'Historic day' as Irish language accommodation at Queen's University is officially launched

THE Irish Language residential scheme at Queen’s University has been officially launched.

Ryan Feeney, Director of Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility at Queen’s, welcomed the audience to the historic event, while Professor Margaret Topping, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, also attended.

Tiarna Ní Néill, Campaigns Officer from An Cumann Gaelach and Liadán NicCormaic, a participant of the residential scheme, both spoke about their love of the language and their delight at the launch of the residential scheme.

The pilot opened for the first time this year, following a series of campaigns by the university’s Irish language society, An Cumann Gaelach, with the support of the Dearcán group.

This year saw a maximum number of 12 places; however, the university stated at the launch that this will increase to 14 places next year. In total, 34 students applied for the scheme, almost three times the number of places available. The residential scheme has students studying both Irish and non-Irish subjects.

Liadán NicCormaic, a participant of the residential scheme, has attended Irish medium schools her entire life and speaks Irish at home, she shared her delighted at being able to continue her journey through Irish in Belfast.

“My sister Eibhlín came up here and when I came up to visit, I fell in love with the city but I still wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. But then, when I heard about the Irish language residential scheme and the talk around Irish language legislation, I knew I wanted to go here.”

On living at the new residential accommodation, she said: “We really enjoy it, it’s a brilliant atmosphere and hearing all the different dialects pronouncing things in Irish. We’re great friends, we were immediately friends because of our shared interests.

“It’s the opportunity to use my language every single day.”

Former student Eoghan Ó Garmaile was a prominent activist with An Cumann Gaelach and played a major role in achieving the Irish language residential scheme. Speaking with the Andersonstown News, he said: “This is a very interesting event. I never attended anything like this. Now, we organised events like this every week but senior figures that are here tonight were never there, people like the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the people with the most senior roles within the university, they have never done this before. So, it’s something very historical. It’s very interesting and I hope it continues as we go through a new era with the Irish language."

On graduating from the university after years of activism with the Irish language, Eoghan said: “It’s a nice thing, the work is done for the scheme, the newer ones coming in will keep this alive and things with the Irish will be better for them now.”

Dr Véronique Altgas, Senior Lecturer at Queen’s University, also spoke at the event and has been involved in the campaign for establishing the residential scheme with An Cumann Gaelach.

“I’m not an Irish speaker, I’m a learner for sure. It was very much listening to the experience and trying to understand what it is to speak Irish being born here and perhaps having written all your essays in Irish and suddenly you have to write everything in English and being in an English speaking environment and not knowing who speaks Irish and who you can speak Irish with and use the language, it’s the way you perhaps bond with other students.

“When you speak your language you connect, you bond, you share something.”

In September, the new committee of An Cumann Gaelach spoke to the Andersonstown News about their delight at the new residential scheme opening and that they will continue to campaign for bilingual signage and visibility on campus.

West Belfast MLA Aisling Reilly attended the event sharing her joy at the launch of the scheme and congratulated the hard work of An Cumann Gaelach in achieving the Irish language accommodation.

“This is a fantastic launch, the scéim chonaithe here at Queen’s University is fantastic. To see that there are 12 people now who will be able to live side by side and immerse themselves in the Irish language.

“As an Irish language speaker and someone who was born and raised entirely through Irish and educated through Irish medium education this is something, had I have gone to university, that I would have applied for and definitely would have gone to.”

“This is a historic day, of course it’s just the foundation. There’s a lot of work to be done and I look forward to seeing the progression. An Cumann Gaelach have done tremendous work. Some of the students who campaigned for this have left the university, so that’s a legacy they have left here. It’s for the people who are coming up behind them.”