Tadhg Ó Coileáin (Timmy Collins)Forógra d’Oifigeach na Gaeilge ar Aontas na Mac Léinn, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh

Manifesto for Irish Officer on University College Cork’s Students’ Union

Clár

- Contents

1. Réamhrá – Introduction

2. Taithí – Experience

3. Stádas na Gaeilge – Status of the Irish Language

4. Imeachtaí Spleodracha Nuálacha – Vibrant Innovative Events

5. Naisciú ar na hEagrachtaí Gaeilge – Linking the Irish Language Organisations

6. Clubanna 7 Cumainn - Clubs & Societies

7. An Seomra Caidrimh – The Irish Common Room

1. Réamrá

- Introduction

Hey Guys, is mise Timmy Collins agus táim ag rith chun a bheith mar Oifigeach na Gaeilge d'Aontas na Mac Léinn, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh don bhliain seo chugainn. Tá fuílleach smaointí agam chun an Ghaeilge a chothú sa Choláiste ach tá do thacaoícht uaim. Tóg cúpla nóimead le do thoil chun mo fhorógra a léamh agus cur amach a fháil ar mo chuid smaointí don bhliain seo chuagainn.--Hey Guys, I'm Timmy Collins and I'm running for Irish Officer on next year's UCCSU. I have SO many ideas to elevate the Irish Language in

UCC, but I need your support. Please take a few minutes to continue reading my manifesto and find out my ideas for next year.

1. Taithí

– Experience

Ceann de na fáthanna go bhfuil mise an duine is fearr don phost ná go bhfuil go leor taithí agam. Táim mar reachtaire ar an gCumann Ceoil Traidisiúnta agus fuaireas fuíollach eolas an bhliain seo ar scilleanna ceannaraíochta, fógraíochta, cumarsáide. Tá aithne ar go leor daoine san Ollscoil, in Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha, i gcomhlachtaí éagsúla, agus daoine eile a bheadh usáideach don bhliain mar gheall ar an bpost. Chomh maith le sin, táim ar choiste na Cuallachta (An Cumann Gaelach) i mbliana agus táim an-gníomhach leis. Táim i mo OCM ach déarfainn go ndéarfadh an reachtaire fé láthair agus an reachtaire roimh session go bhfuilim duine de na baill is díograisí. B’é mise an duine a rinne an chuid is mó de na fógraí ranga, b’é mise an duine a mheall daoine do na himeachtaí, b’é mise an duine a rinne cursaí fógraíochta Spraoi Cois Laoi, b’é mise duine de na daoine a rinne difríocht i mbliana leis an gCuallacht. Rinneas go leor oibre I mbliana le Ruth Ní Riada, Oifigeach na Gaeilge fé láthair, agus tá aithne agus taithí agam ar an bpost agus an méid atá le déanamh.

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One of the reasons that I’m the best candidate for the job is that I’ve loads of experience. I’m the Auditor of the Irish Traditional Music Society (UCC TradSoc) and I learned so much this year, like leadership skills, promotional skills, and communication skills. I know loads of people in the University, in the Spoken Irish Centre, in different companies, and other people that would be handy to know for the job. As well as that, I am on the Committee of the Irish Language Society this year and I am

very active with it. I’m an OCM (Ordinary Committee Member) but I think that both the present Auditor and the previous Auditor would say that I’m one of the most committed members. I was the one who did most of the class announcements, I was the one who brought people to the events, I was the one who did the publicity, promotion and advertising for Spraoi Cois Laoi (Irish Culture Week), I was one of the people that made a difference with An Chuallacht this year. I worked closely with Ruth Ní Riada, the present Irish Officer, and I know what the position entails and demands.

