Students from Timahoe National School were presented with a Gaelbhratach flag at a ceremony in Roscrea for their promotion of the Irish language.
The student committee in Timahoe NS were recognised for some of their wonderful initiatives, including weekly school assembly conducted through Irish; creating podcasts; art projects, and more.
Run by Gael Linn, Gaelbhratach is a national initiative that encourages primary and secondary school students to speak Irish outside of the formal classroom setting.
Each year, Gaelbhratach organises the post-primary Gaelbhratach Awards Ceremony to celebrate the significant contributions made by teachers and students around the country towards the promotion of the Irish language in their schools.
Over 70 flags – the most awarded in any one year – will be awarded to primary school students across Ireland in recognition of their efforts to inspire and empower their school communities to speak Irish.
The MC for the event was Barry Ó Siochrú, the first full-time Irish language officer in the Students’ Union at University of Galway, while Niamh Ní Chróinín, TV presenter at TG4, presented the flags.
“I was excited to present the Gaelbhratach flags on behalf of Cúla4 at the award ceremony this year. Congratulations to all the dedicated students who are using Irish in such fun and exciting ways,” Ms Ní Chróinín said.
“Being able to speak Irish has brought me so many opportunities and it is so encouraging to see so many young people engage with the language.
“The Gaelbhratach scheme is a fantastic way for students to take charge of their own use of the language, bring it into everyday life and make it enjoyable.”
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Edel Ní Bhraonáin, Bainisteoir Gaelbhratach said:
“We are delighted to award primary school students from Laois with a Gaelbhratach. Gaelbhratach gives young people of all backgrounds the opportunity to use and develop their Irish language skills in an interactive and non-traditional way.
“The programme aims to put the student voice at the centre of their learning through the Gaelbhratach committee. The role of this student-led committee is to direct the Gaelbhratach activities throughout the school year – empowering students in Laois to take ownership of how and when they use their Irish.
“We have new schools hoping to join the scheme each year and it is inspiring to see young people’s passion for the language.
“The most rewarding part of the scheme is hearing feedback, from students and teachers alike, on how they have integrated the language into their everyday lives and the impact it has had.”
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