Laois school goes green to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge

Students and staff from Dunamase College in Portlaoise celebrated Seachtain na Gaeilge at the beginning of March with a host of exciting activities.

Organised by the Cumann Gaelach and the Gaelbhratach committee in collaboration with the Irish department, the school enjoyed an action-packed two weeks full of events that celebrated Irish in fun, creative, and meaningful ways, both within the school and in the wider community.

Some of the events which took place at the school included a poster and meme competition, quizzes, bingo, movie screenings as Gaeilge, dancing sessions, and a door-decorating contest.

One of the highlights was Bing Loco which saw fifth-year students join in on the fun. A Lá Glas (Wear Green Day) was also held, with both students and staff proudly dressing in green to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Teachers also got involved through a Phrase Bingo challenge where they collected and used Irish phrases in their daily interactions, highlighting that the promotion of Irish extends beyond the classroom.

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Fifth-year students Nina, David, and Cuileann also participated in an EU translation competition, where they were tasked with translating a script from a European language into Irish.

As part of the celebrations, students also reached out beyond the school, visiting local primary schools including Gaelscoil Phort Laoise, Gaelscoil Thromaire, Ratheniska National School, Timahoe National School, and Barnashrone National School. They
organised céilís and hosted quizzes at the schools, sharing their love of Irish with younger students and inspiring the next generation of Gaeilgeoirí.

The Gaelbhratach Committee hosted a Pop-Up Gaeltacht in Portlaoise Library, inviting the community to come together and speak Irish.

In recognition of their ongoing efforts to promote Irish in innovative ways, Dunamase College students were once again invited to TikTok HQ to celebrate the school’s success in bringing the language to a wider audience online. Students enjoyed meeting Irish-language content creators and creating their own Irish TikToks.

The school’s podcasting team also played an active role in promoting the Irish language during the celebrations. Students recorded a series of Irish-language segments for Midlands 103, giving them the opportunity to share their cúpla focal with a wider audience.

Aonad students Cuileann, OJ, Aoife, and Kayla travelled to Galway to attend the Muintearas event, where Irish-medium schools from Education and Training Boards Ireland across the country came together to celebrate the language and culture.

On the day, the students met with President Catherine Connolly and presented their vision for the future of Gaeilge and the importance of creating more opportunities for young people to use Irish within their local communities.

Fifth-year Aonad students also had the opportunity to attend Fís, an event organised by Conradh na Gaeilge. The day began with an engaging panel discussion hosted by Peadar Ó Caomhánaigh and featured speakers such as Caitríona Kenny, Róisín Seoighe, Éadaoin Fitzmaurice, and DJ Próvaí.

Following this, students explored a wide range of interactive stands divided into themes of Careers, Community, and Future. Organisations such as TG4, Bloc, Gaelbratach, Kinia, Óglaigh na hÉireann, and An Garda Síochána were among those present.

The event provided students with a fresh insight into the wide range of opportunities available through Irish, from careers to community involvement, clearly demonstrating the important role the language plays in contemporary life.