Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Uladh
Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Uladh
Tá Cúrsa Gaeltachta CLG Uladh, Cúrsa de Faoite sna Dúnaibh, ar ais i mbliana. Táimid dóchasach go mbeidh cúrsa den chéad scoth againn in 2025 agus muid uilig bailithe sna Dúnaibh arís ó 30ú Meitheamh – 7ú Iúil.
Ulster GAA’s flagship Gaeltacht course for adult learners, Cúrsa de Faoite, is back in 2025 from 30th June – 4th of July. We are looking forward to welcoming attendees, both old and new, to Downings, Dún na nGall this year.
Ranganna & Múinteoiri
There will be three intermediate classes levels 1, 2 and 3 to cater for all levels and one Ard Rang for those who are proficient in the language. Classes will run each day from Monday to Friday from 10.00am until 3.15pm. Teachers are from the local area and are fluent native speakers
Imeachtaí Eile – Other Activities
There will be events each evening which include a concert, a lecture, a banquet and a trip to two nearby areas of historic importance
Tilli Clárúcháin – Registration fees
Cost of classes for the week:
Loistín – Accommodation
If you require accommodation in Downings, you can make your own arrangement with the following.
Tuilleadh sonrai
For more more details, contact:
Sa bhliain 1942 tionóladh an crinniú cinn bliana (Comhairle Uladh C.L.G.) in Ómaigh. Mhol an Sagairt Éamonn Ó Doibhlin ‘go ndéanfaí gnó Comhairle Uladh trí mheán na Gaeilge’. D’éirigh leis an rún sin agus leanann an traidisiúin go dtí an lá atá inniu ann. Ionadaí ó Thír Eoghain ab ea an tAthair Ó Doibhlin ag an gcrinniú sin ach ba as Coilleach Eanach i gCondae Árd Mhacha ó dhúchas é. Roimhe sin sa bhliain mile naoí gcéad fiche is a hocht ag an gcomhdháil in Árd Mhacha dúirt as Sagairt Labhrás Ó Muirí go mba chóir comhoibriú a bheith idir Chomairle Uladh agus Comhaltas Uladh (Conradh na Gaeilge). Dúirt Conn Mac an Ghirr agus é ag tagairt do úsáid na Gaeilge i Gcomhairle Uladh sa bhliain 1958 “go raibh gach cosúlacht ar an scéal nach raibh ganntannas ar bith de ionadaithe cumasacha ó gach condae in Ulaidh”.
Cuireadh Cúrsa Gaeilge ar bun i Ros Ghoill i dTír Chonaill sa bhliain 1959 faoi coimirce Comhairle Uladh (C.L.G.). Osclaíodh an cúrsa go hoifigiúil ag Caoimhín Ó Beolláin abhí ina Aire Cosanta sa Deisceart ag an am. Lean a cúrsa sin go dtí 1972 nuair a chuireadh ar ceall é toisc nach raibh freastal mór air.Bhí Alf Ó Muirí agus Padraig Mac Floinn chun tosaigh ag an am sin chomh maith le daoine mar Diarmuid Ó Doibhlinn agus an Dochtúir Oirmhinneach Mac Giolla Earnáin. Dúirt Padraig Mac Floinn go ndeachaigh sé féin agus Alf Ó Muirí isteach go dtí na Dúnaibh ar a rothair, taréis turais fhada ó iarthair an chondae, nuair a bhíodar ag iarraidh an cúrsa a bhunú don chéad uair.
Sa bhliain 1989 ag crinniú san Óstan na gCeithre Séasúr i Muineacháin, ar an Chéadaoin 10ú Bealtaine faoi úachtarántacht an tAthair Dónall Mac an Ghallóglaigh bunaíodh Coiste na Gaeilge as an nua agus roghnaíodh Tomás Ó Cuilinn as Fear Manach (Cathaoirleach) agus Séamus de Faoite as Tír Chonaill (Rúnaí). Tháinig fás bliain i ndiaidh bliana ar líon na ndaoine a bhíonn ag freastal ar an chúrsa ó 1989 i leith. Tá an cúrsa Gaeilge anois ar cheann de imeachtaí cultúir mhóra ár linne.
Nuair a tháinig athruithe móra i struchtúir an Chumainn cúpla bliain ó shoin chuir Comhairle Uladh dhá choiste ar bun (a) Coiste Scór is Cultúir (b) Coiste na Gaeilge agus Oidhreachta. Is ar mhaithe le forbairt na Gaeilge taobh istigh de Chumann Lúthchleas Gael i gCúige Uladh a roghnaíodh an córas seo. Is go hiomlán trí mheán na Gaeilge a oibríonn an Coiste seo agus tá ionadaí ar an gCoiste as na naoi gcondaethe i gCúige Uladh.
