TACA looking for volunteers to keep up vital Irish language fundraising

TACA – the charity that raises funds for the Irish language – are currently looking for volunteers to help with their scratch card prize programme.

The charity, which has funded numerous struggling Irish language projects and also Irish language schools over the years, have revealed that the current cost of living crisis has had an impact on the group’s ability to promote the sale of its scratch cards which fund the majority of its work

TACA was founded in 1987 by Gearóid Mac Cumhaill and began with 200 people who would put in a pound with £100 being given out as prize money and the other £100 donated towards a local Irish language charity or Gaelscoil na bhFál which was newly opened at the time.

TACA’s manager Pádraig Ó Cianáin explained that the charity’s scratch cards allow buyers to raise money for Irish language projects whilst also giving them a chance to win prize money for themselves.

“In 1990 TACA started a scratch card programme. It works in a similar way to the pound clubs we did when we started. Those who buy stand a chance to win some money and also at the same time each purchase goes towards raising money for Irish language projects.

“At the beginning most of the projects were funded in Belfast but later in 2004 it was taken over by Iontaobhas na Gaelscolaiochta which is a trust fund for Irish medium education, which was set up to finance and promote Irish language education throughout the North."

Pádraig continued: “We go out and canvass areas in Belfast selling our scratch cards and we’re continuing to collect our donation boxes which are in numerous pubs, clubs and shops across the North. We have since set up a donation scheme where people have given us a small monthly donations.

“Since the beginning we have raised in excess of £2million which has been given to struggling Irish projects throughout the North.

“Recently we have been struggling to maintain volunteers to go out and help us sell scratch cards or help with collections and monthly donations. If anyone wishes to make a donation they can do so from our website and set it up through PayPal or through their own bank."

Pádraig said the charity are currently seeking volunteers to help them continue their vital funding work and said they are currently raising money for a number of Irish language projects across the North.

Pádraig added: “TACA helps to fund a lot of the Irish language schemes which are struggling or just up and coming and need a bit of support so we’ve been funding a lot of early years schemes this year. At the moment we’re helping out projects in Antrim, Derry, Toome and Tyrone as well as projects locally."

Anyone wishing to contact TACA about volunteering or wishing to make a donation can contact Pádraig on 02890 027027, the website www.taca.ie or sending an email to  eolas@taca.ie