In September 1949, 19 pupils began their first day in a single classroom at Ninian Park Boys' School.
While the rest of the building was used for English-language lessons, this was Cardiff's first Welsh-medium school.
Seventy
years later, the city has 17 primary schools teaching in the language
and three secondary schools, with plans for a fourth.
A parade on Saturday marked the anniversary as part of the annual Tafwyl festival. "The aim is to celebrate the incredible growth there
has been in Cardiff's Welsh-medium schools since we both were among a
handful of the earliest pupils," said Iolo Walters, who helped plan the
event with Alwyn Evans.
"By now, our grandchildren are the third generation to attend these Welsh-medium schools."
They have produced many notable personalities - including actors
Matthew Rhys and Ioan Gruffydd and rugby stars Jamie Roberts and Rhys
Patchell.
When the first school was opened, only pupils from Welsh-speaking homes were accepted.
One
of the original 19 children, John Ellerman, was transferred to
Kitchener Road School because his parents did not speak Welsh.
Last year, they were 15. This year, they are 14 candidates for the baccalaureate of Diwan high school in Carhaix, Finistere, to have written their mathematics test in Breton this Friday morning. And this, against the advice of the rectorate. "Our claims are the same because nothing has changed," explains Sterenn Cueff.
"Basque high school students, educated in Basque, are allowed to write their math test in their language in the bac.Not us.It is not normal, we ask to have the same rights", summarizes Sterenn Cueff, student in terminal S at Diwan High School in Carhaix, Finistère. Like her classmates, she studied all subjects in the regional language since kindergarten. With 13 other students in her class, she wrote her mathematics test in Breton this Friday morning.
Even today, there is some doubt as to how their copies have been corrected. In the summer of 2018, high school students created the Bak e Brezhoneg association and hired a lawyer to defend their case. Master David Rajjou then exhumed a document likely to change the situation: a letter, written in 2012 by the rector of the Academy of Bordeaux, authorizing high school students educated in Basque to compose the test of mathematics in their language of instruction. This letter proved that there had been a break in equality between the Basque and Breton pupils. The Bak e Brezhoneg association has lodged two appeals with the Rectorate, enclosing this document. If she does not get an answer, the case will be brought before the administrative court.
S4C has launched on June 11th what it claims is the world's only online Welsh language comedy platform. The broadcaster will use the platform to commission up-and-coming
talent to create short-form content such as stand-up, satire, sketches,
mini-sitcoms and musical numbers for YouTube and Facebook.
Elen Rhys, S4C’s entertainment content commissioner said: ‘This is an
exciting time for S4C and Welsh comedy. Comedy is very much alive in
the Welsh language, and S4C Comedi is a testament to S4C’s dedication to
promote and develop Welsh talents within the genre.
‘When we originally called out for comedy content, the commissioning
team were flooded with quality pitches, and we are very excited to
highlight some of these amazing works on S4C Comedi’
Among the commissioned content are Pwnc Pum Munud, a compilation of
stand-up sets gathered from comedy nights held across Wales, and Bip, a
series of comedy songs from Carys Eleri, Diawl o Ddêt and comedian
Esyllt Sears.
Sears said: ‘The Welsh language stand-up scene, and comedy in
general, is currently at an exciting time, with an increase in job
opportunities available for new up-and-coming comedians and established
entertainers.
‘But for comedy in any language to mature and flourish, it’s
all-important for scriptwriters, performers, and directors to get the
chance to experiment and develop ideas. I’m hopeful that the new
platform will offer this chance.’
Rhodri ap Dyfrig, S4C’s online content commissioner said: ‘With more
and more time spent on non-linear viewing, S4C is committed to growing
and developing its online content. We’re excited to launch this new
platform and directly deliver comedy to our digital audiences, providing
a space for Welsh talent to develop.’
The S4C broadcast channel also this week launches, Elis James’
comedy show, Nabod y Teip, in which the comedian delves into S4C’s
archive to discover the different ‘types’ of Welsh people who roam the
country.
Come and listen to the choirs of Brittany in a unique place, built especially to make the most of a cappella singing : St Thomas church, in Landerneau, during Kann al Loar festival.
The choir championd 2019 will be asked to perform on the main stage of the festival at night, as first part group of the evening concert.
From 3.00 pm, come and appreciate the choirs in their best programms in breton language.
An American academic who has been awarded a scholarship to spend six months in Connemara has said he plans
to help develop an Irish-language Siri or Alexa style virtual assistant
during his stay.
Prof Kevin Scannell from Saint Louis University in Missouri has been awarded the Fulbright Scholarship by the United States government and will spend the first half of 2020 in the Connemara Gaeltacht area of Carna.
He will work with researchers from NUI Galway’s Acadamh na
hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge to research and develop computer resources for
the Irish language.
Prof Scannell
plans to develop keyboard input methods, spelling and grammar checkers,
online dictionaries and translation and conversational tools, similar to
Siri and Alexa, to make it easier for Irish speakers to use the
language “without having to shift to English”.
Prof Scannell, who
has worked with people around the world to help build the online
presence of their native language, has already developed an Irish spell
checker, grammar checker and thesaurus, as well as dictionaries and
translation engines that support Irish, Scottish and Manx Gaelic. He
also works with Gmail, Twitter and WhatsApp to provide Irish
localisations for software products.
