Tráthnóna Dé Céadaoin, an 24ú Aibreán, beidh mór imeacht na féile ar siúl agus painéal plé ar “Éire Nua” ann in Óstán Dillons ar phríomhshráid Leitir Ceanainn ar 19:30. Cad é a bheadh i gceist le “Éire Nua”? An féidir linn, trí chomhrá agus plé teacht ar fhís a bheadh inghlactha do na pobail éagsúla a bhfuil cónaí orthu ar an oileán seo? Beidh Micheál Ó hÉanaigh ina chathaoirleach ar an oíche, agus Jake MacSiacais, Mary Durkan, Caolán Ó Coisneacháin, Catherine Pollock agus Rosa Nic Lochlainn linn ar an phainéal. Beidh deis ann na mórcheisteanna a fhiosrú agus mar gheall go mbeidh seirbhís ateangaireachta ar fáil, beidh idir Ghaeilgeoirí agus Béarlóirí in ann páirt a ghlacadh sa chomhrá – agus fáilte roimh chách!
Jake MacSiacais
Rugadh i dTuaisceart Bhéal Feirste é ach tá an chuid is mó dá shaol caite aige in iarthar na cathrach. Cé gur chaith sé seal i ngéibhinn le linn na trioblóidí, tá saol Jake ó shin caite aige i mbun obair forbartha agus obair thrasphobail. Tá sé ag feidhmiú mar Stiúrthóir Forbairt Feirste ó bhí 2004 ann, agus tá sé mar stiúrthóir deonach ar roinnt eagraíochtaí, Fáilte Feirste Thiar agus An Cheathrú Ghaeltachta Teo ina measc. Bhíodh sé ina chomhalta ar Foras na Gaeilge agus tá sé ina ghobharnóir ar Choláiste Feirste. Údar é ar an fhéinbheathaisnéis ‘Ón Taobh Istigh’ agus ar dhá úrscéal ‘Tearmann na Mara’ agud ‘Marbháin Thíos Fúm’, agus tá an-dúil aige sa stair áitiúil.
Mary Durkan
Is bean Dhoire agus abhcóide í Mary Durcan a bhíonn ag obair go mór le cúrsaí teaghlaigh. Bhain sí céim sa dlí amach ó Ollscoil na Banríona sa bhliain 2002, bhí sí ina hUachtarán in Aontas na Mac Léinn QUB agus tá sí ag obair mar abhcóide le 20 bliain anuas, ag díriú go príomha ar Dhlí do Leanaí. Ina theannta sin, is bainisteoir naíscoile i nDoire í, oibríonn sí mar ghníomhaí ISPC, agus tá a croí istigh sa Ghaeilge - tá Mary iontach eolach ar an reachtaíocht nua atá i bhfeidhm anois sna sé chontae maidir leis an Ghaeilge agus leis an Ultais.
Caolán Ó Coisneacháin
Is céimí de chuid Ollscoil Uladh é Caolán Ó Coisneacháin, a bhfuil céim chéad-onóracha bainte amach aige i dTeanga agus Litríocht na Gaeilge, agus TICO ó Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste. Tá taithí as cuimse aige de bheith ag teagasc na Gaeilge ag gach leibhéal, agus ba FLTA de chuid Fulbright é fosta, ag teagasc na Gaeilge in ollscoileanna sna Stáit Aontaithe agus é mar ambasadóir ar son na hÉireann. Faoi láthair, tá sé ag obair mar Éascaitheoir Foghlama agus For-rochtana le Turas, is é sin eagraíocht lonnaithe in oirthear Bhéal Feirste, i gceantar na n-Aontachtachaithe agus na ndílseoirí ina mbíonn an Ghaeilge á theagasc don phobal agus idir naíonra agus Gaelscoil bunaithe acu.
