Irish language and cultural festival – there’s something for everyone!

SEACHTAIN na Gaeilge - Irish Language Week, is a generally a two-week festival which takes place each year in the lead up to St Patrick’s Day. However, in Carntogher, in true Irish fashion, the festivities span the whole month. We’ve renamed the festival locally as Féile na Gaeilge and have a fantastic line up of events to suit the whole family.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Mar 2012, 10:50 BST

The first event which will take place this year is RITH 2012. This is an All-Ireland relay run which will be coming through Dungiven, Maghera, Carntogher and then on to Bailenascreen. This is a great opportunity for the whole community to come out and run ‘Ar son na Gaeilge’ (for the Irish language). We would like to invite people, if they are not already taking part in RITH to come and show your support for all the schools, community groups, sports clubs and individuals taking part on Friday March 9. The run will come through Maghera at approximately 1pm. Why not come an join in the celebration at An Carn from 2.30pm?

The renowned Gaelic singer piper and multi-instrumentalist from Argyle, Scotland, Griogair Labhruidh will be performing in The Oakleaf, Glenshane Road, Maghera at 9pm on Friday March 9.

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Tickets (£8 per ticket or £15 for two) available from An Carn 028 79549978 or Kilcronaghan Community Association.

This year’s Féile na Gaeilge programme has a wide range of activities for the youth.

Young children attending local naíscoil and gaelscoileanna have been invited to attend storytelling sessions with Séamus Mac Annaidh.

Older children in Rang 4 – Rang 7 who attend local gaelscoileanna have been invied to watch the screening of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (in Irish). This will be followed by a Quiz for the children in Rang 5 to Rang 7.

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Several trips have been organised for our local branches of ÓgÓgras and Ógras, to W5 in Belfast and to Croke Park in Dublin, respectively. If you would like more information about either of these trips and how to join, please contact Leonne at An Carn 028 79549978.

This year will see a choice of Mass as Gaeilge, with Mass in St Mary’s Church, Maghera on Friday 16th March at 6.30pm and Mass in Straw Church, Bailenascreen on Saturday March 17 at 11am.

It wouldn’t be possible to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge without some traditional music. There will be a youth session in Naíscoil Mhachaire Rátha at 7.30pm on Thursday March 15. Everyone welcome.

There will be a night of music and entertainment in the Rath Dubh Centre, Moneyneena on Friday March 16 at 7.30pm. For more information about this event please contact: Michael Ryan 07711824438

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Sunday March 18, will see another traditional session at 8.30pm ‘Trad for Tanzania’ in Granny Kane’s, Tirnoney Road, with all the proceeds going to a very worthy cause.

To make the most of the public holiday on Monday 19th March, there will be a Lón Gaelach (a lunch with Irish) in Walsh’s Hotel at 1pm. This is an opportunity for Gaeilgeoirí to come together and to use their Gaeilge over a bite to eat. Families and adults learning Irish especially welcome.

To bring the Féile na Gaeilge festivities to a close, there will be an Irish language short course: Accuracy class with Pádraig Ó Mianáin on Saturday 31st March. This class will cover the topics: the possessive Adjective and the Genitive case and is suitable for people with a high level of Irish, students studying Irish at A-Level, naíscoil staff, classroom assistants, teachers and anyone looking to improve on their grammar skills.

It will take place in An Carn from 10am – 3pm. Cost: £10. Register for this course on or before 21/3/2012 at An Carn 028 79549978.

If you would like more information about any of the activities taking place during this year’s Féile na Gaeilge, please contact Leonne at An Carn 028 79549978.

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