Cúrsa de Faoite 2023

July 13th, 2023

Ulster GAA’s flagship Gaeltacht course for adult learners, Cúrsa de Faoite, took place recently in Downings, County Donegal.

This course gives attendees the unique opportunity to learn from a variety of teachers, including native Irish speakers, in the heart of the Gaeltacht. Students availed of daily Irish language classes and a wide variety of events including a discussion panel with Emer Gallagher, Conor Ó’Gallachóir and Niamh McElduff, course lecture by Joe Kelly, concert and also a banquet on the final evening.

The concert, hosted by Donegal chairman Fergus McGee, was a key highlight of the course and saw a wide variety of talented acts take part. This year’s day trip was to Fintown where attendees went on the ‘An Muc Dubh’ train and visited Áras Sheagháin Bháin to learn about the famous writers and musicians from the area. A great week of craic, ceol agus cuideachta was had by all.

Many thanks to the Coiste na Gaeilge agus na hOidhreachta, the Cúrsa de Faoite workgroup, the Downings GAA club and everyone involved for their work on this year’s course.

Bhí príomhchúrsa Gaeltachta CLG Uladh d’fhoghlaimeoirí fásta, Cúrsa de Faoite, ar siúl ag tús na míosa sna Dúnaibh, Contae Dhún na nGall.

Tugann an cúrsa seo deis ar leith don lucht freastail foghlaim ó mhúinteoirí éagsúla, cainteoirí dúchais Gaeilge ina measc, i gcroílár na Gaeltachta. Bhain na scoláirí sult as ranganna Gaeilge laethúla agus as réimse leathan imeachtaí lena n-áirítear painéal díospóireachta le Emer Ní Gallachóir, Conor Ó’Gallachóir agus Niamh Nic Giolla Dhuibh, léacht an chúrsa le Seosamh O’Ceallaigh, ceolchoirm agus féasta ar an oíche dheireanach.

Bhí an cheolchoirm, a bhí á óstáil ag cathaoirleach Dhún na nGall, Feargas MacAodh, ina bhuaicphointe lárnach den chúrsa agus bhí réimse leathan de cheoltóirí cumasacha i láthair. Bhí turas lae na bliana seo go Baile na Finne, áit a ndeachaigh muid ar an traein ‘An Muc Dubh’ agus cuairt ar Áras Sheagháin Bháin le foghlaim faoi scríbhneoirí agus ceoltóirí cáiliúla an cheantair. Bhí seachtain iontach le craic, ceol agus cuideachta ag gach duine.

Míle buíochas le Coiste na Gaeilge agus na hOidhreachta, le grúpa oibre Chúrsa de Faoite, le Cumann CLG na Dúnaibh agus le gach duine a bhí páirteach as a gcuid oibre ar an chúrsa i mbliana.