FéiltíGinearálta

Eoghan Ó Garmaile – Seoladh Fhéile na Carraige

Is dúshlán é seo ar an choilíneachas agus is ionann na buanna seo i measc Gaeilgeoirí ar fad agus díchoilíniú i gcleachtas.

Seoladh Féile na Carraige

Dia daoibh a chairde agus fáiltígí go seoladh Féile na Carraige 2022, an 10ú Féile na Carraige ó bhunaigh an eagraíocht pobalbhunaithe radacach seo, Glór na Móna í in 2012.  Is mise Eoghan Ó Garmaile agus tá mé ag obair le Glór na Móna ó mhí Iúil mar Oifigeach Tionscadail Pobail agus tá áthas an domhain orm a bheith ag cur Féile na Carraige faoi lánseol libh inniu.

My name is Eoghan Ó Garmaile and I have been working with Glór na Móna as Community Projects Officer in a new post funded by the Rank Foundation back in July, although I have been close to the organisation for some years before.  I am from the Lower Ormeau road and attended Scoil an Droichid there and subsequently went to Coláiste Feirste.  It was there I first heard of Glór na Móna when many young people like myself were thrown into the environment of what Antonio Gramsci described as an ‘intense labour of criticism’ after the Irish language youth club here was cut followed by the Líofa bursaries in early 2017.  This sparked the Irish language movement which we have dedicated our colours to for Féile na Carraige, An Dream Dearg, in which around 20,000 people marched for an Irish language act in May of this year which will be implemented for the first time in the history of this state.  Many of us brought this fight to Queen’s University Belfast where we have achieved an Irish language residential scheme for Irish speaking students for the first time on campus.  This dedication to An Dream Dearg in Féile na Carraige 2022, is to celebrate the victories of this year. Bualadh bos mór don Dream Dearg a chairde! 

Tugann Féile na Carraige deis dúinn comhrá criticiúil a dhéanamh faoi mhórfhadhbanna na sochaí seo chomh maith leis an stair agus ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar phobal s’againn, ar chultúr s’againn, agus ar theanga s’againn.  Tá an mana ‘Páirteachas, Polaitíocht, Pobal’ ag croílár na Féile agus cuirimis é i bhfeidhm leis na himeachtaí atá eagraithe againn.

Ó Giraldus Cambrensis go Charles Trevelyan, caitheamh anuas ar an phobal seo mar brúidiúil, barbartha agus arrachtach go smior.  Tharla amhlaidh sna 1980í agus ba é sin an bunús d’Fhéile an Phobail.  Is ionann an cur síos seo ar an phobal s’againn, mar a scríobh Frantz Fanon, agus ‘stór focal an choilíneachais’.  Ach léirigh na féiltí ó shin, ach go háirithe Féile na Carraige le 10 mbliana anuas, i measc tograí eile, go bhfuil buanna as cuimse ag an phobal s’againn.  Ní hé gur phobal cruálach, aineolach, falsa muid, ach an mhalairt: léiríonn Féile na Carraige agus féiltí eile gur cheoltóirí, aisteoirí, scríbhneoirí, stiúrthóirí, eagraitheoirí, ealaíontóirí, scannánóirí, staraithe, saineolaithe, ceannródaithe muid.  Tá na buanna go léir seo fite fuaite i gclár Fhéile na Carraige 2022.  Is dúshlán é seo ar an choilíneachas agus is ionann na buanna seo i measc Gaeilgeoirí ar fad agus díchoilíniú i gcleachtas.

2022 is a significant year not only because we celebrate 10 years of Féile na Carraige, but we are also looking back at 100 years of counter-revolution on both sides of the border.  We explore the importance of class during that period in our film showing of the documentary, the Limerick Soviet, which follows the days in 1919 when workers there took over the city, this Sunday the 16th at 7pm here in the Gael-Ionad. 

Lena chois sin, beidh na staraithe Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh, an Dr Síobhra Aiken, an Dr Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh agus an Dr Kerron Ó Luain linn ar phlé-phainéal an Satharn seo chugainn, an 22ú Deireadh Fómhair, ag labhairt faoin fhrithréabhlóid agus Cogadh na gCarad 100 bliain ar aghaidh, sa Chultúrlann ar 1 a chlog.  Breathnóidh muid siar ar an stair áitiúil, chomh maith, le saineolaí na reiligí Seán Fennell a ghlacfaidh muid ar chamchuairt ar Reilig Chathair Bhéal Feirste trí Ghaeilge amárach ar 10 a chlog ar maidin.  Tá an camchuairt fóirsteanach d’fhoghlaimeoirí agus buailfidh muid ag príomhgheataí na reilige.

Another special event charting the working class history of the Upper Springfield Area will take place on Thursday the 20th at 7.30pm in the Cultúrlann with the film showing of Glór na Móna’s new documentary ‘Faoi Scáth an tSléibhe: A Beautiful Place’ which shares some of the incredible stories of grass-roots self-help activism in this area in the past. 

Déanann 2022 ceiliúradh 30 bliain ar Choláiste Feirste nó Meánscoil Feirste mar a bhí ag an am, agus beidh plé-phainéal ann in sa scoil é féin ar oíche Mháirt an 18ú ar 7 a chlog le Fergus Ó hÍr, Máire Nic an Bhaird, Máire Nic Fhionnachtaigh agus Mícheál Mac Giolla Ghunna.  ‘Is fiú an tairbhe an trioblóid’ an t-ainm atá ar an phainéal seo agus labhróidh siad faoin dua agus bua s’acu ar son na Gaeilge san am a chuaigh thart.  Chothaigh siad, agus go leor gníomhartha teanga eile, díchoilíniú ar struchtúr an tsochaí ó thuaidh le hathshlánú na Gaeilge agus streachailt s’acu.

2022 has also seen new strides regarding the conversation around a united Ireland.  Within Féile na Carraige we not only look back at 100 years of reaction and counter-revolution, we also look to the future and pose our own questions around the issue.  Vladimir Lenin, who led a slightly different Dream Dearg, once wrote that ‘It is natural for a liberal to speak of “democracy” in general; but a Marxist will never forget to ask: “for what class?”.’  A United Ireland, certainly, but for what class?  This is one among many questions we hope to pose with our political education project Ag Samhlú Éire Nua- Liberty, Equality and Solidarity, and our annual Harry Holland lecture will reflect upon such issues ón Wednesday 19th October at 7.30pm with Professor Mike Tomlinson, who will be in conversation with Éilís Rooney on Social Policy in a new United Ireland.

Finally, it is certainly fitting to conclude here with Tiarnán Ó Muilleoir’s presentation and launch of the Father Des Wilson archive which will take place here in the Gael-Ionad on Friday the  at 1pm.  Fr Des’s words from the Upper Springfield Festival of 1973, continue to inspire us today: he said that festivals are a ‘morale-booster, people must work together for the good of the community – the festival is a co-operative effort … those who are together for the festival will stay together for much more to come’.”

Go raibh maith agaibh agus beirigí bua.

 

 

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