The academic said
he plans to make use of “transfer learning” which allows resources for
one language to be transferred directly to another (less well-resourced)
language. He will focus on building Irish along with other Celtic languages which share similar linguistic structures.
The Fulbright
scholarship was set up in 1946 offering students, scholars and
professionals the chance to study and research in 155 countries around
the world.
The Fulbright
programme includes a grant for Irish language teachers to spend 10
months teaching Irish and taking classes at an American university.
The programme also
offers summer Gaeltacht grants to US citizens who are learning the
Irish language to spend two to six weeks in a Gaeltacht region.
Fest Kernewek 2019, this Saturday at Heartlands Cornwall. A one day festival celebrating Cornish language and culture.Music, poetry, family activities, language tasters, food, drink, & much more! Tickets in advance: £10 / £12 OTD Gelwys os ta!
A new booklet which tells the story of the Irish language in east Belfast will be launched in the city tomorrow. The
booklet has been put together by Gordon McCoy, Education Officer with
east Belfast Irish language project Turas, who has gathered together
scattered fragments of the story.
The booklet, which details the
tradition of Irish in the area, is due to be launched by Lord Lieutenant
of Belfast Fionnuala Jay O'Boyle at the annual celebration of Turas at
7pm on Friday, June 14 at the Skainos Centre.
A Turas spokesman
said: "The booklet will be of interest to anyone who wants to know more
of the history of Belfast and the symbolism of the North - the first
ever map of Belfast is inside, as well as the true story of Red Hand of
Ulster. The product is very attractive, thanks to the wonderful
illustrations by Andrew Whitson of An tSnáthaid Mhór and the booklet
design by Wendy Dunbar, who have made the booklet into a work of art".
Plans to build 56 new houses in a Pembrokeshire village have been approved by county councillors despite local opposition. The houses and bungalows will be built on farmland in Crymych.
Business
group Menter Iaith Sir Benfro claimed it could threaten the
Welsh-speaking nature of the village, while some residents fear extra
traffic. Developers Tai Ceredigion said the scheme is aimed at local people, with a quarter of the homes to be affordable.
Crymych has one of the highest proportions of Welsh speakers in Pembrokeshire, at 60% according to the 2011 census. The figure for Pembrokeshire as a whole was just under 14%.
This iconic event, which was revived in 2017 in Langoned/Langonnet
(Morbihan) after an absence since 1998, is completely unmissable for
anyone involved with the Breton language. It wass the meeting of the year
for all Brittophones – present and future – as well as Breton lovers,
supporters, anyone curious and all your friends. But it was much more than
a festival: it is also a place of activism. It was once again be an
opportunity to remind everyone that the Breton language is rich with a
multitude of colours and is a vector of constantly renewed creativity.
For those who do not (yet) speak
Breton, the festival wass a unique opportunity to discover a world that
may seem hidden, that of the Breton language. It is a “festival
experience”, open to all. It will be an amazing immersion and discovery
for some who do not speak or know Breton. A lifesize trial situation to
discover Breton language and culture with your friends from far away!
The programme featuring the best artists of the moment included Dom Duff and Denez Prigent. On 3 stages, large
concerts, a fest-deiz and festoù-noz, An Taol-Lañs (the only springboard
for contemporary music in the Breton language), circus, cinema,
theatre, conferences and debates, sport, a craftsmen’s village, the
digital pole in the Breton language, the village of publishers in the
Breton language and cultural associations, children’s games or workshops.
RTÉ has thrown the Irish language “on the scrapheap”, the watchdog to protect the language has claimed.
An Coimisinéir Teanga Rónán Ó Domhnaill told an Oireachtas Committee on Tuesday that an
in-depth investigation carried out by his office showed that RTÉ
broadcast about 100 hours of Irish language programmes on television in
2017, compared to 18,000 hours in English.
“That is equivalent to 0.7 per cent,” said Mr Ó Domhnaill.
“Is léir, faraor
géar, go bhfuil craoladh clár teilifíse Gaeilge beagnach caite i
dtraipisí ar fad ag an gcraoltóir náisiúnta faoin tráth seo. [“It is
clear, sadly, that Irish language broadcasting on TV has been thrown on
the scrapheap at this point in time.”]
The Coimisinéir
was addressing Comhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus na nOileán in
Leinster House. The annual report of the Language Commissioner for 2018
was published in April.
He said the
situation was a sorry state for any national broadcaster, where the
first language was effectively set aside on television.
He said RTÉ’s
obligation to Irish was separate to TG4. RTÉ is required to provided a
“wide variety” of programming and Mr Ó Domhnaill said it was clear from
the paucity of programming that RTÉ was not fulfilling that part of its
remit.
The Gouel Broadel ar Brezhoneg is organized by the Kevredigezh Mignoned ar Brezhoneg (Friends of the Breton). It is a three days festival from 7 to 9 of June in Langoned. The festival has a strong musical look.
News and Facts about the Celtic Languages: Gaeilge, Gaelg, Gàidhlig, Cymraeg, Kernewek, Brezhoneg (Irish, Manx, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Breton). #Keltia