3. Stádas na Gaeilge

– Status of the Irish Language

Tá an léacht céanna cloiste againn go léir, tá an Ghaeilge ag fáil bháis, tá sé beagnach caillte againn, caithfimid rud éigin a dhéanamh, is ar eile, is ar eile, is ar eile… Níl mise chun an oráid sin a rá arís. Táim chun labhairt faoi na rudaí beaga go bhféadaimís a dhéanamh chun difríocht mhór a dhéanamh ar son na Gaeilge agus na rudaí a dhéanfainn chun seans a thabhairt do ghnáth dhaoine chun na difríochtaí seo a dhéanamh liomsa. Ceann de na smaointí atá agam ná “Cúinne na Gaeilge” a chur ins ‘An Stad’, agus bheadh marsantacht Gaeilge le fáil ann cosúil le Fáinní (bróiste a léiríonn go bhfuil Gaeilge agat), t-léinte le ‘captions’ cosúil le “Gaeilge? Tusa? Shift?” agus Bandaí Rosta. Tharraingeodh sé daoine le céile chun an Ghaeilge a labhairt agus go dtí an siopa go ginearálta. Is rud beag é, agus ní thógadh sé mórán oibre chun é a dhéanamh ach s’iad na rudaí beaga, cosúil le seo, a athróidh an Gaeilge. Chomh maith le sin, chuirfinn “Margadh na Seachtaine” le fáil do dhaoine; cur I gcás, “Rollóg Sicíne Te agus Deoch ar €3 i gKiwi má chuireann tú d’órd as Gaeilge”. Mholfadh sé an Gaeilge a labhairt i measc na mac léinn, idir an Ghaeilgeoir dhúchasach agus an leaid a rinne ‘Pass’ don Ardteist. Ba bhreá liom, chomh maith, labhairt ag na ‘Orientation Days’ le hAontas na Mac Léinn agus cúpla focal a rá do na mic léinn nua ó thaobh na Gaeilge sa Choláiste de. Ní bheadh sé deacair Stádas na Gaeilge a árdú san

Ollscoil.

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We’ve all heard the same ol’ lecture, Irish is dying, we’ve it almost lost, we had to do something about it, and so on, and so on, and so on… I’m not going to give that speech again. I’m going to speak about the little things we can do to make a big difference for the Irish Language and the things I would do to give normal people a chance to make these differences with me. One of the ideas I have is to have an “Irish Corner” in ‘An Stad’, and there, there would be Irish Language merchandise available to buy, like Fáinní (brooches that show that you have Irish), T-shirts with captions like “Gaeilge? Tusa? Shift?”, and Wristbands. It would bring people together to speak Irish and even bring revenue to the shop. It’s a small thing, and it wouldn’t take much work to achieve, but it’s the small things, like this, that will change Irish. As well as this, I would make a ‘Deal of the Week’ as Gaeilge available to students; for example “A Hot Chicken Roll and Drink for €3” in Kiwi if the order is made in Irish. It would encourage Irish to be spoken in the student population, from the native Irish speaker to the lad who did pass for the Leaving Cert. I’d also like to speak with the Students’ Union on Orientation Days and say a few words to the incoming students about Irish in UCC. It wouldn’t be hard to change the Status of Irish in UCC.

1. Imeachtaí Spleodracha Nuálacha

– Vibrant Innovative Events

Caithfidh an SU níos mó imeachtaí Gaeilge a eagrú; i rith Seachtain ‘R&G’, Seachtain na Gaeilge agus an bhliain ar fad. Bheinn breá sásta imeachtaí spleadracha nuálacha a eagrú, ag obair leis an Uachtarán, an Oifigeach Siamsaíochta agus an Aontas ar fad, san áireamh; "Ith Liom - Come Dine with Me" mar Promo do Sheachtain na Gaeilge, Ceolchoirmeacha Gaelacha san Old Bar chuile mí le grúpaí cosúil le ‘Seo Linn’ agus ‘Mo Hata is Mo Gheansaí’, An Dreoilín mar Flashmob i gQ+2 i rith Seachtain ‘R&G’,

Tóg Amach Mé a dhéanamh arís toisc go raibh sé chomh rathúil, agus tá fuíollach smaointí eile agam chomh maith. go Bheadh Gaeilge níos fearr seo Choláiste mar thoradh agus léireodh sé go bhfuil an Aontas níos gnóthaí agus gníomhaí ná riamh!

