Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2026
64. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport cén plean atá ag a Roinn agus ag na hInstitiúidí Náisiúnta Cultúir chun comóradh agus ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar 100 bliain ó tugadh aitheantas oifigiúil don Ghaeltacht den chéad uair. [43393/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCad atá beartaithe ag an Stát, an Roinn agus na hinstitiúidí náisiúnta cultúir chun comóradh agus ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar 100 bliain ó tugadh aitheantas oifigiúil don Ghaeltacht?
Ar iarratas ó mo Roinn, d’eagraigh An Chartlann Náisiúnta - foras a thagann faoi scáth na Roinne - taispeántas den chéad scoth anuraidh, An Ghaeilge agus Daonáireamh na Gaeltachta 1925. Bhí an taispeántas le feiceáil i gceanncheathrú nua mo Roinne agus ag an gcomórtas treabhdóireachta, the ploughing championship, i mí Mheán Fómhair seo caite. Cuireadh béim sa taispeántas ar an nasc idir cúrsaí teanga, polasaí agus féiniúlachta ó bhlianta tosaigh an Stáit go dtí an lá atá inniu ann. Léiríodh, trí cháipéisí cartlainne, na hiarrachtaí chun an Ghaeilge a chosaint agus a athneartú, ag tosú le daonáireamh na Gaeltachta i 1925 agus obair Choimisiún na Gaeltachta.
Cé nach eol dom aon taispeántas eile in institiúidí náisiúnta cultúrtha i mbliana, tá mo Roinn ag tacú le tionscnamh Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe, Croí na Gaeltachta: Guthanna an Phobail, 1926. Déanfar iniúchadh mar chuid den tionscnamh seo ar thaithí shóisialta, cultúrtha agus stairiúil phobail Ghaeltachta Chonamara le linn bhlianta tosaigh an Stáit. Beidh clár cónaithe d'ealaíontóirí ann agus glacfaidh pobail áitiúla páirt i ngníomhaíochtaí ag tarraingt ar scéalta, nósanna áitiúla agus an teanga. Tá sé mar aidhm go gcruthófar saothar nua ealaíne a léireoidh teacht aniar, cruthaitheacht agus féiniúlacht na bpobal Gaeltachta.
I mí Dheireadh Fómhair, reáchtálfar clár mar chuid d'fhéile ealaíon-----
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit.
Bunaíodh Coimisiún na Gaeltachta in 1925 chun daonáireamh a dhéanamh orthu siúd a raibh Gaeilge acu timpeall na tíre. Rinne An Garda Síochána an census sin. Tháinig a lán eolais as. Bunaithe air sin, leagadh amach na ceantair ar ghá cosaint a dhéanamh orthu agus tacaíocht bhreise a thabhairt dóibh le déanamh cinnte go gcosnófaí an tseoid náisiúnta a bhíodh timpeall na gceantar sin, is í sin, an Ghaeilge agus an cultúr Gaelach agus Gaeltachta. Bhí 82 moladh ag an gcoimisiún. In 1928, bhí díospóireacht sa Dáil faoi. I dtuairisc uachtarán an choimisiúin, dúirt sé, “Our language has been waylaid, beaten and robbed, and left for dead by the wayside”. Dúirt an Teachta Dála, Proinsias Ó Fathaigh, le linn na díospóireachta sin, “A patient in such dire straits needs special care and attention, needs nursing and special remedies.” Níl na remedies sin ag tarlú go fóill. Tá géarchás fós ó thaobh na teanga de sa Ghaeltacht.
Obviously, it is an historic moment to be 100 years on since the Gaeltacht was first officially recognised. The Deputy is asking what the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport in particular is doing to commemorate this. Across government, all Departments are going to have to consider and appropriately recognise this. Regarding my Department, last year, at the National Archives of Ireland we had an exhibition, The Irish Language and the 1925 Census of the Gaeltacht. I also outlined how the Department is supporting Galway County Council’s initiative, croí na Gaeltachta, community voices 1926. This October, Donegal County Council’s Wainfest, which is an arts and book festival, will include a programme aimed at primary school children with a particular emphasis on the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. Those are some of the steps that my Department is taking. Obviously, across government, it is important we commemorate this important moment of being 100 years on from the official recognition of the Gaeltacht.
Ag an am a rinneadh an daonáireamh, is An Garda Síochána, mar a dúirt mé, a rinne an daonáireamh. Bhí na Gaeilgeoirí á gcomhaireamh timpeall na gcontaetha acu. Ag an am céanna, bhí siad ag comhaireamh cé mhéad bó agus caora a bhí ag daoine. Those who spoke Irish in what are now Gaeltacht areas were equated with sheep and cattle, which were also being recorded by the commission and the census by An Garda Síochána at the time. Ag an stad seo, ceapann daoine fós go bhfuil an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht i mbaol agus is léir sin ó na fadhbanna atá ann. Cad atáimid chun a dhéanamh? Cad iad na céimeanna? Ní comóradh agus céimeanna amháin atá ann, cad iad na céimeanna breise ar gá a dhéanamh chun a chinntiú, i gceann 100 bliain eile go mbeidh an Ghaeltacht fós beo beathach? Sin an cheist mhór seachas díreach comóradh agus ceiliúradh.
I have outlined the steps we are taking from a departmental point of view. It has been wonderful in recent years to see the renaissance of the Irish language and the particular focus on the spoken language. It is lamentable how so many of us have come through our education system and have such a poor grasp of speaking Irish. Unfortunately, I include myself in that, even though I come from a county - although I live a good distance from a Gaeltacht area - that has such a proud tradition and has kept the Irish language alive.
It is important we recognise how the Gaeltacht has progressed in the 100 years since its establishment and, in particular, take learnings from it. As we go forward, we have to try to ensure the Irish language is built upon. The momentum behind the language in recent times has been energising and from a Government point of view, it is important that we support that. The Deputy asked how our Department in particular is recognising that 100 years on from the establishment of the Gaeltacht. It is important we play a role in that, as we do across government. Most important is supporting growth again so that more and more people across the country can speak our native language fluently.
