Teaching Staff at Deireadh Seachtaine Gaeltachta G 2016
San Francisco, September 23–25, 2016.
Liam Ó Cuinneagáin
Leabhéal 1. Trained as a teacher at St. Patrick’s College in Drumcondra, Dublin, Liam spentover twenty years as a primary teacher and school principal in Dublin and hastaught the language at every level. He recently completed the second of two 5-year terms as Cathaoirleach (Chairman) of Údarás na Gaeltachta, the agency responsible for the cultural and economic wellbeing of the Gaeltacht regions nationally. He is a well-known language activist and in 2011 he was awarded the annual “Gradam an Phiarsaigh” trophy for services to education and the Irish language. Liam was one of the founders and is currently the director of Oideas Gael in Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal, which has been providing Irish language classes for adults since 1984.
Bairbre Ní Chiardha
Leibhéal 2. Bairbre inherited a love of the Irish language and culture from her native Cois Fharraige [Connemara] in County Galway, Ireland. She pursued a career in education and currently resides in Milwaukee teaching Irish at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Bairbre was born in a small town in County Galway. Ní Chiardha’s parents were teachers bilingual in English and Irish. Bairbre is a master of the Connemara / Galway dialect.
Seosaimhín Nic Rabhartaigh
Leibhéal 3. Seosaimhín was raised in the heart of the Tír Chonaill Gaeltacht in Donegal in a home where Irish was intrinsic part of her personal and cultural identity. Seosaí holds a Master’s from Trinity College, Dublin In Early and Modern Irish Language and Literature, and went on to post-graduate qualification in primary education from St. Andrew’s College in Glasgow, Scotland.
With a Master’s in Education she has taught in elementary schools in Scotland, England, Ireland and Belgium. She has also taught the Irish language to adults at the University of Milwaukee and John Carroll University in Cleveland. Seosaimhín has given guest lectures on Irish language and cultural topics, including the Law tracts, the role of the “fíle” in early Irish society and early Irish mythology. She is a poet, a student of languages, a song-writer, composer of music, aspiring fiddle player and mother to two bilingual children.
Ray Mac Mánais
Leibhéal 4. Ray Mac Mánais is a retired principal of Gaelscoileanna a national, voluntary organization promoting the development of Irishmedium schools at primary and at post-primary levels based in Dublin. Ray was a speech writer to Ireland’s former president, Mary McAleese and was her Irish language tutor. He wrote and published the former president’s biography, Máire Mhic Ghiolla Íosa:
Beathaisnéis, TheRoad from Ardoyne: The Making of the President. Ray is a leading figure in the art of lúibíní, often described as comic conversational song as well as Agallamh Beirte (traditional, witty conversation for two) A popular entertainer and television personality in Ireland, he is easy to find on Youtube.
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