Young Mayo students breathing life into the Irish language

A MAYO primary school was presented with a Gaelbhratach at a national ceremony for the efforts to promote the Irish language in the school.

Primary school students from Dooagh National School, on Achill Island attended an awards ceremony last week in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, where they were presented with a Gaelbhratach.

Beach clean-ups, rock pool exploration, and learning the Irish names for sea creatures are just some of the activities set up and run by the student committee in Dooagh National School that was recognised for its promotion of the Irish language.

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.

A total of 163 flags were awarded to primary schools this year – over double the figure from last year – in recognition of the students’ efforts to inspire and empower their school communities to speak Irish. In May of this year, a further 140 flags were presented to students from post-primary schools.

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As part of the celebrations at the awards ceremony students from Mayo enjoyed interactive games led by former Gaelbhratach committee members Máire Ní Churraoin and Barry Ó Siochriú. Entertainment by Giggles the clown and games included an obstacle course, tug of war, a céilí and a well-earned ice cream to wrap up the day.

Commenting on the awards, Edel Ní Bhraonáin, Bainisteoir Gaelbhratach said: “We were delighted to be back in Roscrea last week for the Gaelbhratach awards. Gaelbhratach gives young people of any age or background the opportunity to use and develop their Irish language skills outside of the traditional classroom setting.

“The programme aims to put the student voice at the centre of their learning through the Gaelbhratach committee. The Gaelbhratach initiative empowers students in Mayo to take active ownership of their language use and learning while promoting Irish in meaningful, self-directed ways.

“The scheme is going from strength to strength each year, with over 90 primary schools taking part in the initiative for the first time this year. It’s inspiring to see young people’s growing passion for the language. The most rewarding part of the scheme is hearing feedback from both students and teachers about how they've woven the language into their daily lives and the positive impact it has made.”