Belfast City Council appoints Irish language officer

Belfast City Council yesterday appointed the first dedicated Irish language officer in its history.

The announcement was made at Belfast City Hall on Tuesday.
Belfast becomes the fourth council in Northern Ireland to appoint an Irish language officer.
A second officer with responsibility for Ulster-Scots, sign language and other languages has also been appointed.
The officers are expected to develop and promote use of their respective languages within the council and among the public.
The posts are jointly funded by Belfast City Council and the all island languages body, Foras Na Gaeilge.
Unionist councillors had wanted one officer for all languages to be appointed but that was rejected by a council vote in October 2017.
At the event at Belfast City Hall, research by Conradh Na Gaeilge (CnG) and the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) into how Northern Ireland's 11 councils are complying with their obligations with regard to the Irish language.
They suggest that, while there are areas of good practice, a number of councils are not fulfilling their obligations to facilitate use of the Irish language under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

Read more »

Gaelic license plates in Nova Scotia

Did you know that Gaelic is spoken outside of Scotland? In fact, it was very nearly Canada's third official language, and is still spoken in the province of Nova Scotia on Canada's east coast*. Now, Nova Scotians can opt to have their license plates in Gaelic. Every little bit of language representation matters. 󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
It may also be of interest to some that on Cape Breton, an island off of Nova Scotia (though still part of the Nova Scotian polity) and one of the centres of the Gaelic language in that region, public signage is provided in both English and Gaelic. Nobody has a problem with this.

Read more »

Judgement over Fañch name in French court to begin tomorrow

A French court banned a couple from using Breton letter in baby's name in 2017. Tomorrow a new judgement begins over the case. A French court in 2017 banned a couple from giving their baby a name containing a tilde, ruling that the "n with a squiggle over it" was incompatible with French law.The couple from Brittany wanted to call their newborn baby boy Fañch, a traditional name in the northwestern region which has its own language.


"The principle according to which babies' names are chosen by their mothers and fathers must have limits when it comes to using a spelling which includes a character not recognized by the French language," the court in the town of Quimper said in its judgment.

Fañch is a name borne notably by two Breton writers, Fañch Peru and Fañch Broudig, and is the Breton version of the name François.The tilde, an "n" with a small sideways "s" written over it, is commonly used in Spanish as well as the Breton language.

An official in Quimper had initially refused to write "Fañch" on the baby's birth certificate, before changing their mind a few days later. Born in May, the baby already has an ID card and passport with the tilde on it.

His furious father Jean-Christophe Bernard said the battle wasn't over. "He will have his tilde, that's for sure," Bernard said.

Read more »

Irish language groups bring pre-budget campaign to Baile Átha Cliath with ‘Clinic na Gaeilge’

Almost 90 community, language and Gaeltacht organisations have come together to support a pre-budget call for funding of a plan that would help create almost 1,200 new jobs in some of the most disadvantaged parts of the country.

Irish language rights group Conradh na Gaeilge hosted ‘Clinic na Gaeilge’ , a 10-hour mobile clinic, in Dublin on Wednesday where representatives of gaeltacht community organisations lobbied members of the Oireachtas in a bid to secure support for the Irish Language and Gaeltacht Investment Plan.

The fully costed plan, submitted by Conradh na Gaeilge, outlines where Government investment would lead to the creation of 1,190 jobs over three years at a total cost of €18 million.

The groups supporting the plan, many of which have experienced significant funding cuts in the last decade, are seeking an allocation of €9 million in this year’s Budget. The remaining €9 million would be allocated in the following two budgets.

“The plan is very clear regarding where the money will be spent. It is very detailed and results oriented,” said General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge Julian de Spáinn.

Campaign literature
Source

Read more »

KLT courses of Breton language at full

Kerne, Leon, Treger (KLT) made his comeback. In the program  63 hours of introduction to Breton in public schools, a 35-hour training per week for people seeking retraining or job search, as well as evening classes and day, which will take place in five municipalities of the country of Montroulez (Morlaix in French), for a total of more than 25 hours per week. Workshops will also be set up, both theater and kan-ha-diskan.

Read more »

Parole Board launches its Welsh Language Scheme 2018-2020

The Parole Board has launched its Welsh Language Scheme 2018-2020, which has been approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner.
The act requires public bodies to produce a language scheme to explain which services they will provide in Welsh, how they will do so and when.
The Parole Board has adopted the principle that in the conduct of public business and the administration of justice in Wales, it will treat the English and Welsh languages on a basis of equality, so far as is both appropriate in the circumstances and reasonably practicable. The Welsh Language Scheme sets out how the Board will give effect to that principle in the services to the public in Wales for which it is responsible.
The Scheme has been adopted by the Parole Board Management Committee and was approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner on 10 August 2018.
The Scheme can be read here: Parole Board Welsh Language Scheme 2018-2020 (PDF, 238KB, 16 pages)

Read more »

New Learners Cornish Dictionary and Cornish language meeting

'A learners dictionary in the Standard Written Form' by Steve Harris is in its second edition. It is distributed by Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek among others. The language fellowship also organizes the upcoming Fun Palace in Pool focusing on trees on October 6th.

Read more »

Nova Scotia Office of Gaelic Affairs offers the Daltachas program

Running from October 2018 to March 2019, the Office of Gaelic Affairs is offering the Daltachas program. Meaning “fosterage” in English, Daltachas is a Gaelic language training program for Nova Scotians interested in advancing their Gaelic language and cultural learning.

