Alumni Spotlights
Caitríona Ní Chonaill - Multimedia Officer, Oireachtas Na Gaeilge & Gaeilgeoir
Tá Caitríona Ní Chonaill ina hOifigeach Ilmheán le hOireachtas na Gaeilge, eagraíocht a eagraíonn raon leathan imeachtaí cultúir, ealaíne, siamsa i rith na bliana, go háirithe Oireachtas na Samhna, ar siúl um Shamhain gach bliain.
Tá Caitríona Ní Chonaill ina hOifigeach Ilmheán le hOireachtas na Gaeilge, eagraíocht a eagraíonn raon leathan imeachtaí cultúir, ealaíne, siamsa i rith na bliana, go háirithe Oireachtas na Samhna, ar siúl um Shamhain gach bliain. Buaicphointe na bliana do na Gaeil is ea Oireachtas na Samhna. Cuireann an fhéile taibhealaíona dúchasacha na hÉireann chun cinn idir amhránaíocht, ceol, rince, scéalaíocht, drámaíocht agus neart eile. Tá réimse leathan imeachtaí éagsúla ar siúl ag an fhéile m.sh: comórtais taibhealaíon, seónna, seisiúin cheoil & amhránaíochta, seimineáir, drámaí, clubanna, léachtaí, ceardlanna, seoltaí leabhar/dlúthdhioscaí/clár teilifíse/ físeáin, craoltaí raidió / teilifíse / podchraoltaí agus sruthú beo ó láthair na féile. ‘Gaeltacht’ is ea láthair Oireachtas na Samhna pé áit a mbeidh an fhéile lonnaithe agus tá an taobh sóisialta den fhéile thábhachtach chomh maith chun bualadh le daoine ó gach áit in Éirinn agus thar lear. Is as Gaeltacht Mhúscraí i gCorcaigh do Chaitríona, agus tá sí lonnaithe i gConamara faoi láthair. Is scríbhneoir agus díograiseoir Gaeilge í.
Caitríona Ní Chonaill is a Multimedia Officer with Oireachtas na Gaeilge, an organisation that organises a wide range of cultural, artistic and entertainment events throughout the year, especially Oireachtas na Samhna, which takes place every year around November. The highlight of the year for the Irish language community is Oireachtas na Samhna. The festival promotes traditional Irish performance arts including singing, music, dance, storytelling, drama and much more. There is a wide range of different events taking place at the festival e.g: theatre competitions, shows, music and singing sessions, seminars, plays, clubs, lectures, workshops, book/CD/TV/video launches, radio/TV/podcasts and live streaming from the festival site. Oireachtas na Samhna is a 'Gaeltacht' wherever the festival is located and the social side of the festival is also important to meet people from all over Ireland and abroad. Caitríona is from the Múscraí Gaeltacht in Cork, and is currently based in Connemara. She is a writer and Irish language enthusiast.
Cad a rinne tú staidéar i UCC?
What did you study at UCC?
Bhain mé amach Comhchéim Onóracha BA sa Bhéarla agus Gaeilge i 2022 ó Choláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh, agus ansin bhain mé amach Máistreacht sa Nua-Ghaeilge i gColáiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh i 2023.
I graduated with a Joint Honours BA in English and Irish in 2022, and then completed a Masters in Modern Irish in UCC 2023.
Conas ar chabhraigh do chéim leat?
How has your degree helped you?
Chabhraigh mo chéim liom mo chuid scileanna smaointeoireacht chriticiúil agus léirmheastóireacht liteartha a fhorbairt, chomh maith le mé a threorú trí na gnéithe níos deacra de staidéar féinspreagtha.
My degree helped me to develop my critical thinking and literary criticism skills, as well as guiding me through the more difficult aspects of self-motivated study.
Inis dúinn faoi do ról ag An tOireachtas.
Tell us a bit about your role at An tOireachtas.
Is Oifigeach Ilmheán mé le hOireachtas na Gaeilge, ceann de cheanneagraíochtaí na Gaeilge a eagraíonn (i measc rudaí eile) an fhéile Ghaeilge is mó sa tír: Oireachtas na Samhna, a tharlaíonn ag tosach mí na Samhna gach bliain. Freastalaíonn an fhéile ar chainteoirí Gaeilge den uile aoisghrúpa, ina measc, teaghlaigh, daltaí scoile, mic léinn, aosaigh óga & aosaigh aibí. Bíonn an fhéile lán de rince, amhránaíocht, comórtais stáitse agus liteartha, imeachtaí sóisialta, ceol agus go leor eile! Is buaicphointe sóisialta na bliana atá san fhéile do go leor Gaeilgeoirí, toisc go dtugann sé an deis do Ghaeilgeoirí ó cheann ceann na tíre bualadh le seanchairde, cairde nua a dhéanamh agus ár dteanga agus cultúr a cheiliúradh. Táim i gceannas ar na meáin shóisialta agus margaíocht don eagraíocht.
