2023
Maoini煤 de luach 鈧1m buaite ag pobal-thionscnamh Gaeilge de chuid Chol谩iste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh
Bh铆 pobal-thionscnamh Gaeilge de chuid Chol谩iste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh, ar na c煤ig buaiteoir铆 faoin Mhaoini煤 Feidhm铆ochta de chuid an 脷dar谩is um Ard-Oideachas 2023 a f贸gra铆odh ag 贸c谩id in Ollscoil Teicneola铆ochta an Oir-Dheiscirt i gCeatharlach inn茅.
Faoi cheannas an Ollaimh Ph谩draig 脫 Mach谩in, Sti煤rth贸ir Ionad na Gaeilge Lahartha UCC, at谩 na tionscnamh seo. Sa bhliain 2017 chuaigh UCC i bp谩irt le Col谩iste Pobail Thraolaigh Mhic Shuibhne i gCnoc an Chuilinn, Cnoc na hAoine, i dtuaisceart chathair Chorca铆, chun taca铆ocht a thabhairt d贸ibh i mbun煤 Aonaid L谩n-Ghaeilge sa scoil, mar a nd茅anfa铆 gach 谩bhar a theagasc tr茅 Ghaeilge, 贸n gc茅ad bhliain ar aghaidh go dt铆 an Ard-Teistim茅ireacht. Freagra ar 茅ileamh 贸n bpobal f茅in ab ea 茅 seo, go gcuirf铆 rogha sa mhe谩noideachas ar f谩il d谩 bp谩ist铆 i gceantar ina mbraitheann go leor daoine go bhfuil siad f谩gtha i leataoibh ag an saol. Tugadh cuireadh do UCC p谩irt a ghlacadh sa togra seo, agus ba d谩 thoradh sin a buna铆odh Barr na gCnoc.
Comhp谩irt铆ocht phobail is ea Barr na gCnoc. P谩irt铆ocht is ea 茅 idir Col谩iste Pobail Thraolaigh Mhic Shuibhne, pobal Chnoc na hAoine, Col谩iste na hOllscoile Corcaigh, agus an Bord Oideachais agus Oili煤na.
Bhain an taca铆ocht a shol谩thraigh UCC don scoil nua le r茅ims铆 茅ags煤la. Cuireadh ragana barr feabhais ar f谩il do na m煤inteoir铆 sa scoil Bh茅arla i dtreo go bhf茅adfaid铆s aistri煤 go dt铆 an tAonad L谩n-Gaeilge. Faoi urra铆ocht na Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscola铆ochta a eagra铆odh na ranganna sin. Cuireadh scol谩ir铆ochta铆 ar f谩il do na dalta铆 nua agus eagra铆odh turasanna ar an nGaeltacht d贸ibh. Bh铆 i gceist leis an dtaca铆ocht chomh maith gur ghlac ionadaithe 贸 UCC p谩irt i gcruinnithe poibl铆 a bhain le bun煤 an Aonaid.Eagra铆odh ranganna Gaeilge chomh maith do na tuismitheoir铆.
笔谤铆辞尘丑-迟丑辞谤补诲丑 Barr na gCnoc, tar 茅is gur buna铆odh an tAonad L谩n-Ghaeilge, n谩 go bhfacthas gur fheidhmigh an t-oideachas l谩n-Ghaeilge sa cheantar bocht seo mar fhuascailte贸ir oideachas煤il agus s贸isialta do na dalta铆. Bh铆 cruth煤 feabhsaithe acad煤il le tabhairt faoi deara iontu, agus dearcadh nua ina measc i leith ruda铆 dob fh茅idir leo a bhaint amach i gc煤rsa铆 oideachais san am ath谩 le teacht. Bh铆 i gceist chomh maith, cumas煤 pobail, rud n谩rbh ionadh 贸s 贸n bpobal f茅in a d鈥檈ascair an togra ch茅adl谩. Na tortha铆 suaithinseacha seo go l茅ir a dheimhngh gur thogra 茅 Barr na gCnoc dob fhi煤 t贸gaint air agus a fhairsingi煤.
