News sheaf to an 3ú lá Mí na Bealtaine

Speaker’s Corner: “I should be be fluent in Irish but my ability to speak our native tongue is distinctly average” (April 21, 2008)
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3914&Itemid=38
“I have to admit that when it comes to Raidió Teleifís Éireann, I’m often at the head of the queue for heaping criticism, so for a change I’m delighted to be able to praise one of their homegrown programmes.
“Des Bishop’s ‘In the Name of the Fada’ has just finished its six-week run on Thursday nights on RTÉ One and along with being highly entertaining, it has also raised some fundamental questions about the current state of the Irish language.”

Nurses furious HSE is making a battle over language allowance (April 23, 2008)
http://www.kerryman.ie/frontpage/nurses-furious-hse-is-making-a-battle-over-language-allowance-1357290.html
“The allowance is worth ?3,500 per annum at the upper end of the grading scale. All nurses proficient in Irish and working in Gaeltacht areas throughout the country have long been in receipt of the allowance, except for the nursing staff at Dingle Hospital.”

Gaelscoileanna forced to turn students away (April 28, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/gaelscoileanna-forced-to-turn-students-away-1360885.html
“Gaelscoileanna around the country are turning hundreds of children away, as they do not have the capacity to cope with the volume of applicants.”

GMIT lecturer calls for end of Gaeltacht grants (April 29, 2008)
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3992&Itemid=38
“An Irish language expert has called on the Department of the Gaeltacht to stop the administration of infrastructure grants exclusively for Gaeltacht regions, as he feels they have not helped promote the Irish language.”

Only a minority of Gaeltacht schools teaching through Irish (April 29, 2008)
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3993&Itemid=38
“Only eight national schools in the Mayo Gaeltacht are educating their pupils entirely through Irish and support is not being given by the Department for Education to secondary schools who wish to teach through Irish. The figures on the nationals schools were revealed by Art Ó Súilleabháin, Director of the Mayo Education Centre, who was speaking at last week’s conference on the status of the Mayo Gaeltachtaí.”

Irish town wins battle against edict to switch to Gaelic name (April 29, 2008)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j6SZhypqJUlAvMCQEAmvUqSN63oA
“The town of Dingle, one of Ireland's best-known tourist destinations, won its battle on Tuesday against a government edict to adopt the Irish language version of its name.”

Gaeltacht Rugby surprises Johnny (April 29, 2008)
http://www.galwaynews.ie/3556-gaeltacht-rugby-surprises-johnny
“The speeches, of course,were all as gaeilge which put me to shame a little because I couldn’t manage anything more than a cupla focal before I had to return to English. I promised them I’d be back for a four-day intensive course in my native tongue in the summer.”

Irish aim to get talking (April 30, 2008)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2237846.0.irish_aim_to_get_talking.php
“A new community group is being formed, aimed at keeping the Irish Gaelic language alive and well in Oxford.”

Tongue Twister Town Names in Ireland (April 30, 2008)
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/4/30/72456/9152/travel/Tongue+Twister+Town+Names+in+Ireland
“There's a hot destination in Ireland that we haven't been to yet, but want to check out: Dingle. Doesn't the name alone make you want to visit this town in County Kerry, in the pretty southwest corner of Ireland? A recent decision could've made it very hard to find Dingle, but there's been a change of heart.”

Town Wins Fight Over Its Name (May 1, 2008)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/world/europe/01briefs-TOWNWINSFIGH_BRF.html?ref=world
“The town of Dingle has won its battle against a government edict to adopt the Irish-language version of its name.”

Adams Supports City's Gaeltacht Quarter (May 1, 2008)
http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=75320
“Groundbreaking plans to drive forward the regeneration of Belfast through the establishment of An Ceathrú Gaeltachta – a dedicated 'Gaeltacht' quarter - are centre stage today (Thursday) as Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams addresses a national regeneration conference.”

Emergency response: the handbook (May 1, 2008)
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4004&Itemid=38
“But there is one thing worth noting in the Irish section – the Taoiseach’s Christian name as Gaeilge is Parthalán, who according to legend, was the first man in Ireland after the biblical flood. Who better, then, to lead us through a national emergency? Pity he’s retiring next week.”

Walls growing in size and number (May 2, 2008)
http://www.pr-inside.com/walls-growing-in-size-and-number-r568490.htm
“Wearing the wrong sports gear is just one of scores of sectarian measuring sticks that have proven deadly in the past. So are names. A ‘Cein’ - a Gaelic name pronounced Keane - would be instantly identified as Irish Catholic, because the Protestant side shuns the Irish language.”
Also at Peace in Belfast measured by the walls

Conradh na Gaeilge seeks Irish speaking replacement for Zaidan (May 2, 2008)
http://www.highlandradio.com/news.php?articleid=000002039
“Conradh na Gaeilge is calling for reassurances from the government that Judge Desmond Zaidan's successor in Donegal will be a fluent irish speaker.”

Glor na nGael Tipp and Galway to clash again (May 2, 2008)
http://www.nenaghguardian.ie/sport/other-sports/glor-na-ngael-tipp-and-galway-to-clash-again-1365228.html
“Just over two weeks after Tipperary and Galway played out a cracking National Hurling League decider, the sides will meet again in Nenagh on Monday evening (throw-in at 7pm). The tournament game is in aid of the local branch of the Glor na nGael organisation who promote the Irish language in the Nenagh area, particularly through the Gaelscoil.”

Blog Digest: Hilary NY (May 3, 2008)
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single10903
“Before you wonder why I am plugging a certain US presidential candidate, I must explain that this is actually an Irish language blog run by Hilary Mhic Suibhne, Irish language teacher and New York resident.”