Celebrating our Language, Arts and Culture | Ról na nGael i dTógáil Éire Nua | The Olive is never just a Tree

 Celebrating our Language, Arts and Culture

Comhghairdeas to all of those who helped make Oireachtas na Samhna the huge success it was. Thousands of Irish language speakers from across the island of Ireland spent part of last week enjoying the music, dance, culture, arts, craic and discussions that are part of the oldest Irish language and arts event on the island of Ireland. The Waterfront Hall and other venues were filled with the very young to the not so young Gaels, all actively and enthusiastically enjoying the enormous diversity of Oireachtas na Samhna. Many took part in competitions, including sean-nós singing, sean-nós step dancing and lúibíní (poetic verses).

A special well done to Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha and the leadership team which ensured the smooth running of an amazing and ambitious occasion. The presence of President Elect Catherine Connolly, due to be sworn in as Uachtarán na hÉireann next week was a special bonus. The Oireachtas was her first visit North following the presidential election. So too did the presence of Pól Deeds, the new Irish Language Commissioner, who along with Lee Reynolds the Ulster Scots Commissioner, will take up their posts next week.

This is another important step forward. The Irish Language Commissioner will play an important role in enhancing the opportunities for the growth of the Irish Language.

One of the main events at Oireachtas na Samhna was a celebration in memory of Pádraig Ó Snodaigh whose family received a posthumous award from Catherine Connolly on behalf of Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Pádraig died at the start of the year, aged 89. His passion for the Irish language was evident over many decades. He was a former Uachtarán of Conradh na Gaeilge, a historian of note, a publisher and a prolific writer, and activist.

I had the great fortune to know Pádraig for many years. He was a Gael, a proud Irishman, a poet, and much more. He was also a leader. A leader in the Irish language movement, standing up for our language rights. A leader for the writers and artists of Ireland. In 1980, with the aid of a loan, he established the Irish-language publishing company Coiscéim, which published almost 2,000 books over the years.

He had a special dedication to those who were on the margins – for example, the people of the Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking community in the Six Counties. One of his most important books was - Hidden Ulster, Protestants and the Irish Language. It examined the role of those Gaelic speakers who came from Scotland as settlers during the Plantation of Ulster.

His wife was the wonderful Clíodhna Cussen. She too was a committed Irish speaker and a beautiful artist as well. Her rich legacy includes a statue of St Patrick at the pilgrimage site at Máméan, in Co Galway. The couple had six sons — Fergus, Aengus, Colm, Cormac, Rónán and Rossa. Aengus is a Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South-Central.

At Pádraig’s requiem mass in January three of his sons - Rónán, Colm and Rossa who are members of the music group Kila —performed with Liam Ó Maonlaí of the Hothouse Flowers. Uachtarán Michael D Higgins who was present at the funeral described him as: “A steadfast advocate for the richness and resilience of Irish as a living language, Pádraig’s passing is a great loss for all those who work to promote the use of the Irish language — but his contributions to Irish society will undoubtedly leave an enduring legacy for generations to come.”

 

Ról na nGael i dTógáil Éire Nua

Ceann de na himeachtaí ag Oireachtas na Samhna eagraíodh é ag Coimisiún Shinn Féin ar Thodhchaí na hÉireann. Scrúdaigh sé go sonrach ról na nGaelgóirí i dtreo aontú na hÉireann.

Cuir Tomás Ó Néill fáilte roimh an tionál ar son Shinn Fein mBeal Feirste. D’oscail Aisling Reilly MLA, duine den ghlúin úr seo sa chathair, an imeacht agus labhair sí ar na deiseanna romhainn fríd Aontacht – “deis fháis, deis cheangail agus deis ar rathúlachta chomhchoitinn”.

Dúirt Aisling gur mór an seans go mbeadh ann don Reifreann le linn Uachtaránacht Catherine Connolly agus go bhfuil muidne, muintir na hÉireann i bhfad chun tosaigh ar an Rialtas. Lá i ndiaidh lae, tá níos mó daoine, eagraíochtaí agus grúpaí a rá go bhfuil dualgas ar an Rialtas i mBaile Átha Cliath tabhairt fán phleanáil agus ullmhúchán do reifreann agus d’athaontú na tíre.

