ar rugadh nó ar tógadh thú. Má tá meas agat don teanga agus tú tiomanta cibé Gaeilge atá agat a úsáid – is Gael thú! Deir Bairbre, Comhordaitheoir Pleanála Teanga le Líonra Leitir Ceanainn, “Bhí mé ag éisteacht le fear óg ón Ghearmáin a bhí faoi agallamh ar an teilifís. Tháinig sé chun na hollscoile anseo in Éirinn agus rinne cinneadh Gaeilge a fhoghlaim. Thit sé go hiomlán i ngrá leis an teanga agus i ndiaidh cúpla bliain bhí líofacht mhaith bainte amach aige. Mar a dúirt sé féin, cé nárbh Éireannach é, ba Ghael é. Is é sin an meon atá againn, ag iarraidh a léiriú go mbaineann an teanga leis an phobal ina iomláine. Tá muid ag iarraidh oiread daoine agus is féidir a spreagadh chun Gaeilge a labhairt, sa bhaile, sna siopaí, san ionad oibre, le cairde agus teaghlach, comharsana agus comhghleacaithe. Tuigeann muid fosta, agus tá sé feicthe againn, go n-imrítear tionchar ar dhaoine eile nuair a chloiseann siad Gaeilge thart orthu – tugann sé muinín agus spreagadh dóibh giota Gaeilge a labhairt. Tá sé mar a bheadh síolta teanga a gcur againn agus iad ag bláthú agus ag iomadú agus ag leathnú amach fud fad na háite!”
Some of the Irish language learners currently doing classes with Líonra Leitir Ceanainn and committing to be a Gael and speak as much Irish as they can every day. (Roinnt de na daoine atá i mbun ranganna san am i láthair le Líonra Leitir Ceanainn agus sásta tabhairt faoin dúshlán a bheith ina nGaeil agus oiread Gaeilge agus is féidir a labhairt go laethúil.
As for being a Gael, well it doesn’t matter where you were born or raised. If you have respect for the language and for using whatever Irish you have then you are a Gael.
Bairbre Uí Chathail, the Coordinator of the Strategic Irish Language Plan for Letterkenny said: “I was listening to a young German man who was being interviewed on the television. He came to University in Ireland and while he was here, decided to learn Irish. He fell totally in love with the language and after a few years had achieved a good level of fluency. As he said himself, he wasn’t Irish but he was a Gael. That is our approach, trying to show that the language is there for everyone. We want to encourage as many people as possible to speak the language, at home, in the shops, at work, with friends and family, with neighbours and colleagues. We have also seen the impact it has on people when they hear Irish being spoken around them – it gives them the incentive and the confidence to have a go themselves. There is a ripple effect. You could say that we are sowing seeds and that they are blooming and spreading all around the area.”
Is féidir dul chuig an roinn nuachta ar suíomh gréasáin Líonra Leitir Ceanainn chun clárú don dúshlán seo – a bheith i do Ghael agus giota Gaeilge a labhairt achan lá – nó déan teagmháil le Bairbre eolas@lionralc.ie
You can go to the news section of Líonra Leitir Ceanainn’s website Lionralc.ie to sign up for the challenge – to be a Gael and speak Irish every day – or contact Bairbre on eolas@lionralc.ie.
