Seacht lá déag na Gaeilge in store

Seachtain na Gaeilge starts today and lasts until St Patrick’s Day on March 17.

I bet you thought a “seachtain” was a week and had only seven days — but March in Ireland is when Seachtain na Gaeilge has “seacht lá déag”.

Before you go off complaining to your TD about us Irish speakers getting a deontas (grant) of 10 extra days for our Seachtain na Gaeilge, it’s worth remembering that it’s been the same 17 days for several years now — no increase in line with inflation.

We are no nearer our goal of “Mí na Gaeilge” or “Sé Mhí na Gaeilge” or, whisper it, “Bliain na Gaeilge” than we were back when I was a “garsún óg”. And that’s not inniu (today) nor inné (yesterday).

Seventeen days of Gaeilge is not an iomarca (too much), especially given that the rest of the year is “Seachain an Ghaeilge” (avoid Irish!) — if the number of exemptions being granted to primary and secondary school pupils is anything to go by.

Workshop

Among the Seachtain na Gaeilge events to take place during the next 17 days is a two-part workshop on the ancient poetic art of agallamh beirte and lúibín writing. It’s not adequate to translate those terms from Irish to English as basically what we’re talking about here are debates in verse between two people on a topic of the day. The difference between an ‘agallamh beirte’ and a ‘lúibín’ is that the agallamh is done in verse but the lúibín is performed as a duet, with a chorus.

So if you want to get an insight into this ancient art form, which originated in the Múscraí Gaeltacht here in Cork, you should get along to the Ionad Cultúrtha (Cultural Centre) in Baile Mhúirne west along the road, just before you hit the county bounds, on Tuesday, March 5, between 7pm and 9pm for Seal Cois Suláin (A Spell by the Sullane). There you will learn more about the artforms of agallamh beirte and lúibín from two masters of the artform, Áine Uí Chúill and Seán Ó Muimhneacháin. To participate in the first workshop, contact Paddy O’Brien at 086 8732394.

The following Tuesday, March 12, the participants in the first night’s workshop will have an opportunity to perform their own agallaimh beirte and lúibíní on the Ionad Cultúrtha stage alongside other performers such as Áine, Seán, Paddy, and Eibhlín Ní Lionáird.

Tall tales

In the leabharlann (library) in Cionn tSáile (Kinsale), Paddy O’Brien, who is a noted seanchaí (storyteller), will be telling some tall tales while over in Leabharlann an Sciobairín, Pól Ó Colmáin will be conducting a ceardlann filíochta (poetry workshop). Acclaimed authors Alan Titley, a former professor of Irish in UCC, and Carmel Ó Ceallaigh will be visiting schools and libraries in Baile Mhúirne, Cóbh, Eochaill (Youghal), and Mainistir na Corann (Midleton). Ciorcail cainte (conversation circles) will also be conducted in the libraries in Baile Mhistéala (Mitchelstown) and Eochaill.

Seachtain na Gaeilge is a ‘féile náisiúnta’ with events all over the island of Ireland and i bhfad agus i gcéin (further afield). You can check out its suíomh idirlín (internet site) at www.snag.ie for breis eolais (further information).