Is de bharr a rathmhaire is a bh铆 an tionscnamh tosaigh seo a fuair Barr na gCnoc aitheantas i bhfoirm mhaoinithe 贸n 脷dar谩s um Ard-Oideachas inn茅. Cuirfidh an maoini煤 m贸r seo an tionscnamh i gcumas ar leathn煤 amach go scoileanna eile agus taca铆ocht sa Ghaeilge a shol谩thar d贸ibh sna tr铆 bliana ath谩 romhainn.
D鈥檉h谩iltigh Uachtar谩n UCC, an tOllamh Se谩n 脫 hAllmhur谩in, roimh bhronnadh an ghradaim seo ar Bharr na gCnoc:
鈥淭谩 谩thas m贸r orm go bhfuil an t-aitheantas agus an taca铆ocht shuaithinseach seo faighte ag Barr na gCnoc 贸n 脷dar谩s um Ard-Oideachas,鈥 arsa s茅. 鈥淓isioml谩ir ar luachanna UCC maidir le hoideachas agus caidreamh pobail is ea 茅. Cruth煤 is ea 茅, leis, gur f茅idir le dalta铆 blath煤 ach go bhfaighidh siad an taca铆ocht choir.鈥
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HEA funding of 鈧1 Million awarded to UCC Irish-Language community project
A UCC Irish-language community project, Barr na gCnoc, was among the five winners under the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Performance Funding 2023 awards announced yesterday at a ceremony in the South East Technological University (SETU), Carlow campus.
This project, led by Professor P谩draig 脫 Mach谩in, Head of Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha at UCC, was piloted in Knocknaheeny Community College where an Aonad L谩n-Ghaeilge was established in 2019 with support from the university. The proposal to establish the Aonad came in response to the local community鈥檚 demand for educational choice in an area of high socio-economic exclusion. The ensuing collaboration involved the school, the Knocknaheeny community, the ETB, and UCC.
The major finding of the project was that in an area of social marginalisation, the Irish language, and education through Irish, could be both an educational and a social enabler. For the pupils, it has proved to be transformative in matters such as academic performance, and development of self-confidence and sense of identity. An important feature to emerge was that pupils have begun to nurture aspirations with regard to further education beyond leaving certificate level, and to see a future as one of optimism and opportunity.
This support provided by Barr na gCnoc involved upskilling teachers in the Irish language, the provision of scholarships and Gaeltacht visits for pupils, public advocacy, and support for parents and guardians wishing to learn Irish. Regular school and community visits to UCC were also facilitated in Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha. The upskilling classes were sponsored by An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscola铆ochta.
The emergence of these outcomes made it desirable that the project move beyond the pilot stage to that of consolidation and expansion. Recognition of the value of Barr na gCnoc by the HEA led to yesterday鈥檚 funding announcement, which will ensure that it can now develop further and seek to replicate in other schools and in other situations what has been achieved to date in Knocknaheeny.
Professor P谩draig 脫 Mach谩in said the HEA Performance Funding will enable this project to develop and grow.
"This award is recognition for the Irish Language, and for education through Irish, as a transformative mechanism that offers encouragement to students and that opens new pathways and new ways of thinking for them. The funding will allow us to pursue this philosophy with schools in a coordinated way over the next number of years, and perhaps to extend the boundaries of what the Irish language has to offer, especially for students whose options might be restricted by socio-economic circumstances," he said.
UCC President Prof. John O鈥橦alloran congratulated all involved in Barr na gCnoc on their success to date.
鈥淚 am delighted to see Barr na gCnoc receive this worthy recognition and support from the HEA. It is an exemplar of UCC values 鈥 education, outreach, and community and also proof positive that young minds can flourish if given the right kind of support,鈥 he said.