Gaeilge
As part of her three-day visit to Donegal this week, President of Ireland Catherine Connolly visited a number of island schools, including Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada on Árainn Mhór island and Coláiste Phobail Cholmcille on Toraigh island, both under the patronage of Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB).
The President spent time meeting and speaking with students about a wide range of projects, achievements and initiatives taking place in the schools.
Both visits celebrated the culture, heritage and growing diversity of the islands and their school communities and nurturing of the Irish language.
During a tour of Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada on Wednesday, students had the opportunity to tell the President about their various endeavours, including wins at the Rubbish Film Festival and Donegal ETB’s Enterprise Day for schools, their BT Young Scientist projects, work as student ambassadors on Donegal Youth Council, their ATLIC projects exploring the Blue Economy and the development of the school’s sustainable/biodiversity garden.
The President also met with students and staff from the two island primary schools, Scoil Athpoirt and Scoil na Léibe, which were hosted by Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada.
Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada student Raonaid Ní Ghallachóir performed “Uaigh Cois na Trá”, a local song written by islander Peadar Mac Suibhne, which she learned from her grandmother, Anna Uí Ghallchóir.
Students from the three Árainn Mhór island schools then came together to perform the newly composed poem by teacher Máistreas Máire Nic Cathmhaoil, “Labharann an tOileán”, which was recited in Gaeilge, English, Bengali, Krio, Ukrainian and Arabic, before returning to Gaeilge.
The visit concluded with tea and refreshments and an opportunity for more informal conversation with students, staff and invited guests, accompanied by background music performed by the school’s student music group.
Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada Principal Derval Newman noted how it was a hugely memorable occasion for the three schools and the wider Árainn Mhór community. She said, “As Principal, today was one of those days when you stand back and feel enormously proud of your school. We were so proud to welcome the President to Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada and to have the opportunity to showcase our students, our school and our island. Watching our students
speak so confidently about their projects and achievements, and share their music, languages and culture was incredibly special.
“The President was so generous with her time and showed a genuine interest in everything our young people had to say. I am immensely proud of our students and staff, and very grateful to everyone across our three island schools who worked together to make today so special. For our young people, these are memories that will last a lifetime – they will always remember the day the President of Ireland came to visit their school.”
Recently elected Donegal ETB Chairperson, Cllr Fionán Bradley, was also in attendance with Chief Executive Anne McHugh. He said, “I was honoured this morning to welcome Uachtaran na hÉireann Catherine Connolly to Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada on Arranmore Island. This was my first official engagement as Cathaoirleach of Donegal ETB. Thankfully the weather was on our side, and the President very much enjoyed her visit to the Island and the County.”
During her tour of Toraigh island on Thursday, she also met students and staff of Coláiste Phobail Cholmcille, when she spent time speaking to the students and staff about life on an island school.
These included students who, earlier this week, featured on a TG4 documentary, Trasna na dTonnta, which met families rebuilding their lives far from home.
The students displayed their crafts and artwork to the President and played some traditional Tory ceili music for her.
Speaking about her visit, Principal Patrick Queenan said, “We are extremely honoured that President Connolly has chosen to visit our school as part of her visit to Donegal. It gave the school an opportunity to show the important role it plays in preserving the unique culture and traditions of the island.
“To conclude the visit a copy of a book of Island prayers and reflection were presented to the President. The book (as Gaeilge) was put together by the school and is a collection of unique old Irish prayers and reflections used and passed on by the islanders over many generations. It has many examples of old Irish words not commonly in use elsewhere and given her love of the Irish language our school community hope it is something President Connolly will enjoy,” he concluded.
Donegal ETB and school management were grateful to President Connolly for taking the time to visit the islands and highlighting island life.
