November 2008 10 year Celebration of third-level education at Carna

On Friday 21 November, Peadar Mac an Iomaire, Príomhfheidhmeannach of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge will launch a weekend of events at Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim, Carna to celebrate the Centre's 10-year anniversary. Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim is an outreach centre of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, NUI Galway. The Centre offers a range of third level educational opportunities through the medium of Irish to Gaeltacht communities and to Irish speakers elsewhere, in addition to endeavouring to sustain the Irish language as the primary community language in the Gaeltacht. Leagan Gaeilge Séamas Ó Concheanainn, the Centre's Administrator, commented ahead of the celebration: "It is a great sense of joy for us that we have reached this important milestone. Building on the centre's founding mission 10 years ago, we are offering a programme of third level education, language support and community development initiatives geared towards the sustainable development of Gaeltacht and Irish-speaking communities". To date, in excess of 580 students have achieved third level qualifications through Access, undergraduate and post-graduate level programmes in Information Technology and Business Administration, Gaeilge, Folklore Studies, Social Care and Community Development under the aegis of the Centre. The Centre's programme of courses is being developed on an ongoing basis to meet target group and market needs. A widespread community has also come under the influence of the Centre's Irish language acquisition and sustainment programme. Ó Concheanainn continued: "Our programmes assist our students in attaining high quality employment as well as enabling them to pursue lifelong learning opportunities close to home in their native language. The Acadamh Centre is developing a programme of research and development that integrates linguistic and technological innovation in areas encompassing the Internet and archiving. We are confident that these research and development initiatives will create further higher-education and employment opportunities in the Gaeltacht". The Centre's work is also contributing to the development of the educational, economic and services infrastructure in the Gaeltacht. There is strong co-operation with state bodies and with the public to enable communities to participate in the knowledge society and economy. This is evident in the recent successful campaign to attain the HEAnet high-speed broadband service at Carna and in other Gaeltacht areas. "The support received by the Centre from the Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta and from Údarás na Gaeltachta is paramount in nurturing an environment conducive to the development of a third level education infrastructure in the Gaeltacht" says Ó Concheanainn. The weekend programme of events at Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim includes lectures, exhibitions, workshops, and a Saturday night concert featuring sean-nós singers and dancers, musicians and other artists from near and far. Dr Ríonach Uí Ógáin will give a lecture on Sorcha Ní Ghuairim's career and accomplishments on Friday, 21 November at 8.00pm. The public are invited to attend all events through the weekend. Further details regarding the weekend's events can be found at: www.acadamh.ie ENDS