The themes of the Irish language in education and the role, if any, it plays in integration in Ireland, were eloquently debated in a series of award-winning essays at şÚÁĎÉç this week.
Senior cycle students from secondary schools around the country impressed with their submissions to the UL Regional Writing Centre’s National Secondary School Essay-writing Competition, with three students claiming prizes at a dedicated on-campus award ceremony.
Now in its fourteenth year, the competition gives Transition and 5th-year students the opportunity to write persuasively on social issues that are relevant to them and express their opinions and for their voices to be heard.
This year’s entrants were asked to respond to Padraig Pearse’s powerful statement, “TĂr gan teanga, tĂr gan anam” — a country without a language is a country without a soul, and to respond to the prompt “Is Ireland without Irish still Ireland?”. They were also invited to reflect on the perspective of Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, who advocates for the introduction of a beginner-level Irish course for students who join the Leaving Cert system late, arguing that excluding them from learning the language hinders integration. On the contrast, they were invited to reflect on the contrasting argument broadcaster and businessman Ivan Yates puts forward, challenging the value of the resources currently dedicated to Irish language education. This conflict of opinions about the teaching and funding of the Irish language has a significant impact on second-level students, and this competition provides a platform for the voices of those at the heart of the debate to be heard.
The winning submission came from Swasti Sahoo, from Adamstown Community College, Lucan, Co. Dublin, for her brilliant essay “Is Ireland without Irish still Ireland?”.
Prizes were also presented to Emily Walsh, from Loreto Secondary School, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary and Anna Rose Nic Mhuire, from Coláiste Íde, Daingean Uà Chúis, Co.Chiarraà for their excellent essays.
“The three essays selected for awards today stood out in terms of the novelty of the writer’s position, the rigour with which they make a balanced, but compelling case, the logical arrangement of their ideas, and the concision, cogency and coherence that leaves the reader captivated by the writer’s obvious linguistic, grammatical and mechanical dexterity. It should be noted that identifying the overall winners was not an easy process”, said Lawrence Cleary, Director of the Regional Writing Centre.