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The SU has to organise more events; during R&G Week, Irish Language Week and the whole year. I would be totally happy to organise vibrant innovative events, working closely with the President, the Entertainments Officer, and the whole Union, including; “Come Dine with Me” as Gaeilge, Irish Language Concerts every month in the Old Bar with groups like ‘Seo Linn’ and ‘Mo Hata is Mo Gheansaí”, An Dreoilín (a dance routine like the Macarena to a song as Gaeilge) as a Flashmob in Q+2 during R&G Week, ‘Take Me Out’ as Gaeilge again as it was so successful, and I’ve loads of other ideas as well. Irish would be stronger in the College and that the Students’ Union is busier and more active than ever!

1. Naisciú ar na hEagrachtaí Gaeilge

– Linking the Irish Language Organisations

Tá an cuspóir céanna ag an Oifigeach na Gaeilge ar Aontas na Mac Léinn, ag Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha, An Chuallacht, Roinn na Gaeilge, is ar eile, ach ní cosúil go bhfuil nasc láidir, fiú nasc ar bith, eatarthu. Deirtear go theipeann duine as triúr an Gaeilge sa chéad bhliain. Tá codanna den cúrsa leadránach, admháilim é sin, ach an fáth go bhfuileadar ag teipeadh ná nach bhfuileadar ag freastal ar a gcuid léachtaí. Dúirt mo chara tráth, fear atá ag déanamh staidéar ar an dlí; “S’í an t-aon fáth amháin gur chuas go mo chuid léachtaí ná go raibh cairde agam ag dul”. Tá nasc iontach láidir idir an Cumann Dlí agus an Roinn Dlí agus d’oibróinn go ghéarr leis an gCuallacht, Roinn na Gaeilge, agus an Oifigeach Oideachais, chun nasc láidir a chothú eatarthu. Bheadh sé mar phost agamsa agus ag an gCuallacht deiseanna a chur ar fáil do lucht an chéad bhliain chun aithne a chur ar dhaoine eile sa rang agus cairdeas a dhéanamh leo.

Bheadh sé mar phost ag an Roinn seoltaí r-phoist a chur ar fáil don Chuallacht. Dá raibh nasc láidir idir na heagrachtaí thuas luaite, agus fiú eagrachtaí lasmuigh den Choláiste cosúil le Gael-Taca Chorcaí agus Foras na Gaeilge, bheadh an Gaeilge i bhfad níos fearr in Ollscoil Chorcaí.

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Though the Irish Officer on the Students’ Union, the Spoken Irish Centre, the Irish Language Society, the Irish Department, all have the same aim, there doesn’t seem to be a strong link, or even any link, between them. It’s said that one out of three fail First Year Irish. There are parts of the course that are boring, I admit that, but the reason students are failing is because there not attending their lectures. My friend said once, a man studying Law; “The only reason I went to my lectures is because I had friends going”. There’s a great strong link between the Law Society and the Law Faculty and I would work closely with the Irish Language Society, the Irish Department, and the Education Officer to build such a link. It would be my job, and An Chuallacht, to organise opportunities for first year Irish students to come together, to get to know other people in their course and hopefully to make friends with some of them. It would be the job of the Department to provide An Chuallacht with an email address for every student studying Irish in the College. If there was a stronger link between the organisations above listed and even organisations out the University like Gael-Taca Chorcaí and Foras na Gaeilge, Irish would be far better in UCC.

6. Clubanna 7 Cumainn

- Clubs & Societies

Is fíor a rá gur iad na Clubanna agus na Cumainn spraoi an Choláiste. Bheadh sé ar intinn agam go mbeadh níos mó Gaeilge á úsáid acu ina gcuid fógraíochta, ina gcuid imeachtaí, nó fiú ina gcruinnithe. Smaointe amháin a bhí agam ná go mbeadh babhtaí foghlamtha/babhtaí traenála curtha ar fáil ag na Clubanna as Béarla agus as Gaeilge, agus bheadh sé