Based upon Gaelic Affairs’ Bun is Bàrr (Root and Branch) mentorship program model, the purpose of the Daltachas program is to provide an opportunity for to up to 15 Nova Scotian residents to receive intermediate and advanced level Gaelic language training, which will focus on:

- Building on Gaelic language skills, including expanding conversation through individual and small group language learning, and activities designed to get participants to use Gaelic language.
- (Ban-) Daltachan (Gaelic learners) will work with an Oide and/or Muime (a tutor) in a one-on-one mentoring capacity and/or small team capacity.
- (Ban-) Daltachan will speak only Gaelic while doing activities together or conversing on diverse subjects with Oide and/or Muime and other Daltachan enrolled in program.
- Developing and strengthening skills and knowledge, fostering greater comfort when experiencing more advanced linguistic and cultural mentorship.

Applicant eligibility includes:

- Having Nova Scotia residency (Nova Scotia residents applying who are under the age of majority must provide the written consent of a parent or guardian to participate)
- Already being conversant in Gaelic language
- Being a serious Gaelic learner who has an interest in Gaelic oral tradition
- A desire to use Gaelic every day and pass the language on to others in addition to hours spent in program with Oide or Muime
- Having a recording device where (Ban-) Dalta (Gaelic learner) will record sessions with their Oide and/or Muime. (Some recordings may be archived as part of Gaelic Affairs’ archive)
- A willingness to meet regularly with their Oide and/or Muime to review (Ban-) Dalta’s work and set goals
- Attending at least two Gaelic social gatherings during the program period, which will include the other (Ban-) Daltachan and Oide and/or Muime
- A schedule of hours that will be determined between (Ban-) Daltachan and Daltachas program manager and/or other Oide / Muime
- A remuneration based upon 4 hrs per week for up to 22 weeks, at $11.00 / hr, (Ban-) Daltachan are eligible to receive up to a maximum of $968.00
- Providing one reference that will support your letter of interest
- A possible request of a video or audio clip demonstrating (Ban-) Dalta’s spoken Gaelic proficiency

Applicants must to submit a letter (in either Gaelic of English) with an explanation as to how they meet the criteria to Kelly.Schlay@novascotia.ca or 902-424-4298

Please direct any inquires specific to eligibly guidelines to Goiridh Dòmhnullach, Gaelic Field Officer and Daltachas program manager Jeffrey.D.MacDonald@novascotia.ca or 902-870-6837.

Participants will be selected and contacted by Gaelic Affairs.

The deadline is Friday, October 5, 2018.

For more information about Gaels in Nova Scotia and their Gaelic language and cultural heritage, please visit https://gaelic.novascotia.ca/

Read more »

Irish language 'ghettoised' as Glider reverts to English in east Béal Feirste/Belfast

Translink has "ghettoised " the Irish language by its decision to revert to English-only signs on the new Glider service when it leaves west Belfast, it has been claimed.
The high-profile cross-city service, which launched earlier this month, will have bilingual signs added to vehicles in the coming months.
However, Translink is to ensure the information signs switch to English only before travelling to predominantly unionist east Belfast.
Irish language activist Linda Ervine, who runs hugely popular Irish classes at the Skainos centre in the heart of east Belfast, has branded the policy "bizarre".

However, east Belfast DUP councillor Tom Haire said there was no need for bi-lingual signage as people in the east of the city had "no more interest in Irish than the man on the moon".
Janet Muller, director of Irish language advocacy group Pobal, welcomed Glider's bilingual policy but criticised Translink for discontinuing the signs in east Belfast.
"We regret the decision to restrict bilingual signage to certain areas of the city – it is counterproductive and ineffective, and creates the impression that the language only belongs in some parts of Belfast," she said.

"The name of the entire city - Belfast from Béal Feirste - and many of its best known areas come from Irish. The language belongs to all and should not be ghettoised."
A Translink spokesman said information at Glider halts in west Belfast were already displayed in dual English/Irish language and that this would be extended to Metro feeder services in the future.
"Irish language destination screen signage for the west Belfast section of the G1 route is planned to be in place in the coming months," he said.
The spokesman said computer software would be developed to switch the signs to solely English as the Glider crosses into the east of the city.
In July, DUP South Belfast MP Emma Little-Pengelly raised concerns that a Glider halt on the Albertbridge Road had been named Short Strand.

Read more »

£51m to support growth in Welsh medium education

£46m has been allocated from the Welsh Medium Capital Grant and Childcare Offer Capital Grant, in addition to the £5m for the Pantycelyn development announced earlier this year.
It will support around 41 projects across 16 local authorities, and create an additional 2818 school and childcare places for Welsh medium learners.
Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning, Eluned Morgan, announced the funding. She said it will make a 'significant contribution':

These projects will make a significant contribution to the provision of Welsh medium education. Having a comfortable, modern, fit-for-purpose environment in which to learn is vital to ensuring young people have the best possible education. This extra funding will mean that even more of our students will be able to benefit from excellent facilities to learn through the medium of Welsh.

In addition to creating new schools and expanding current sites, this extra funding will give the green light to Welsh language centres across Wales.

– Eluned Morgan, Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning

New Welsh medium primaries in Merthyr Tydfil and Torfaen, the first ever Welsh medium school in Monmouth town, and an innovative Welsh language centre in Denbighshire are among the 41 projects that will now be funded through the grant.
The Minister for Children, Huw Irranca-Davies welcomed the announcement. He said it would provide 'early learning opportunities' for Welsh learning.

Read more »