Students and teachers from Scoil Barr na Trá, Ballina had their very own red-carpet moment with President Mary McAleese in Croke Park as they were honoured by Foras na Gaeilge for showing the way in promoting spoken Irish in their schools and communities under the GLEO 2009 awards.
The 16 primary and post-primary schools throughout the island of Ireland were selected on the basis of their innovation and creativity in promoting the use of spoken Irish amongst their students and in their communities.
Scoil Barr na Trá received an award worth €3,000 in recognition of their best practice in the promotion of oral Irish. Foras na Gaeilge - the body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language across the island of Ireland - seeks to ensure that all schools will benefit from this practice by disseminating it through a variety of school networks, including schools which have received GLEO awards in the past.
Thirty eight shortlisted schools, from across the length and breadth of the island, were visited by the independent judges, who then selected two primary and one post-primary school from each region for the best-practice awards presented by President McAleese at Croke Park last week.
Speaking at the ceremony, which was attended by 200 students and their teachers, President McAleese said: “The GLEO scheme recognises best practice with regards to the promotion of spoken Irish in primary schools and in second level schools throughout Ireland. Any school in the country, north or south, where Irish is taught, and where English is the medium of education, can take part in this scheme. Gleo was first piloted in 2006, and because of its tremendous success Foras na Gaeilge decided to run with it year after year. This year 44 schools took part in it.
“I would like to congratulate all the schools and students who took part in the GLEO scheme this year. A great effort was made to successfully initiate the scheme in your schools. I am delighted that this best practice is being shared amongst you, both in the north and the south and that schools throughout Ireland and are learning from one another.”
