Investigation into knife incident in Belmullet Gaeltacht

Irish summer college investigating knife incident


Anton McNulty

AN investigation is under way into an incident in the Belmullet Gaeltacht where a knife was used to threaten an Irish student attending a Colaiste Gaeilge in Eachleim.
The student was attending an Irish course in Colaiste Riocaird Bairead in Eachleim on the Mullet Pennisula, when he was appartently threatened by a local boy holding a knife. The incident occurred just yards from the home where the student was staying.
It was reported in The Evening Herald  newspaper that parents of all of the students at the course were contacted immediately and a spokesperson for Gael Linn, which is responsible for running the course at Colaiste Riocaird Bairead, confirmed that they are looking into the incident, which happened last week.
“We are trying to deal with it internally. There is an investigation going on and we don’t want to comment on it any further,” the spokesperson said. “We are still discussing it and it will be dealt with. Nobody was injured.”
Families of students at Colaiste Riocaird said that the teenagers were happy with the facilities and the course which was being run. However, a source, who did not wish to be named, said that many were understandably concerned for the welfare of their children.
“I think the person said that it was a joke afterwards,” they said, referring to the incident. “I’m not sure how serious it was. But it is still concerning. The leaders rang all the families and there were a lot of sleepless nights.”
The Department of Education is responsible for the inspection of the teaching and learning at the Irish colleges. The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is involved with the payments available to the ‘bean an ti’ and the accommodation where the children stay.
The colaiste is named after the famous poet Riocard Bairéad and is open to students aged between eleven and 18 years. They are designed to improve the students’ ability and confidence and thus enable them to communicate in Irish with greater fluency.