Minister Calleary approves funding of €300,000 over three years (2025-2028) for Fighting Words
-
From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
- Published on: 29 December 2025
- Last updated on: 29 December 2025
- The work of Fighting Words contributes to the use of Irish among young people
- Fighting Words has a strong focus on the formal education system and they work closely with schools at every level
- With support from the Department, Fighting Words has been operating in Gaeltacht areas since 2019, and since 2022 in Gaelscoileanna across the country
- €300,000 in funding approved by Minister Calleary for Fighting Words’ Irish language programme for the three year period from now until 2028
Today (Monday, 29 December 2025) the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, announced that he has approved funding of €300,000 for Fighting Words’ Irish language and Gaeltacht programme for the three year period from now until 2028.
With financial support from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Fighting Words is a fun project. The Fighting Words Irish language programme contributes to the use of the language among young people and to the use of Irish in the education system – in Gaeltacht areas and other locations across the country. Through the creative writing projects they run in the Gaeltacht – and their appealing, positive approach – they create opportunities to use Irish in new and interesting ways and they encourage positive attitudes towards the language.
Announcing the new funding, Minister Calleary said:
“Fighting Words provides free tutoring, mentoring and publishing through Irish in every genre of creative writing for children and young people. Based in the Gaeltacht and in Dublin, workshops, clubs, summer camps and book projects are organised with Gaeltacht schools, Gaelscoileanna, and youth and community groups across the country, including in Northern Ireland."
“The work being undertaken by Fighting Words is a great example of the different ways through which we can attract young people to the beauty and richness of the Irish language. Not only does this project nurture love for the Irish language but it also encourages storytelling and imagination among our young people; I am very proud that my Department can actively support this excellent project.”
The Executive Director of Fighting Words, Colm Ó Cuanacháin, said:
“Fighting Words is delighted to receive this financial support from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for our creative writing work in the Gaeltacht and with young people through Irish across the country.
“Our work on stories benefits children, not only in terms of language and learning, but also regarding their confidence, their health, and their personal development. It also strengthens the use of Irish among young people.
“It is wonderful to receive this continuous support from the Minister for the Gaeltacht, in view of the importance of writing in Irish.”
Fighting Words is a creative writing organisation founded by Roddy Doyle and Seán Love in Dublin in 2009. The organisation’s main goal is to help students of all ages to develop their writing skills and to awaken their love for creative writing.
Fighting Words gives young people the opportunity to develop their creative writing in the workshops/camps/events they run across the country, entirely for free. In 2024 more than 1,300 workshops/camps/events were held, in which more than 25,000 students took part.
Earlier this year, Minister Calleary launched the book ‘1, 2, Spraoi’ with Fighting Words in May in the Dublin City University Institute of Education, St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra. The book ‘1, 2, Spraoi’ is a fun project by Fighting Words, the Department of Rural and Community Development and Gaeltacht, the Institute of Education in Dublin City University, and An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG). The children had the opportunity to write the stories and the book ‘1, 2, Spraoi’ is a great example of the different ways through which young people can be attracted to the Irish language.
ENDS