The annual meeting (Ulster Council G.A.A.)in 1942 was held in Omagh. Father Eamon Devlin proposed ‘that the business of Ulster Council be conducted through the medium of the Irish language’. That motion succeeded and the tradition continues until the present day. Fr. Devlin was a Tyrone delegate at that meeting but he hailed originally from Cullyhanna in Co. Armagh. Before that in 1928 at the convention in Armagh Fr. Larry Murry urged co-operation between the Ulster Council and Comhalta Uladh (Gaelic League). Conn Short referring to the use of Irish in the Council in 1958 stated that there appeared to be “ no shortage of able dedicated delegates from all nine Ulster counties”.
The Irish Language Course was founded in Ros Goill in Donegal in 1959 under the auspices of the Ulster Council (G.A.A.). The course was officially opened by Kevin Boland the then Minister for Defence in the South. That course continued until 1972 when it was set aside due to lack of numbers attending. Alf Murray and Paddy Mc Flynn as well as people such as Dermott Devlin from Derry and Rev. Dr. Mc Larnon were prominent at that time. Paddy Mc Flynn stated that himself and Alf Murray cycled into Downings after a long journey from the west of the county when they were attempting to set the course up.
In 1989 at a meeting in the Four Seasons Hotel in Monaghan held on Wednesday 10th of May under the presidency of Fr. Dan Gallogley the Irish Language committee was reformed. Tom Cullen from Fermanagh (Chairman) and Seamus de Faoite from Donegal (Secretary) were chosen. The Irish Language course has grown year on year since 1989. The course is now one of the premier cultural events of our time.
When big changes came about in the structure of the Association a few years ago the Ulster Council instituted two committees (a) Scór and Culture (b) Irish Language and Heritage . This system was adopted in order to develop the use of the language within the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ulster. The business of the committee is conducted entirely through the medium of the Irish language and there is a representative from each county in Ulster on the committee.
Seamus de Faoite (Rúnaí an Choiste), Peadair Ó Cuinn (Iar-Úachtarán C.L.G.), An Sagart Dónal Mac an Ghallóglaigh (Úachtarán Comhairle Uladh) Tomás Ó Cuilinn (Údar), Seosamh Mac Giolla Easpaigh (Údar), Seán Mac an Bheatha (Iar-Uachtarán Comhairle Uladh).
Bhí Séamus de Faoite ina Rúnaí ar Choiste na Gaeilge & Oidhreachta ó 1989 go dtí earrach na blaina 2006. Scríobh Tomás Ó Chuilinn abhí ina Chathaoirleach ar an gcoiste ar feadh an ama sin an giota beag seo a leanas faoi i mbróisiuir nab liana sin:
Mar is eol daoibh tá “Leon na hOidhreachta” ar shlí na fírinne. D’éalaigh sé uainn go gasta agus gan coinne ar bith leis, go mall oíche ina áit chónaithe i dtús an earraigh. Bhí sé de shólás aige gur tharraing sé a anáil dheireanach i mbaclainn Mháire – a bhean céile.
Bhí an sneachta bog ag titim, bhí an ghaoth ag séideadh anuas ó chúl an Earagail. Bhí na tonnta ag briseadh taobh thiar dínn ag Macaire Gáthlán an lá a leagamar chun suaimhnis é. Muidne a raibh aithne againn ar an laoch seo, bhí fhois againn go raibh deireadh ré ann – nach mbeadh a leithéid arís ann.
Seamus de Faoite passed to his eternal reward early one morning the spring of 2006. He drew his last breath in the arms of his wife Máire in their home at Mín Riabach near Tearmann i dTír Chonaill.
He was the epitome of everything that was good and wholesome in the promotion of the language, and the preservation, in an undiluted fashion of the core elements of our culture and heritage. He had been our tutor, mentor and guide for the past eighteen years. Gentle flakes of snow fluttered briefly above his coffin in the piercing breeze that swept down from Errigal, and the great Atlantic clattered melancholy on the adjacent shore, as his funeral cortege slowly snaked its way to his last resting place at Machaire Gáthlán, on the edge of a diminishing Celtic domain. One of the greatest Irishmen of this or any other age, had taken his leave of us. This “Lion of Heritage” had joined the heroes of the past. We knew an era had come to an end. Inspiration now would have a divine portent. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal. In iothlainn Dé go gcastar sinn. Go mba sámh codladh na laochra.