níos saoire chun freastal ar an gceann Gaeilge. Chomh maith le sin, ba bhreá liom Ceoldráma Gaeilge a dhéanamh, ceann gairid (uair a chloig) insan Áras Devere agus RomCom de shaghas éigin a bheadh ann. Bheadh amhráin cosúil le ‘Barbie Girl’ agus ‘Baby Got Back’ istigh ann, as Gaeilge ar ndóigh, agus bheadh An Chuallacht, An Cumann Drámaíochta, TradSoc, Musical, Live Music, Dramat is ar eile páirteach. Léireodh sé an taobh spraoúil den teanga agus bhaineadh na mac léinn go léir súp as. Táim ag smaoineamh chomh faoi saghas Matinee a dhéanamh do lucht na méanscoile agus bheadh sé mar fógraíocht don Ollscoil agus don Gaeilge mar theanga bríomhar taitneamhach.

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It’s true to say that Clubs and Societies are the life of the University. I’d have it in mind that Irish would be used more often by them in their advertising, publicity and promotion, in their events, and even in their meetings. One idea I have is that Clubs would have learning sessions/training sessions in English and in Irish and it would be cheaper to attend the Irish one. As well as that, I’d love to do a Musical in Irish, a short one (one hour) in Devere Hall, and it would be some sort of cheesy RomCom. There would be songs like ‘Barbie Girl’ and ‘Baby Got Back’, in Irish of Course, and An Chuallacht, An Cumann Dramaíochta, TradSoc, Musical, Live Music, Dramat, and more involved. It would show the fun side of the language and all students would enjoy in thoroughly. I’m also thinking of have a Matinee showing for secondary school students and it would be great publicity and promotion for UCC and for Irish as a lively entertaining language.

7. An Seomra Caidrimh

– The Irish Common Room

Caithfidh athrú teacht ar an Seomra Caidrimh, níl fiú fhios ag go leor daoine go bhfuil sé ann! Is seomra dorcha sean-fhaiseanta é fé láthair agus tá an doras i gcónaí fé ghlas. Ceaptar gur é an Seomra Foirne do

Roinn na Gaeilge. Is leis an Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha an seomra agus bheinn ag plé cúrsaí leo ón lá a fhaighim an phost chun é a athrú agus córas ceart a chur i bhfeidhim don bhliain nua. Caithfidh Tae, Caife, Brioscaí, is ar eile a bheith ar fáil do gach éinne a théann istigh, ní na léachtóirí amháin. Caithfimid athmhaisiú a dhéanamh don seomra, toilg agus bean bags a chur istigh ann, agus réidh a fháil leis an doras gránna mí-mhealltach sin agus ceann mór gloinne fáilteach a chur isteach ann. Caithfidh sé bheith ar oscailt ó a osclaíonn an foirgneamh go dtí go dúnaítear é. Bheinn ag iarraidh go mbeadh lascainí ar fáil insan ‘Coffee Dock’ d’éinne a rinne a órd as Gaeilge. Áit álainn mhealltach a bheadh ann do lucht na Gaeilge sa Choláiste chun an teanga a labhairt.

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Change has to be made to the Irish Common Room, lots of people don’t even know it exists! It’s a dark old-fasioned room which is always closed. It’s thought to be the Staff Room for Irish lecturers. The Spoken Irish Centre own it and I’d discuss with them, from the day I get elected, as to how we can change it and to have a proper system in place for the new year. Tea, Coffee, Biscuits, etc. have to be available to everyone, not just lecturers. Redecorating must be done to the room, putting couches and even bean bags in there, and get rid of the ugly unattractive door and put in a big new welcoming glass one. It has to be opened from the minute the building is opened until the minute it’s being closed. I’d also try and have discounts available in the ‘Coffee Dock’ to anyone who orders in Irish. It would be a nice attractive welcoming room to the Irish speaking community in the University to speak the language.

Mar fhocail scoir, go simplí, ba bhreá liom bheith mar Oifigeach na Gaeilge ar Aontas na Mac Léinn, DO Oifigeach na Gaeilge. Mar sin, téir amach ar an 11ú agus an 12ú de Mhí Márta agus caith do Vóta ar mo

shon.

Timmy don Teanga!

“Is iad na rudaí beaga a dhéanann an difríocht is mó”