2022 was a challenging but satisfying year for Glór na Móna, from almost having its youth service closed completely to its success in campaigning to save the services and preventing job losses.
Situated in the Upper Springfield area, the youth and community organisation is a key Irish language body promoting the language and related activities in the area.
The year got off to a worrying start for Glór na Móna, with the news that the youth club was facing service closures as its funding was due to be cut by 98 per cent. The £86,000 in cuts would have resulted in five job losses.
“In January, we heard that we weren’t going to be receiving the youth funding,” said Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, Director of Glór na Móna.
“We weren’t taking that at all. That wasn’t the first time this has happened. They were saying at the start of February that was the end of the funding and that we would have to put in for a scheme entitled ‘Generate/Non-Targeted'. It wasn’t for the Irish, just for the youth services. That would mean that five people would lose their jobs.”
DEARG LE FEARG: The EA has previously been met with protest against cuts to Irish Medium youth services
Following a public meeting in the area to share what was happening, a campaign got under way to save the youth service.
“We organised a public meeting to share the story and put pressure on the Education Authority at the end of February. There was a protest at the start of March outside the Education Authority’s office,” recalled Fergal.
“It was a very difficult time for us here as an organisation. We had to give members of the team letters to say that their jobs would be finishing at the end of the month. It was a very challenging time. But I was certain that we were going to win because we had the support from the community, the service was there, and young people were using it five days a week. There was a loud response from the young people that they were going to fight this. On the one hand, it was a difficult, challenging time, but it gave us the opportunity to organise campaigns and it was an opportunity for young people to be a part of that process.”
Due to the tireless efforts of Glór na Móna, supported by the community, the Education Authority agreed to open up another funding opportunity for the area which would allow the organisation to apply and retain their services. Extra funding was also secured from Belfast City Council, ensuring Glór na Móna’s doors would remain open.
Good news often comes in threes and Glór na Móna also secured £50,000 in capital funding to purchase a temporary mobile. The new multi-purpose community, family and heritage hub at the site will assist the organisation in their long-term capital vision of ‘Croí na Carraige’ – 'The Heart of the Rock'.
PLANS: Cllr Michael Donnelly, Deirdre Hargey MLA, Órla Nig Oirc and Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh
May saw the return of the very popular Féile na gCloigíní Gorma (Bluebell Festival) to the Upper Springfield area. In collaboration with Upper Springfield Development Trust, Newhill Youth Club and the Frank Cahill Resource Centre, the organisation produced a jam-packed programme reflecting the theme of ‘Community, Solidarity and Wellbeing.’
The festival included children's nature walks, a sunrise swim, yoga classes, a family cinema event, gardening and sporting competitions among many other events. The festival ended with the special Lá Dearg day which saw over 17,000 Gaels take to the streets demanding Irish language rights.
"Young people are at the heart of the services Glór na Móna provides, we have 160 members,” Fergal added.
LE CHÉILE: Hundreds of people of all ages attended the public meeting at Glór na Móna
“The youth club is open five nights a week with one night focused on the Solas na nÓg project.”
Launched as part of the Fleadh Feirste festivities, Sólas na nÓg is a new Irish medium youth project in West Belfast.
“It is the first project of its kind in Ireland,” said Fergal.
The groundbreaking project is aimed at providing bespoke youth provision through Irish to children and young people with additional learning needs. As it is the first of its kind, it can be seen as providing another milestone in the continued development of Irish-medium youth services.
Glór na Móna, who are a partner with Fleadh Feirste, also launched a new mentoring scheme. An Mheitheal Mheantóireachta is aimed at those working or seeking work in the burgeoning Irish language community sector.
The project is part of the recently launched ‘Fís an Phobail', which is a seven-year language plan for West Belfast to build on the internationally recognised revival efforts in the area. Glór na Móna are the lead body on the West Belfast Language planning network.
LE CHÉILE: Féile na Carraige celebrates its tenth year with launch of new programme
In 2018, Foras na Gaeilge awarded specific status to ‘Irish Language Network Areas’ and West Belfast was one of only five areas chosen across Ireland. It is historic because, for the first time ever, areas outside of the Gaeltacht regions have been awarded official status as areas of specific linguistic importance.
During the year, Eoghan Ó Garmaile joined the team at Glór na Móna as Community Projects Officer.
“Some of my aims were to create a space for activists to come together and to create a link between the different projects,” Eoghan said.
Eoghan said 10th anniversary of Féile na Carraige was “another major milestone”. The Féile hosted a range of events from Irish language tours around the City Cemetery, the book launch of Jake Mac Siacais's memoir, an Irish language panel discussion including Fergus Ó hÍr, Máire Nic an Bhaird, Máire Nic Fhionnachtaigh and Mícheál Mac Giolla Ghunna, as well as a range of workshops, lectures, talks, and film screenings.
“It was 30 years of Cólaiste Feirste so we arranged events about that. Young people came to the Cólaiste Feirste event to hear that it’s much more than a school, that there was a struggle, that was our aim."
Children's Commissioner Koula Yiasouma (centre), with Roisin Moody and Gearóidín Nic Cathmhaoil (right) at the launch of Féile na gCloigíní Gorma
The year ended with the political education school ‘Scoil Gheimhridh Uí Chadhain’ in December. The event was organised to provide a democratic and inclusive platform and space for activists across a variety of community campaigns to contribute to the collective fight for a new Ireland which embodies 'Liberty, Equality and Solidarity'.
The school was launched by internationally renowned economist and former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis on Zoom with a live audience in Gael-Ionad Mhic Goill. The school continued the following day with workshops and discussions on a range of themes and issues central to any new Ireland, including the Irish language revival, housing, neutrality, climate crisis, health, refugees and asylum seekers, the Traveller community and much more.
“We’re looking forward to 2023," said Fergal, "and to improving and promoting our projects. We’ll be starting off in a completely different context compared to last year."
