Press release
€600,000 in funding approved for the Conradh na Gaeilge Ciste Spreagtha 2024 - 2026
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
A €600,000 funding package over a three-year period for Conradh na Gaeilge’s Ciste Spreagtha has been announced by the Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, Patrick O’Donovan T.D. The aim of the Ciste Spreagtha is to encourage community groups within and outside the Gaeltacht to organise community events that promote the Irish language in their local area.
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has supported the Ciste Spreagtha, which is administered by Conradh na Gaeilge, since 2022. Most of the events that receive grants from the fund happen around Seachtain na Gaeilge, the world’s largest Irish language festival. The Ciste Spreagtha has been very successful over the past two years - funding was provided to over 160 groups in 2022 and 180 groups in 2023. Conradh na Gaeilge hopes to award grants from the fund to up to 180 groups annually again over the next three years and they aim to support events happening all over the island.
It is hoped that the Ciste Spreagtha will give Gaeltacht and former Gaeltacht areas the chance to promote and celebrate the Irish language as an everyday spoken language and to encourage more people to use the language. The events organised will be a wonderful opportunity for individuals who don't get the chance to speak, use or practise their Irish regularly in a social context between now and 2026.
Minister of State O’Donovan said:
“I am delighted that my Department will be able to support the Ciste Spreagtha for a three year period. This funding package means that many Irish language events will be held in local communities over the next three years and that more people will have the opportunity to be part of the Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations. All of these events raise awareness of the Irish language and they help to normalise speaking the language within communities all over Ireland.
Paula Melvin, Conradh na Gaeilge President, said:
“We are thrilled that the Incentive Fund has been approved for three years. We will provide and administer the yearly fund between 2024 and 2026 for Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia. It will support the wonderful groups that organise Irish language events over the course of the festival which will run from the 1-17 of March 2024. We hope the fund will encourage the Irish language community, the Gaeltacht community and those that haven’t had the chance to partake in Irish language events before to do just that. We will see more opportunities arise for groups and communities all over Ireland to use, practise and learn Irish together. We’re extremely grateful to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for providing this funding for the Ciste Spreagtha this year.”