There was a celebratory atmosphere at Wildlands, Moycullen, on World Poetry Day when 177 children from five Gaeltacht schools just outside Galway city came together to launch a poetry book of their own.
The ‘Féile Filíochta’ project came about when four Irish language planning officers located in Gaeltacht areas around the city came together with the aim of fostering a love of poetry among the primary school students and of encouraging them to write in their native language.
Poets Máire Holmes and Aimée Ni Chonaing led Irish language poetry workshops with the children in all five schools before Christmas and each of the participating pupils submitted a poem for the book which was launched on Thursday.
Moycullen native Pádraic Breathnach, acclaimed short story writer and novelist, was present at Wildlands to launch the book of 177 poems which were all written ‘as Gaeilge’ by the children themselves.
Pádraic was hugely impressed by the imagination displayed by the youngsters, some of whom read their own poems at the launch.
Máire Holmes, who was also present for the launch, said huge praise had to go to the children for the way in which they took on the challenge of writing their poems. She recalled that there was much fun and laughter during the workshops at the five schools, as well as a good deal of hard work in submitting their entries in time for the deadline.
The project is a collaboration between Irish Language Planning Officers Ándría Uí Thaidhg, Micheál Mac Aoidh, Aoife Ní Chonghaile, and Ciarán Tierney.
The five schools which took part were Scoil Bhaile Nua, Maigh Cuilinn; Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh, Cnoc na Cathrach; Scoil Shéamais Naofa, Bearna; Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Breandán, Eanach Dhúin; and Scoil Bhríde, Mionloch.
The beautiful illustrated book was designed by Ines Quintanilha McGee, of An Bean Sí. The pictures on each of the pages are based on the subject of the poems.
