Seachtain na Gaeilge got off to a lively start in Cavan yesterday evening with the official launch of ‘Gaelphobal an Chabháin’.
The new community group a local branch of national Irish language advocacy organisation, Conradh na Gaeilge. says that this is a milestone for the language in Cavan.
This year, Gaelphobal An Chabháin coordinated with local groups and organisations to put together a joint programme of up to 50 events for the annual festival, due to be published over
the weekend.
Gaelphobal an Chabháin’s primary objective is to push the revival of Irish across Contae an Chabháin. They want to give people of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity and a reason to speak Irish and to increase the visibility of Irish in Cavan.
Local councillors Stiofán Conaty and Áine Smith are on the committee of the new group. Cllr Conaty says He hopes the new group can replica what has been done in Monaghan.
Meanwhile Cllr Smith says great work is being done in Cavan to promote the language.
Cathaoirleach of Gaelphobal an Chabháin, Lucy Ní Laifeartaigh, said that Cavan is set for its biggest and best ever Seachtain na Gaeilge.
Along with Lucy Ní Laifeartaigh, the list of speakers at the launch event included local councillors Stiofán Conaty and Áine Smith, who are on the
committee of the new group, as well as Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr John Paul Feeley, Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Eoin Doyle, Oifigeach Gaeilge with Cavan
County Council, Ciarán Mac Giolla Phádraig, and Conradh na Gaeilge representative, Seán Ó Murchadha from Monaghan.
Stradone woman and committee member of Gaelphobal An Chabháin, Órla Ní Dhálaigh, closed the event with a powerful rendition of the local ballad, Buachaill Ón Éirne. The official launch
was followed by an evening of craic agus ceol at a Pop-Up Gaeltacht in Blessings Bar, just one of many Irish language events planned for the county over the coming 2 and a half weeks.
