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Ag Ceangal le Pobal: Barr na gCnoc agus Féile Foghlama ar Feadh an tSaoil Corcaigh
Comhpáirtíocht phobail is ea Barr na gCnoc a bhunaigh an tOllamh Pádraig Ó Macháin (Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh) i bpáirt le Phil O’Flynn, Príomhoide, agus foireann Choláiste Phobail Thraolaigh Mhic Shuibhne, Cnoc na hAoine, Corcaigh. Cumasc idir dualgas UCC i leith na páirtíochta pobail agus an dualgas um thaighde agus teagasc is ea Barr na gCnoc. Cuireann an tionscnamh seo acmhainní acadúla, daonna agus praiticiúla sa Ghaeilge ar fáil ar mhaithe leis an bpobal.
Áirítear Cnoc na hAoine ar cheann de sé cinn de Comharsanachtaí Foghlama i gCathair Chorcaí. Chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar Sheachtain na Foghlama Saoil, d’eagraigh Barr na gCnoc trí ócáid i nGaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne chun teanga agus cultúr na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn.
Cuireadh ‘Irish for the Terrified’ ar siúl Dé Céadaoin an 10ú Aibreán. Ócáid uair a’ chloig ab ea í seo d’aoinne a raibh ceann fé air nó uirthi i leith na teangan. An tOllamh Pádraig Ó Macháin agus ochtar mac léinn de chuid Choláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh, a chabhraigh san ócáid seo agus a thacaigh leis an bpobal áitiúil dóthaint Ghaeilge a shealbhú is a chuirfeadh ar a gcumas lón a ordú. Bhí lón ar fáil do gach aoinne ina dhiaidh sin, rud a thug deis dosna foghlaimeoirí a gcuid Gaeilge a chleachtadh.
Dé hAoine an 12 Aibreán chas an pobal ar an nGaelcholáiste arís chun Céilí Mór Bharr na gCnoc a bhlaiseadh. Chuaigh foireann teagaisc na scoile i bpáirt leo. Agus Banna mór Céilí ag seimnt, thapaíodar an deis chun feabhas a chur ar a gcumas rince,
Tharla an tríú ócáid an Luan dár gcionn nuair a bhí deis ag an bpobal triail a bhaint as buille a bhualadh ar chraiceann gabhair, ceol a bhaint as an mbodhrán agus an teaspach a bhaint díobh féin.
Tuilleadh eolais faoi ‘Barr na gCnoc’.
Barr na gCnoc is a community partnership co-ordinated by Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin, Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha, University College Cork, with staff in Terence MacSweeney Community College, Knocknaheeny led by Principal, Phil O’Flynn. It marries UCC’s commitment to community engagement with our research and teaching missions, to bring academic, human, and material resources in the Irish language into action for the benefit of the community.
Knocknaheeny is one of six Cork City Learning Neighbourhoods, and to celebrate this year’s Cork Lifelong Learning Festival, Barr na gCnoc hosted three events at Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne, to promote Irish language and culture.
‘Irish for the Terrified’, a one-hour session for anyone scared of the Irish language, was hosted on Wednesday 10th of April. Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin and eight UCC students facilitated the event and supported local community members in learning how to order lunch in Irish. Participants put their skills into practice and enjoyed a light lunch in a fun and inclusive learning environment.
On Friday the 12th of April, the local community were invited back to Terence MacSweeney Community College to enjoy the Barr na gCnoc Ceilí Mór. They were joined by school staff and students who took the opportunity to brush up on their Irish dancing skills, while accompanied by a full Ceilí Band.
Barr na gCnoc’s final event of the programme introduced staff, students, and the local community to the therapeutic delights of bashing a bodhrán. At the one-hour session hosted on Monday 15th April, participants learned how to play one of Ireland’s oldest musical instruments.
This series of Barr na gCnoc events enabled participants to build a greater connection with the Irish language and Irish culture and empowered them to step outside their comfort zone and try something new. The events demonstrated the potential of societal engagement and how community co-designed initiatives produce positive outcomes.