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Comhdáil

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On Saturday last Sinn Féin Gaelgeoiri had a conference on the Irish language in Dublin.

It was a busy day for republicans in the capital. Former blanket men were involved in a debate at the Irish Film Institute about the legacy of the 1981 hunger strikes, there was a commemoration at Glasnevin for Martin Doco Doherty, an IRA Volunteer who was killed by a unionist death squad when he intervened as they were set to attack oeople at the Widow Scanlon’s pub.And there was the Comhdáil.

And a very good Comhdáil it was too. This is what I said:

“Ar dtús ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le Rósaí, le Gearóid is leis na daoine eile a chuir an chomhdháil seo le chéile agus na cainteoirí uilig a ghlac páirt anseo inniu.

Tá cúpla ócáid tábhachtach eile ar siúl anseo i mBaile Átha Cliath inniu. Tá comóradh amuigh ag Reilg Glas Naíonn do Martin ‘Doco’ Doherty, óglach a maraíodh agus é ag cosaint cairde is comrádaithe ar 21 Bealtaine 1994. D’éag Raymond agus Patsy 30 bliain ó shin ar an Stailc Ocrais agus tá ócáid mhór ar siúl trasna na habhann san Ionad Scannánaíochta faoin Stailc Ocrais.

Ach tá dhá dúshlán mhóra romhainn i Sinn Féin faoi láthair:
obair taobh istigh den pháirtí – gaelú Sinn Féin
obair taobh amuigh den pháirtí le gaeilgeoirí agus thar cheann gaeilgeoirí

Ar dtús ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh Pheadar Tóibín, roimh Sheán Ó Loingsigh agus roimh Chathal Ó hÓisín na feisirí nuathofa againn, agus tá Trevor anois ina sheanadóir nua againn - gaeilgeoirí breá ábalta iad uilig agus comhghairdeas dóibh.

Ansin tá na seanfhonduirí ann – Críona, Tomás, mé féin, Bairbre, Caitríona is Gráinne. Lena chois seo, tá go leor gaeilgeoirí cumasacha eile sa pháirtí gan sain-ordú ar bith.

Tá croífhoireann iontach againn ach caithfear i gcónaí barrchumas a bhaint amach. Sin dúshlán mór atá romhainn.

Thaitin an díospóireacht sin liom inniu, tógadh a lán pointí maithe agus tá go leor ábhar machnaimh ansin dúinn. Ach caithfidh muid bheith réadúil agus cúramach faoin slí ina bhfuil muid ag leanúint leis na moltaí chun an páirtí a ghaelú.

Mar shampla, bunaíodh cúpla cumann Gaeilge i mBéal Feirste is i mBaile Átha Cliath ach níl siad ag teacht le chéile nó ag feidhmiú mar is ceart.

Rinne Bairbre agus cúpla duine eile ansin pointí faoi fhreagairt guthán in oifigí Sinn Féin agus gach duine ag úsáid cibé Gaeilge atá acu go háirithe leis an Ard Fheis ag teacht go Béal Feirste i mbliana, aontaím leo.

Caithfear obair le chéile leis an chun an chothromaíocht inár gcur chuige a aimsiú. Caithfidh an Ghaeilge bheith i gcroílár obair s’againn i Sinn Féin. Caithfear í a phríomhshruthú. Mar sin de, tá struchtúr de dhíth orainn.



Ar an taobh eile, tá sárobair déanta againn; i gcaibidle Chromghlinne, fuair muid £8 milliúin don Chiste Infheistíochta Gaeilge. Tá Cáral agus John Mór mar airí againn anois agus tá mo bhuíochas agus bualadh bos mór tuillte ag Caitríona as an ualach a d’iompair sí – tá 4 daoine againn ar an Fhoras, foireann láidir leis an obair a dhéanamh.

Ní féidir linn leanúint ar aghaidh gan polasaí, gan straitéis, gan clár, gan struchtúr. Ghlac muid céim mhaith inniu leis an chomhdháil seo agus dréachtpholasaí scríofa.

Beidh céim eile le glacadh againn leis an Ard Fheis nuair a bheidh díospóireacht teasaí ansin, is dócha.

Tá a fhios ag daoine anseo go raibh muid ag tógáil Sinn Féin le tamall in achan chearn den tír. Tá sé de rún againn anois stiúrthóireachtaí a tharraingt le chéile, ceann acu ó thuaidh, ceann eile ó dheas seo agus mar aidhm againn nasc láidir a thógáil idir na hInstitiúidí agus an páirtí ar thalamh.

Caithfidh an Ghaeilge bheith mar chloch lárnach sna hathruithe sin. Tá mé a rá sin mar Uachtarán ar Shinn Féin agus mar bhall ceannaireachta.

Tá mé ag brú cúpla rud atá an-tábhachtach go deo – taobh leis na gnáthchúramaí a bhíonn orm – agus tá an Ghaeilge ina gceartlár siúd.

Mar sin, beidh an dualgas ormsa agus ar Oifig an Uachtaráin chun obair libh chun cearta Gaeilge a fháil agus an obair seo a chur chun cinn.

Ár mbuíochas daoibh a tháinig le chéile anseo inniu.

Bhí díospóireacht fhiúntach againn. Bhí cruinniú an-mhaith againn agus tá an-obair romhainn. Leanaigí ar aghaidh.

Comments

Timothy Dougherty said…
Hello Gerry,
Sin dúshlán mór atá amach romhainn. £ 8,000,000 Ciste Infheistíochta na hÉireann. The money will be used with a good head in mind.
Focail a bhíonn níos mó gur féidir linn a chur in iúl, go bhfuil siad cé muid féin.
Go raibh maith agat arís Gerry
May 24, 2011 at 2:27 AM
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