News through an 12ú lá Mí na Samhna

Junior Film Fleadh to preview Galway produced animated film (Nov 6, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/3974
...“This year’s Irish language feature is the ground-breaking Poitin (1977), by Bob Quinn which will be screened on Friday November 14 at 12.30pm.”

Gaeilge on your phone (Nov 6, 2008)
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1106/phone.html
“A new 'as Gaeilge' mobile phone handset is being launched on the Irish market today.
“Samsung Electronics says the handset, offering the Gael Fón feature, will be available in stores nationwide from this month.”
See also:
Samsung Launches Gael Fón

Less than a quarter of schools provide Junior Cert oral Irish (Nov 7, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/less-than-a-quarter-of-schools-provide-junior-cert-oral-irish-1526523.html
“Fewer than a quarter of secondary schools are offering pupils the optional Junior Cert oral Irish exam.
“Amid continued concern about the over-emphasis on written Irish, an Oireachtas committee heard that only 23pc of the country's 720 secondary schools are providing the optional Junior Cert oral exam, currently worth 20pc of the overall marks.”

Letters: Making Irish simpler to learn (Nov 10, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2008/1110/1225925618624.html
“Madam, - As a Gaeilgeoir and an Irish person, I found James Hyde's letter of November 3rd extremely offensive and indeed open to ridicule.”

Children's novelist wins Glen Dimplex (Nov 11, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1111/1225925653201.html
Winners in the other categories included “Simon Ó Faoláin for his poetry collection in Irish, Anam Mhadra, published by Coiscéim.”

Council vote for Irish language 'barrier' (Nov 11, 2008)
http://www.ballymenatimes.com/news/Council-vote-for-Irish-language.4680478.jp
“Ballymena Borough Council has passed a motion describing the Irish Language Act as a 'waste of public resources'.”

As Gaeilge on the air (Nov 12, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2008/1112/1226408548202.html
“The Gael Linn radio competition brings students into contact with Irish in a vibrant and effective way. It could be the first step for those looking for a career on the airwaves, writes John Holden.”

Ireland's queen of chess likes to keep life in check (Nov 12, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/irelands-queen-of-chess-likes-to-keep-life-in-check-1534594.html
...“A product designer by trade, she has made her hobby pay dividends financially in recent years: she teaches chess through Irish in a plethora of Gaelscoileanna around Dublin and is about to publish an Irish-language book, Ficheall (the Gaelic word for chess), which explains the rules of chess to youngsters.”

Lixnaw an oasis for the Irish language (Nov 12, 2008)
http://www.kerryman.ie/local-notes/lixnaw-an-oasis-for-the-irish-language-1535100.html
“Lixnaw is fast-becoming a little oasis for the Irish language in the 'galltacht' of north Kerry thanks to the efforts of those behind the local Ceolann Cultural Centre - where groups of young and old are now regularly meeting to converse in the native language.”