A busload of protesters from the Conamara Gaeltacht participated in the CEARTA march in Dublin last week, organised by Conradh na Gaeilge. It is estimated by the organisers that up to 25,000 marched from the Garden of Remembrance to the the gates of Leinster House.
A large contingent came from Northern Ireland, where the Irish language is experiencing a resurgence among younger people, energised by the international success of the Irish language rap-group Kneecap.
Contingents also travelled from Gaeltacht areas, including Conamara. Adhna Ní Bhraonáin, the founder of the Gaeltacht housing campaign BÁNÚ, was among the speakers who addressed the large crowd packed into Molesworth Street.
Speaking in Irish, she said that the capital funding provided to the Gaeltacht was €39 million in 2008 but was only €21 million in last year’s estimates.
“Thuig an dream a bhunaigh an stát tábhacht na Gaeltachta, nuair a chuir siad airgead ar fáil do thithíocht sa nGaeltacht. Bhí an tír bocht an uair sin,” a dúirt sí. “Tá an tír saibhir anois agus níl pinghin amháin féin á chaitheamh ag Roinn na Gaeltachta ar thíthíocht. Ní iontas ar bith é go bhfuil géarchéim ann.”
She called on the Minister for the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, to ensure that adequate capital funding was provided in next year’s budget to enable Údarás na Gaeltachta to engage in the provision of serviced sites for Irish speakers in Irish speaking areas of the Gaeltacht.
