November Irish Language Plan for Galway City

Galway City Council and Gaillimh le Gaeilge have announced that Dr John Walsh, Roinn na Gaeilge and Dr Dorothy Ní Uigín, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, NUI Galway will lead a team of experts in language planning over the next few months to prepare a seven-year Irish Language Plan for Galway City 2019-2026.

The objective of the Irish Language Plan, in line with Government policy, is to increase on an incremental basis, the communicative use and knowledge of Irish in Galway city as a community language. A new steering Group, Coiste Stiúrtha Pleanála Teanga Gaillimh (CSPT Gaillimh), was jointly established by Gaillimh le Gaeilge and Galway City Council to support, guide and oversee the progress and the delivery of an Irish Language Plan for the city. Members of the Coiste represent a broad cross-section of the public, private, community and voluntary sectors in Galway city.

Speaking about the work ahead, Dr John Walsh, NUI Galway, says: “Over the next few months, we look forward to working with Coiste Stiúrtha Pleanála Teanga Gaillimh, to ensure that we deliver a successful language plan for the city. The planning project will comprise two phases; firstly a review of existing relevant research and international best practice and secondly a consultation exercise with relevant stakeholders and interested parties. We also hope to gain a better understanding of the needs and desires of the Irish language networks already operating in the city.”

Speaking on the Irish Language Plan, Galway City Council Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath says: “Galway City Council is very pleased to be involved with this initiative for Galway city. It will provide an effective structure and a resource base for sustainable Irish language planning in Galway city for the period 2019-2026 and beyond.”

Cathaoirleach Ghaillimh le Gaeilge, Bernadette Mullarkey says: “This is an exciting time ahead not only for the Irish language but also for Galway City. As members of CSPT Gaillimh, we look forward to working closely with Dr John Walsh and Dr Dorothy Ní Uigín as we engage with the people of Galway to set out a range of practical, cost-effective, achievable initiatives with a specified timeframe in the plan. The clear objective of the plan will be to further promote, support and increase the communicative use of the Irish language as a norm in everyday life as well as delivering on Galway’s status as Ireland’s Bilingual City.”

Dr John Walsh is a Senior Lecturer in Irish at the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, specialising in sociolinguistics. Dr Dorothy Ní Uigín, is Acting CEO of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, at NUI Galway. She is interested in language teaching and acquisition.

This Irish Language Project is co-funded by Foras na Gaeilge through An Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta and Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe.

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Plean Teanga do Chathair na Gaillimhe

Tá sé fógartha ag Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe agus Gaillimh le Gaeilge go mbeidh an Dr John Walsh, Roinn na Gaeilge agus an Dr Dorothy Ní Uigín, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh  i gceannas ar fhoireann saineolaithe sa phleanáil teanga chun plean teanga seacht mbliana (2019-2026) a ullmhú agus a sheachadadh do Chathair na Gaillimhe.

Is é cuspóir phlean teanga Chathair na Gaillimhe, de réir pholasaí an Rialtais, cur le húsáid agus eolas cumarsáide na Gaeilge mar theanga pobail i gCathair na Gaillimhe ar bhonn incriminteach. Bhunaigh Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe agus Gaillimh le Gaeilge coiste stiúrtha nua (Coiste Stiúrtha Pleanála Teanga Gaillimh (CSPT Gaillimh) le tacú le agus treoir a thabhairt d’ullmhú agus seachadadh plean teanga do Chathair na Gaillimhe. Tá ionadaíocht ar an gCoiste ó na hearnálacha poiblí, príobháideacha, pobail agus deonacha i gCathair na Gaillimhe.

Ag labhairt dó ar an obair atá amach rompu, dúirt an Dr John Walsh: “Le linn na míonna amach romhainn, táimid ag súil le dul ag obair leis an gCoiste Stiúrtha Pleanála Teanga, Gaillimh le cinntiú go n-ullmhófar plean teanga rathúil don chathair.  Beidh dhá chéim i gceist leis an tionscadal pleanála: ar an gcéad dul síos, déanfar athbhreithniú ar thaighde cuí atá déanta cheana agus ar an dea-chleachtas idirnáisiúnta; agus ar an dara dul síos, reáchtálfar beart comhairliúcháin leis na páirtithe leasmhara cuí. Tá súil againn chomh maith tuiscint níos fearr a fháil ar riachtanais agus ar mhianta na ngréasán Gaeilge atá ag feidhmiú sa chathair i láthair na huaire.”

Ag tagairt don phlean teanga, deir Brendan McGrath, Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe: “Tá Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe an-sásta bheith páirteach sa tionscnamh seo do Chathair na Gaillimhe. Tabharfaidh sé struchtúr éifeachtach mar aon le bonn acmhainní do phleanáil teanga inbhuanaithe i gCathair na Gaillimhe don tréimhse 2019-2026 agus thairis sin.”

Deir Bernadette Mullarkey, Cathaoirleach Ghaillimh le Gaeilge: “Tá tréimhse spreagúil amach romhainn, ní hamháin don Ghaeilge ach do Chathair na Gaillimhe chomh maith. Mar bhaill de CSPT Gaillimh, táimid ag súil le bheith ag obair go dlúth leis an Dr John Walsh agus an Dr Dorothy Ní Uigín, agus muid ag freastal ar mhuintir na Gaillimhe chun réimse de thionscadail phraiticiúla agus insroichte, a bheas éifeachtach ó thaobh costais de, a leagan amach. Beidh tréimhse ar leith i gceist leis na tionscadail. Is é cuspóir an phlean ná úsáid na Gaeilge mar ghnáth-theanga laethúil a chur chun cinn, a chothú agus a mhéadú chomh maith le stádas na Gaillimhe mar Chathair Dhátheangach na hÉireann a chur i bhfeidhm ar bhealach níos suntasaí.”

Tá an Dr John Walsh ina Léachtóir Sinsearach le Gaeilge i Scoil na dTeangacha, na Litríochtaí & na gCultúr áit a múineann sé an tsochtheangeolaíocht. Tá an Dr Dorothy Ní Uigín ag feidhmiú mar Phríomhfheidhmeannach Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh. Tá spéis faoi leith aici i dteagasc agus sealbhú teanga.

Tá an Tionscadal Gaeilge seo á chómhaoiniú ag Foras na Gaeilge tríd an Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta agus Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe.

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