Seachtain na Gaeilge i nDún na nGall 2026 Seolta go hOifigiúil

Sheol Cathaoirleach Choiste na Gaeilge, Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, an Cllr Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig, Seachtain na Gaeilge i nDún na nGall 2026 go hoifigiúil ag ócáid a bhí ar siúl i nGaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí, Baile Dhún na nGall, Déardaoin 26 Feabhra. 

Ina measc siúd a bhí i láthair, bhí baill de Choiste na Gaeilge, stiúrthóirí ón Chomhairle, oifigigh ó Rannóg na Gaeilge agus ón tSeirbhís Leabharlainne, Oifigigh Pleanála Teanga sa chontae, pobal na scoile agus Bord Bainistíochta na scoile.

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Céiliúradh lán le ceol, filíocht, damhsa agus scéalaíocht a bhí ann agus tá moladh mór tuillte ag daltaí na Gaelscoile a chuir siamsaíocht ar fáil chomh maith le grúpa airneáil Bhaile Dhún na nGall agus Maura Lougue a rinne léiriú staire.

Chuir Príomhoide na Gaelscoile, Eoghan Ó Gráda fáilte roimh an slua a bhí i láthair agus mhaígh sé gur cúis mhór bhróid í gur  seoladh an fhéile go hoifigiúil sa scoil. Is bunscoil lánGhaelach í Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí a bunaíodh sa bhliain 1999 chun freastal ar éileamh do bhunoideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge i mBaile Dhún na nGall. Tá an scoil ag dul ó neart go neart ó shin a bhuíochas don ghrúpa tuismitheoirí agus do na Gaeil sin a raibh fís acu ag an am. Ní raibh baile buan ag pobal na scoile go dtí gur tógadh foirgneamh úrnua anuraidh.

Labhair Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh, Leabharlannaí Feidhmiúcháin leis an tSeirbhís Leabharlainne faoin tábhacht atá le caomhnú na Gaeilege i mBaile Dhún na nGall. “Tá clú bainte amach ag Baile Dhún na nGall mar gheall ar an chaisleán agus tógtar caisleán nuair atá rud luachmhar le cosaint. Cosúil le caisleán, déanann pobal na scoile cosaint ar an teanga agus tuigeann siad go gcaithfidh siad an teanga agus an cultúr Gaelach a chur chun cinn taobh amuigh de bhallaí na scoile agus dá bhrí sin, tá Gaeltacht bheag á tógáil acu i mBaile Dhún na nGall.” 

Nuair a bhí sé i mbun an tseolta, rinne Cathaoirleach ar Choiste na Gaeilge sa Chomhairle, an Clr. Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig cur síos ar an bhorradh a tháinig ar chúrsaí Gaeilge taobh istigh den Chomhairle Contae le blianta beaga anuas ach d’admhaigh sé go bhfuil bealach fada rompu go fóill. Chuir sé béim ar an aos óg agus a thábhachtaí is atá sé a chinntiú go mbeidh todhchaí na Gaeilge is na Gaeltachta slán. “Tá ról lárnach ag an aos óg lena chinntiú go ndéanfaí an teanga a chur ar aghaidh go dtí an chéad ghlúin eile ach caithfear a chinntiú go bhfuil tithíocht á cur ar fáil agus go bhfuil pá réasúnta ag na Gaeil chun maireachtáil sna ceantair seo. Má tá an rialtas dáiríre faoin cheist seo agus má tá athrú le theacht, ní na polaiteoirí a dhéanfas é ach an pobal.”

Beidh Seachtain na Gaeilge ar siúl go hIdirnáisiúnta ó 1 - 17 Márta 2026 agus tá clár fairsing imeachtaí Gaeilge curtha le chéile ag Rannóg na Gaeilge agus ag an tSeirbhís Leabharlainne sa Chomhairle Contae le cois grúpaí pobail eile ar fud Chontae Dhún na nGall. I measc na n-imeachtaí a bheas ar siúl beidh Ceardlann Garraíodóireachta le Deirdre Ní Bhraonáin, ceiliúradh ar Lá Domhanda na Leabhar le Máire Zepf agus Mr. Ando, Ceardlann Ríomheolaíochta do pháistí, an seó grinn ‘Gaelgháirí’ agus Ciorcail Chomhrá Ghaeilge i roinnt d’Ionaid Seirbhísí Poiblí na Comhairle. 

Moltar don phobal a bheith rannpháirteach sa cheiliúradh beag beann ar a gcumas Gaeilge. “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine”.

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Cathaoirleach of Coiste na Gaeilge, Donegal County Council, an Clr. Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig, officially launched Seachtain na Gaeilge in Donegal 2026 in Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí, Donegal Town on Thursday.

Among those in attendance were members of Coiste na Gaeilge alongside officials from the Council, representatives from Rannóg na Gaeilge and the Library Service, Language Planning Officers throughout the county, the school community and Board of Management.

It was a celebration full of music, poetry, dance and storytelling and the pupils from the Gaelscoil are to be commended for the entertainment they provided, alongside the grúpa airneáil in Donegal Town and Maura Lougue who captured the history of the town in her performance.

The Principal of the Gaelscoil, Eoghan Ó Gráda, welcomed those in attendance and said that it was a great privilege for the school to host the launch of this festival. Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí is an all-Irish primary school that was established in 1999 to meet the demand for primary education through the medium of Irish in Donegal Town. The school has gone from strength to strength since then, thanks to the group of parents and Gaeil who had a vision back then. The school community was without a permanent premises until last year when they moved into their new school building.

Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh, Executive Librarian with the Library Service, spoke about the importance of preserving the Irish language in Donegal Town. “Donegal Town is famous for its castle, and a castle is built when there is something valuable to protect. Like a castle, the school community protects the language and understands that they must promote the Irish language and culture outside the walls of the school and as a result, they’re building a small Gaeltacht in Donegal Town.”

Cathaoirleach of Coiste na Gaeilge, an Clr. Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig, outlined the progress made in relation to the Irish language within the Council in recent years, but acknowledged that there’s still a long way to go. He emphasised the importance of young people and ensuring that the future of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht is secure. “Young people have a central role in ensuring that the language is passed on to the next generation, but we need to ensure that housing is provided and that Gaeil have a decent wage and can afford to live in these areas. If the government is serious about this issue and if change is to come, it will not come from the politicians but from the community.”

Seachtain na Gaeilge will take place internationally from 1 - 17 March 2026 and an extensive programme of Irish language events has been organised by Rannóg na Gaeilge and the Library Service in Donegal County Council and by other community groups throughout County Donegal. Among the events taking place will be a Gardening workshop with Deirdre Ní Bhraonáin, a World Book Day celebration with Máire Zepf and Mr. Ando, a Computer Science workshop for children, the stand-up comedy show ‘Gaelgháirí’ and Irish Conversation Circles in some of the Public Service Centres.
People are encouraged to participate in the celebration regardless of their Irish language ability. “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine”.