Neighbourhood Renewal (NR) Irish language initiative

St Malachy’s Primary School is currently delivering an Irish Language pilot project to local children from the NR areas of Armagh. The programme is offering children the opportunity to get involved in learning and speaking the Irish Language. The programme is designed to target kids at an early age and provide them with an avenue to getting involved in the Irish Language now and later in life.

The 16 Week programme was made possible thanks to funding from the Neighbourhood Renewal (NR) initiative and the funding was administered via the Armagh City& District Council Growing Communities Programme. It enabled the school to deliver Irish language programmes to KS2 pupils giving them an understanding of the language and preparing them for second level education as well as creating opportunities for young people to engage with the Irish language and improve their education.

The programme tutor is a local Irish speaking enthusiast called Michael Hughes. Michael started learning Irish when he was three years old in the Naoíscoil in Armagh and also attended the Bunscoil in the Christian Brothers. Michael was the first Irish group in the méanscoil in Saint Catherine's College in Armagh. Currently, Michael is studying a degree in Irish in University of Ulster Belfast.

The 16 week project aims to; ·Engage with young children from the NR areas who are not actively involved in the medium of the Irish Language.

·Create opportunities for regular use of the Irish Language, for children giving them an understanding of the language to prepare them for second level education.

·Develop opportunities for young people to become involved in the Irish Language.

·Provide a history of the Irish Language to young children participating.

·Raising the profile of the Irish Language within the community

To date the programme has proved to be a great success with the primary seven children, who are very keen and interested to partake in a range of action packed Irish Language lessons.

The staff and pupils at St. Malachy’s Primary School would like to thank Michael, Neighbourhood Renewal partnership, Armagh City & District Council Growing Communities Programme and DSD for providing the children with opportunity to regularly use the Irish Language in a fun, enjoyable and interactive manner.

Group Photo Group photo is left to right Stephen Fields Chairperson West Armagh Consortium, Denise Girvan ACDC, Cathy Rafferty SF Councillor, Michael Hughes (Programme Tutor), Ciaran Mc Kinney (Class Teacher), Louis O’ Neill NR Programme Manager ACDC. Stephen, Denise and Cathy are members of the Armagh Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Board which delivers the funding in Armagh