Chuala muid arís go láidir ón phainéal, an  Cathaoirleach Édel Ní Churraoin,agus  Dr Niall Comer, Paula Melvin agus Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, go bhfuil ról lárnach do na Gaeil in aon tír úr agus caithfear an Ghaeilge bheith mar chuid de sin.

Tháinig téama amháin go minic aníos ón phainéal is ón lucht feachána go raibh fís de dhíth; fís den sórt tíre a bheas againn agus is é an fhís seo a bhí is atá ar iarraidh ag Fianna Fáil is Fine Gael le breis is 100 bliain.

An dearfacht a thug Catherine Connolly fríd a feachtais, is í sin an dearfacht chéanna atá á lorg ag an phobal agus rud nach bhfuil ag an Rialtas seo. Tá an comhrá beo linn faoi dheiseanna, fhéidearthachtaí agus bhuntáistí a thiocfas amach as Éirinn nua – luíonn sé ar an Rialtas tabhairt fán réamhobair anois!

Ach mar d’fhoghlaim muid fádó, is orainne atá sé leis an obair a dhéanamh agus sin an rud a dhéanfaidh muid beag beann ar aon Rialtas.

 

The Olive is never just a Tree

The number of people killed by Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian people of the Gaza Strip has passed 68,000, with a further 10,000 at least still buried under the rubble. Over 150,000 have been wounded, many of them permanently disabled.  The most recent figures on Israeli actions in Gaza reveal that the so-called ceasefire that began on 10 October is far from that. So far Israeli forces have violated the ceasefire on 194 occasions, including 55 shootings and 55 shellings. Other attacks have occurred since then. At least 226 people, including 97 children have been killed. What price the ceasefire?

Last week, the Israeli government allowed some heavy machinery in to help in the search for dead Israeli captives. They continue to ban heavy equipment for the retrieval of Palestinian victims.

Under the agreement agreed between the USA, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey humanitarian aid should now be flowing into the Gaza Strip. However, instead of the 600 trucks cleared to enter Gaza each day less than a quarter of this number are currently being allowed in. Critically trucks carrying frozen meat, eggs and livestock are still blocked. 

The Gaza Strip is a wasteland – one huge cemetery in which the shattered buildings are the headstones of the dead. An estimated 90% of structures have been demolished or severely damaged. Two thirds of roads, most of the hospitals and schools and universities are destroyed. Many families lack adequate shelter as their homes and neighbourhoods have been systematically demolished by Israeli forces.  

While much of the focus is on events in the Gaza Strip the experience of Palestinians living under occupation in the west Bank has deteriorated dramatically in recent months. There has been a significant increase in violence directed at Palestinian farmers and villages by settlers protected by Israeli forces.

According to Ajith Sunghay who is the Head of the OHCHR Office (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) in the occupied territory; “settler violence has skyrocketed in scale and frequency, with the acquiescence, support, and in many cases participation, of Israeli security forces – and always with impunity.”

In the first half of 2025, there were 757 settler attacks. However, the Palestinian Authority’s ‘Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission,’ has revealed that in the last four weeks alone settlers have carried out 218 attacks on Palestinians in the west Bank.

“Direct land destruction is also escalating,” Sunghay said. “Settlers have burnt groves, chain-sawed olive trees, and destroyed homes and agricultural infrastructure.”

“The olive here is never just a tree,” Sunghay said. “It is livelihood and lineage, resilience and economy, and a historic vein connecting Palestinians to the land.” He pointed out that up to 100,000 families depend on the olive harvest for their livelihoods, describing it as “the economic backbone of rural Palestinian communities.”

The reality is that the settler violence is part and parcel of a growing land grab by Israel as government Ministers openly boast of annexing the west Bank. Countless UN security resolutions have been passed over the decades defending the rights of the Palestinian people to their land and to self-determination. Israeli governments have flouted these at every opportunity and too often world governments have turned a blind eye. The Irish government has a responsibility to provide leadership at this time by using the international forums available to it to challenge Israel and stand up for international law.