I am the Multimedia Officer with Oireachtas na Gaeilge, one of the main Irish language organisations who organise (among other things) the biggest Irish language festival in the country: Oireachtas na Samhna, which takes place at the start of November every year. The festival has something for people of any age, including families, school children, students and adults, young and old. The festival is full of dancing, singing, stage and literary competitions, social events, music and much more! It’s a highlight in the social calendar for many Irish language speakers, as it provides the opportunity for Gaeilgeoirí from all over the country to meet old friends, make new ones, and to celebrate our language and culture. I am in charge of social media and marketing for the organisation.
Is urlabhraí thú ar son na Gaeilge – cén sórt oibre a dhéanann tú sa spás seo?
You're an advocate for the Irish language - what kind of work do you do in this space?
Lasmuigh de mo chuid oibre leis an Oireachtas, tá suim mhór agam i dtaobh litríocht na Gaeilge. Creidim chomh maith gur linn go léir an Ghaeilge agus gur cheart daoine a spreagadh chun í a úsáid – más rud é go bhfuil siad líofa nó muna bhfuil acu ach cúpla focal. Beatha teanga í a labhairt!
Outside of my work with the Oireachtas, I have a keen interest in Irish language literature. I also believe that the Irish language belongs to all of us and that people should be encouraged to use what they have – whether they are fluent or only have cúpla focal. Beatha teanga í a labhairt!
An raibh tú mar chuid d'aon chlub nó cumann?
Were you part of any clubs or socs?
Bhí baint rómhór agam leo thar aon rud eile! Le linn mo chuid ama i UCC, bhí mé i mo Ghnáthbhall den Choiste, Rúnaí agus ar deireadh thiar mar Chathaoirleach ar Chumann Harry Potter UCC; Stiúrthóir Gréasáin agus Rúnaí ar an gCumann Drámaíochta agus Príomheagarthóir na hirise Breac leis An Chuallacht. Taobh amuigh de Chlubanna agus Cumainn, bhí mé i m'Eagarthóir Gaeilge ar dtús agus ansin mar Phríomheagarthóir ar nuachtán mic léinn UCC, UCC Express, áit (seachas an nuachtán iomlán a eagrú agus eagarthóireacht a dhéanamh air!) ar chabhraigh mé le clár raidió an nuachtáin, Express Yourself, a eagrú. . Mar thoradh air seo bhí mo chlár raidió féin agam ar Raidió UCC, UCC 98.3 FM, darbh ainm Ó Bhéal na mBan, áit ar phléigh mé filíocht na Gaeilge le mo chara agus mo chomh-óstach Gormfhlaith Ní Shíocháin Ní Bheoláin! D’oibrigh mé freisin sa Skills Centre i UCC mar Theagascóir TF agus mar Ambasadóir Mac Léinn (acmhainn iontach atá sa Skills Centre, bain úsáid astu le bhur dtoil!).
I was overinvolved more than anything! During my time in UCC, I was Ordinary Committee Member, Secretary and eventually Chairperson of the UCC Harry Potter Society; Webmaster and Secretary of the Cumann Drámaíochta and Head Editor of the Breac magazine with An Chuallacht. Outside of Clubs and Socs, I was firstly Irish Editor and then Editor-In-Chief of the UCC student newspaper, UCC Express, where (apart from organising and editing the whole newspaper!) I helped to organise the newspaper’s radio show, Express Yourself. This led to me then having my own radio show on UCC Radio, UCC 98.3 FM, called Ó Bhéal na mBan, where I discussed Irish language poetry with my friend and co-host Gormfhlaith Ní Shíocháin Ní Bheoláin! I also worked in the UCC Skills Centre as an IT Tutor and Student Ambassador (they’re a great resource, please use them!).
Na cuimhní is fearr ó do chuid ama i UCC?
Best memories from your time at UCC?
Bhain mé an-taitneamh as an bpróiseas i dtaobh teacht suas le agus imeachtaí cumainn a eagrú, idir comhoibriú le cumainn eile agus bualadh leis na daoine ar fad a tháinig chucu. Cibé más an Yule Ball de chuid Cumann Harry Potter a eagrú nó tráth na gceist ilteangach ina raibh baint ag 8 gcumann eile, ag scríobh agus ag comhstiúradh mo sceitse Gaeilge féin leis an gCumann Drámaíochta nó ag seoladh foilseachán a chabhraigh mé é a scríobh, a chur in eagar, a dhearadh agus a phriontáil, fuair mé na céadta deiseanna le haghaidh fás pearsanta i UCC agus táim buíoch as na heispéiris éagsúla a cuireadh os mo chomhar amach agus do na daoine ar bhuail mé leo ar an mbealach. Bhuail mé le cairde ar feadh an tsaoil i gcumainn UCC, a dhéanfaidh taisceadh dom ar feadh na mblianta atá le teacht.
I thoroughly enjoyed the process of thinking up and organising society events, between collaborating with other societies and meeting all the people who came to them. Whether it was organising the Harry Potter Yule Ball or a multilinguial quiz involving 8 other societies, writing and co-directing my own Irish language sketch with an Cumann Drámaíochta or launching a publication that I helped to write, edit, design and print, I found hundreds of opportunities for personal growth in UCC and am grateful for the varied experiences presented to me and the people I met along the way. I met friends for life in UCC societies, who I will treasure for years to come.