Friday, March 28, 2008

News whatchamacallit through an 28ú lá Mí na Márta

Overcrowding and lack of resources hindering teachers (March 24, 2008)
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/0324/1206144654454.html
“Primary school teachers are struggling to implement key sections of the new curriculum because of overcrowded classrooms and a lack of resources, according to a major new report.”
“On the teaching of the Irish language, teachers reported how ‘a lack of age-appropriate, modern and interesting resources, including teaching resources and real books’ was hampering their work.”
“Class size was also a key issue in Irish language teaching.”

Gaeltacht revamp could cut 'population in half' (March 24, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gaeltacht-revamp-could-cut-population-in-half-1325947.html
“The population of the Gaeltacht could be cut by more than half and Dingle could lose its designated all-Irish status if the Government introduced new linguistic criteria.”

Towns at risk of losing Gaeltacht status (March 25, 2008)
http://www.oceanfm.ie/onair/donegalnews.php?articleid=000002629
"A proposed Gaeltacht revamp could see towns in Donegal such as Dungloe and Burtonport lose their Gaeltacht status."

Gaeltachtaí in danger? (March 25, 2008)
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3708&Itemid=38
“A new study into the Irish language indicates that the population of the Mayo Gaeltachtaí could be cut to just over 2,000 people if the Government introduced new linguistic criteria – meaning that Achill, Belmullet and Tourmakeady would all lose their Gaeltacht status.”

City could lose Gaeltacht tag (March 25, 2008)
http://www.galwaynews.ie/3211-city-could-lose-gaeltacht-tag
“A new analysis predicts that areas of Galway city currently classified as being in the Gaeltacht — with a population of 14,000, or about one fifth of the city’s total — would lose that status if Gaeltacht boundaries were to be redrawn, under new linguistic criteria recommended to the Government.”

Teachers: Comedian tops minister for promotion of Irish in schools (March 25, 2008)
http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=58655-qqqx=1.asp
“The Irish language has been boosted more by comedian Des Bishop than the minister whose job it is to promote it in schools, a primary teachers’ leader said last night.”

Comic 'promotes Irish language more than minister' (March 25, 2008)
http://www.theirishworld.com/article.asp?SubSection_Id=2&Article_Id=5034
“Comedian Des Bishop has done more to promote Irish language in schools than the Education Minister, said a primary teachers' leader yesterday.”

Minister Criticized Over Gaelic (March 26, 2008)
http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/Articles/Minister-Criticized-Over-Gaelic290308.aspx
“A New York-born comedian has been credited by a teachers’ leader with contributing more to the campaign to revive the Irish language than Education Minister Mary Hanafin.”

Dingle to lose Gaeltacht status under new plan (March 26, 2008)
http://www.kerryman.ie/news/dingle-to-lose-gaeltacht-status-under-new-plan-1328584.html
“Ministers will meet for the first time next month to discuss the findings of the report, carried out by NUIG and NUI Maynooth, which contends that Irish will die out as the main language of the community and home in the Gaeltacht within 15-20 years unless immediate action is taken to stem the linguistic tide against Irish.”

Cúirt’s Irish language programme travels further than before (March 27, 2008)
http://www.galwayadvertiser.ie/content/index.php?aid=11226
“Travels to India, poems inspired by the Aran Islands, and a host of award winning writers make up this year’s much expanded Cúirt Irish language programme.”

Learn Polish at the Galway City Museum (March 27, 2008)
http://www.galwayadvertiser.ie/content/index.php?aid=11195
“It is a surprising but true that many Galwegians are picking up a few Polish phrases like ‘dzien dobry’ and ‘do widzenia’ to say to their Polish friends. Now there is a chance to learn how to say much more.”

'Funky nostalgia' to characterise Electric Picnic '08 (March 27, 2008)
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=250521982&p=z5x5zz688
“... Music and art also have the opportunity to merge as major debates, hosted by broadcaster David McWilliams, will reflect on the political and cultural legacy 40 years on from 1968 - the high-watermark of 1960s counterculture - featuring some key figures from the era; the future of the Irish language and the state of the music industry.”

Grabby the alien set to give kids a grá for Gaeilge on RTE show (March 27, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/grabby-the-alien-set-to-give-kids-a-gr-for-gaeilge-on-rte-show-1328325.html
“A Gaeilgeoir alien called Grabby is set to delight toddlers into getting familiar with the Irish language, before they even get to school.”

Good Friday frolics (March 27, 2008)
http://www.galwaynews.ie/3226-good-friday-frolics
“The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese could certainly give comedian Des Bishop a run for his money when it comes to stage performances in the Irish language.
“President McAleese was guest of honour at TG4’s annual Musician of the Year awards on Good Friday night in the INEC, Killarney and formally opened the event. Like Des Bishop, she began studying Irish later in life, and like him, her standard of Irish would put most of us to shame.”
(Subscription required for full story.)

Does the GAA properly represent our Gaelic culture? (March 29, 2008) (yes, published tomorrow -- in the past!)
http://www.southernstar.ie/article.php?id=651
“Should we be worried about the major sponsorship coming into the GAA? The association announced new deals for the All-Ireland championships with various companies and it now seems they are now longer limiting themselves to Irish companies. I remember a time when an objection would be ruled out of order if it wasn’t written on Irish watermark paper. Now we’re opening the doors to any and all guests.”

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