October 2016 TG4 Turns 20 at NUI Galway

NUI Galway is delighted to be the host venue for the official celebrations for TG4 as it marks the official opening of the Irish language national television station 20 years ago on 31 October 1996. The celebration will see a transformation of the iconic Quadrangle to a major broadcast pavilion for a live TV show TG4XX Beo which will be aired at 9.30pm on Oíche Shamhna.

NUI Galway is proud to have played its part in the development of TG4 and creative industries across the region though the work of the University’s centres in the Gaeltacht. Through its wide-ranging academic activities over many years in centres from Donegal to Connemara, the University has facilitated broad civic participation in an inclusive Irish language identity.

Graduates and staff of NUI Galway have played significant roles on- and off-screen in the development and identity of Teilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG) since 1996 and TG4 since 1999. There at the beginning were Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir (now an NUI Galway lecturer); and graduate and NUI Galway Alumni Award winner, Gráinne Seoige, whose journey to the screen began in her student UCG days. Among the station’s news anchors, Siún Nic Gearailt, Eimear Ní Chonaola and Áine Lally all graduated from the University along with journalists Ailbhe Ó Monacháin, Caoimhe Ní Choncoille, and Joe Mag Raollaigh to name but a few well-known TG4 names.

Academic programmes such as An tArd-Dioplóma sa Chumarsáid Fheidhmeach provided an important talent stream in the initial years of the channel and production programmes such as An Dioplóma i Scileanna Físe (offered first in Gaoth Dobhair and subsequently in locations across the country) were key contributors to sectoral capacity building for TG4 and the audio-visual sector nationally. Academic projects such as NUI Galway’s conference TG4@10 in October 2006 have examined the impact of TG4 on the language and media community.

Speaking ahead of the live events planned for Halloween on the NUI Galway campus, President of the University, Dr Jim Browne said: “We are delighted to welcome TG4 to the very heart of the University this weekend. The Quadrangle at NUI Galway is a very fitting location for the celebrations to mark 20 years of Ireland’s national language television station. In many ways, the Quad is a living metaphor of the nation’s journey and an atmospheric and symbolic location. It is the foundation site of a pioneering intellectual endeavour and for over 170 years our University has demonstrated a history of engagement with the region, nation and wider world. This celebration allows us to join with TG4 in celebrating the cultural diversity and richness of our heritage, in a dynamic and modern context.  We look forward to an evening of celebrating the very best of our national identity.”

Tune in to TG4 when the event will broadcast live on Monday, 31 October at 9.30pm.

-Ends-

TG4 ag Ceiliúradh 20 Bliain ar an bhfód in OÉ Gaillimh

Cúis áthais do OÉ Gaillimh go mbeidh TG4 ag ceiliúradh scór bliain ó láinseáladh an stáisiún teilifíse Gaeilge go hoifigiúil scór bliain ó shin, an 31 Deireadh Fómhair 1996. Beidh an Chearnóg ina hardán mór craoltóireachta don seó beo teilifíse TG4XX Beo a chraolfar ag 9.30pm Oíche Shamhna.

Cúis bróid do OÉ Gaillimh an pháirt a bhí aici ag forbairt TG4 agus na dtionscal cruthaitheach sa réigiún trí obair na n-ionad Ollscoile sa Ghaeltacht. Tá comhpháirteachas poiblí den scoth éascaithe ag an Ollscoil i bhféiniúlacht Ghaeilge trí ghníomhaíochtaí acadúla éagsúla le blianta fada anuas in ionaid Ghaeltachta ó Dhún na nGall go Conamara.

Is iomaí ról tábhachtach a bhí ag céimithe agus ag comhaltaí foirne OÉ Gaillimh ar an scáileán agus ar chúl an cheamara ó thaobh forbairt agus féiniúlacht Theilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG) ó 1996 agus TG4 ó 1999. Ar an gcéad chraoladh bhí Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir (atá anois ina léachtóir in OÉ Gaillimh); agus céimí agus buaiteoir Ghradam Alumni OÉ Gaillimh, Gráinne Seoige, a fuair taithí ar an scáileán agus í ina mac léinn i gColáiste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh. Is céimithe de chuid na hOllscoile iad na láithreoirí nuachta, Siún Nic Gearailt, Eimear Ní Chonaola agus Áine Lally mar aon leis na hiriseoirí Ailbhe Ó Monacháin, Caoimhe Ní Choncoille, agus Joe Mag Raollaigh i measc cuid de na pearsa is mó le rá i TG4.

Chuir cláir acadúla cosúil leis an Ard-Dioplóma sa Chumarsáid Fheidhmeach daoine ar fáil sna chéad bhlianta den stáisiún agus chuidigh cláir léiriúcháin cosúil leis an Dioplóma i Scileanna Físe (a cuireadh ar fáil i nGaoth Dobhair ar dtús agus in ionaid eile ar fud na tíre ina dhiaidh sin) le daoine a chur ar fáil do TG4 agus don earnáil chlosamhairc ar fud na tíre. Scrúdaigh tograí acadúla cosúil le comhdháil OÉ Gaillimh TG4@10 i nDeireadh Fómhair 2006 tionchar TG4 ar an bpobal Gaeilge agus ar na meáin.

Ag labhairt dó roimh na hócáidí beo atá beartaithe d'Oíche Shamhna ar champas OÉ Gaillimh, dúirt an Dr Jim Browne, Uachtarán na hOllscoile: “Tá ríméad orainn fáilte a chur roimh TG4 chuig croí an champais an deireadh seachtaine seo. Is maith a fheileann Cearnóg OÉ Gaillimh don cheiliúradh ar scór bliain ó bunaíodh an stáisiún teilifíse Gaeilge. Siombail í an Chearnóg d'aistear na tíre agus is ionad uathúil í a bhfuil an-atmaisféar inti. Is ar an láthair seo a cuireadh bonn faoi iarracht mheabhrach cheannródaíoch agus le 170 bliain anuas tá ceangal dlúth ag an Ollscoil seo leis an réigiún, leis an tír agus leis an saol mór. Táimid ag ceiliúradh i gcomhar le TG4 an éagsúlacht agus an saibhreas cultúrtha a bhaineann lenár n-oidhreacht i gcomhthéacs dinimiciúil agus nua-aimseartha. Táimid ag súil go mór le ceiliúradh ar ár bhféiniúlacht náisiúnta.”

Bígí ag faire ar TG4 nuair a chraolfar an ócáid beo Dé Luain, an 31 Deireadh Fómhair ag 9.30pm.

-Críoch-