A new Gaeltacht is planned for Carn Tóchair in south County Derry.

From the website--- http://www.ancarn.org/projects/irish-language-community-development-project/sout h-derry-gaeltacht-reborn

This new strategy is being promoted jointly by Coiste Forbartha Charn Tóchair and Glór na nGael Charn Tóchair and is called “An Bealach chun Tosaigh” (“The Way Forward”) and sets out an ambitious primary objective of “within two generations or 50 years to develop a bilingual community where the Irish-language becomes the accepted medium of communication of the majority of the community” With only a few arguable exceptions, nowhere in Ireland has succeeded in reasserting Irish within an established community which has by-and-large become entirely English speaking. The success of this strategy will represent the single most important development in Irish-language revival in 200 years.
The area is unique in that it is the only rural area in Ireland outside the official Gaeltacht where the majority of local primary school children are educated through the medium of Irish. Already in this small rural area the Irish language provides the largest sector of employment with over 20 Irish speakers employed in pre-school, primary and secondary education, film production (Carn Media), translation (Carn Translations), in community development and in youth activities.

Iwonder when the Gaeltacht boundaries are redrawn maybe they should be given Gaeltacht status?

Is this fabulous news or what -a community wanting change from english speaking to Irish speaking. This has only happened in Rath Chairn and Baile Gib in the 1930's and Gaeltacht Bóthar Seoige in Belfast is the 60's. I have come to the conclusion that the setting up of new gaeltachts is the only way forward in spreading the Irish language. Ballymun was on Nuacht TG4 on 13/01/2009 re a new Gaeltacht is being set up consisting of 40 houses to be finished end 2009 deposits already paid. How brilliant is that. All counties should aspire to set up new Gaeltachts for all the Irish speakers of those counties to come together

Excellent news indeed. I first heard about Carn Tóchair just a couple of weeks ago. Supposedly the area was a breac-ghaeltacht in the early 1900s.

I don't see how Gaeltacht status could be bestowed on such an area which is technically in a seperate jurisdiction. Political meddling and all that.

A redrawing of the current Gaeltacht borders is urgently needed.

Rath Cairn and BAile Gibb were not a decision of an English speaking community to start speaking Irish - but a genuine Gaeltacht of native speakers, who moved in from Galway.

Yep.

Was the Shaw's Road Gaeltacht in Belfast started by Donegal people living in Antrim or by locals?

Haven't heard of it before, but that's really good to hear.

They're doing things the right way up in Derry. Very slow build-up; no fanfare or wishful thinking, setting up the educational infrastructure, trying to create jobs in which people can use their Irish. It's excellent - good things will come from it.

Is there such a thing as an official Gaeltacht up north? I know there are cultural and linguistic investment programmes but is there any legal basis for the designation of a geographical area as a Gaeltacht, with associated reliefs, grants, incentives, special conditions on physical planning and education and all the other things that we associate with a Gaeltacht down here? In fairness, I think they are advocating a bottom-up, community-led approach to language development rather than some sort of official status.

Is tionscnamh íontach in áit áileann é agus, d'ainneoin a scríobh mé taobh thuas seo, tá súil agam go gcabhraítear iad ó gach foinse .

Ní fhaca mé cad a scríobh Antain sula bhruigh mé an cnaipe 'post'. Áontaim leis. Táim ag foghlaim an teanga anois agus is é an easpa deiseanna chun mo chuid ghaeilge a úsáid an rud is deacra. Tá clann óg agam agus freastlaíonn siad náionra agus gaelscóil. Bíonn deis agam gaeilge a labhairt timpeall an scoil agus le mo pháistí sa bhaile ach taitnódh go mór liom é a úsáid sa siopaí áitúla, ar an tsraid agus in aiteanna neamhfhórmúil. Táim i mo chonaí i mBaile Átha Cliath ach tá seans ag pobail toilteanach faoin túath dea-dul chun cinn a dhéanamh. Maith sibh!

"In fairness, I think they are advocating a bottom-up, community-led approach to language development rather than some sort of official status."

And more power to them if they do. Official recognition is BS. I work in a university and am 'officially' in a more important stream than qualified teachers who work there too and have more experience than myself, as my qualification are deemed to be higher than theirs! Far too much faith is put in rubber stamps.

Lets hope it never becomes an "Official" gaeltacht or that the bureaucrats never get their hands on it...

bottom up prolly works better in the long run anyways. HOpefully these people will never 'get paid' for speaking the Irish language. What sort of shite is that?

The people up North will be better off NOT following the way the people down South have done it. No need for official recognigiton. Who needs it.. Sounds like they are onto something good here by what they are doing. Practical beats idiotic bureaucracy. MOre power to them and I'll be praying for their success...
Slán

What type of Irish will they use? Will it be a version of Gweedore dialect or will it be a revival of the local East Ulster type speech? Wagner included material from a Draperstown informant in the LASID.

It will be English based in a lot of things I would expect

What type of Irish will they use?
Whatever type(s) they have, I should say, and fair play to them!
Féadann siad déanamh in úireasa an chogaidh leamh sin; beidh go leor eile ar a gcuid plátaí acub.

Ulster Irish with Standard Irish flavour, fair play to them though!

I wish they did more stuff in my county for Irish (Kildare) but there is nothing.

Interesting, Trigger. What sort of stuff would you like for Irish in County Kildare?

Trigger,

You said, "I wish they did more stuff in my county for Irish (Kildare) but there is nothing."

Maybe this is a sign that Kildare needs someone like you to fix the problem?

Please do not take that the wrong way. This is not meant to be negative statement, however, one cannot hear the tone in my voice when I say it. I mean it in a positive way. I really do. One of the themes that I often see when people speak about the Irish language is the use of the third person such as "Ireland needs to, they need to, why don't they..."

I have always thought that if people wait for someone else to do something, then they might as well accept they will be waiting forever in a chronic state of blues. If no one in your county is doing anything, it is an chance for you to be the first. Who nows, maybe someday in an Irish medium school in Kildare it will be your name they have to thank for the local revival of Irish? ;-)

I love to read these types of threads. I wish the people of Derry all the best. If Irish can get a really strong foothold in Derry, then anything is possible for the Irish language.

Níl aon 'fhadhb' i gCill Dara. Tá muintir na Gaeilge i gCill Dara ag déanamh togha na hoibre. A bhfuil d'aithne agam orthu, léiríonn siad fuinneamh agus misneach thar na bearta. Is léir go bhfuil tionchar nach beag imrithe acu orthu siúd ina dtimpeall. Go deimhin, bhí mír ar nuacht TG4 tuairim is bliain ó shoin a thagair don ardfhreastal gaelscolaíochta sa gcontae le hais líon na lonnaitheoirí de réir an daonáirimh.