Catherine Pollock
Is oibrí pobail agus gníomhaí as Doire í Catherine Pollock, agus tá sí ag obair san earnáil phobail agus dheonach le breis is 20 bliain anois, páirteach i dtionscadail éagsúla a bhaineann le habhcóideacht, comhionannas agus caighdeán na beatha. D'fhás sí aníos i bpobal Protastúnach, agus mar gheall air sin, ní raibh deis aici mórán Gaeilge a fhoghlaim agus í ar scoil. Ach thosaigh Catherine ag foghlaim na Gaeilge cúpla bliain ó shin, agus anois tá sé mar aidhm aici deireadh a chur leis na steiréitíopaí a bhaineann leis an teanga, agus buntáistí an dátheangachais a chur chun cinn. Faoi láthair, tá sí i mbun obair forbartha le Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin i nDoire, agus ag obair ar an tionscadal 'Droichead'.
Rosa Nic Lochlainn
Is oideachasóir í Rosa Nic Lochlainn, agus tá idir tháithí múinteoireachta agus tháithí bainistíochta aici i scoileanna éagsúla i mBéal Feirste, i nDoire agus i Leitir Ceanainn.
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The main event of this year’s festival will be a Discussion Panel on “A New Ireland” on Wednesday, 24th April at 19:30pm in Dillons Hotel, Letterkenny. The aim of the evening is to explore what sort of Ireland do we envisage for the future, what would be required to make all sectors of the community feel it could be a country for them to thrive in? The event will chaired by Micheál Ó hÉanaigh, former chief executive of Údarás na Gaeltachta, and on the panel we will be joined by Jake MacSiacais, Mary Durkan, Caolán Ó Coisneacháin, Catherine Pollock and Rosa Nic Lochlainn. This is an opportunity to examine some of the major questions, and as there will also be a translation service provided, both Irish and English speakers can take part in the conversation - and everyone welcome to come along!
Jake MacSiacais
Jake MacSiacais was born in North Belfast but most of his life has been spent in the west of the city. Although he spent time in prison during the troubles, Jake's life since then has been devoted to development and cross-community work. He has worked as the director of Forbairt Feirste since 2004, and is a voluntary director of several organisations, including Fáilte Feirste Thiar agus An Cheathrú Ghaeltachta Teo. He was also a member of Foras na Gaeilge and is a governor at Coláiste Feirste. Jake is the author of autobiography 'Ón Taobh Istigh' and of two novels 'Tearmann na Mara' and 'Marbháin Thíos Fúm', and he has a keen interest in local history.
Mary Durkan
Mary Durcan is a solicitor from Derry who works extensively in family law. She graduated with a law degree from Queen's University in 2002, served as President of the Students' Union at Queen's, and has been practicing as a solicitor for the past 20 years, primarily focusing on Children's Law. In addition, she is a preschool manager in Derry, works as an ISPC activist, and has a huge love for the Irish language - Mary is also very knowledgeable about the new legislation currently brought in to the six counties regarding Irish and Ulster Scots.
Caolán Ó Coisneacháin
Caolán Ó Coisneacháin is a graduate of Ulster University, having achieved a first-class honours degree in Irish Language and Literature, and PGCE through Irish from Queen's University, Belfast. He has extensive experience teaching Irish at all levels and was also a Fulbright FLTA, teaching Irish in universities in the United States and serving as an ambassador for Ireland. Currently, he works as a Learning Facilitator and Development Officer with Turas, an organisation based in East Belfast, in the Unionist and loyalist area
which provides Irish language classes in the community, and has now established both a naíonra and gaelscoil.
Catherine Pollock
Catherine Pollock is a community worker and activist from Derry and has worked in the community and voluntary sector for over 20 years, in projects focused on advocacy, equality and quality of life. Having grown up in a Protestant family and attending a state primary and grammar school, her access to the Irish language was restricted and limited. Catherine has been learning Irish for a few years now and she is an advocate for the benefits of bilingualism, and aims to dispel the stereotypes that surround the language and increase access to the Irish for all communities. Catherine currently works for local Irish language and cultural organisation, Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, on the Droichead project.
Rosa Nic Lochlainn
Rosa Nic Lochlainn has extensive experience in the educational sector, holding both teaching and managerial positions in various schools across Belfast, Derry and Letterkenny.