Bhí neart Gael as Ard Mhacha i láthair ar an Domhnach nuair a d’eagraigh Pobal Cearta agus Ceiliúradh i mBéal Feirste ar an Domhnach seo caite. Bhí sluaite Gaeilgeoirí i láthair ó achan chuid den tír agus bhí baicle mhaith páistí gaelscoile ann as Ard Mhacha a tháinig ar bhus speisialta a d’eagraigh CAIRDE Teo. Bhí neart imeachtaí ar siúl ag Halla Uladh do na Gaeil agus cuireadh fáilte Ard Mhacha roimh achan duine nó bhí Cleamairí Ard Mhacha i mbun seisiúin cheoil ar an doras. Bhain páistí Ard Mhacha sult as ceardlanna scéalaíochta, amhránaíochta agus rince, chomh maith le ceol digiteach, leabharcheangal, ealaíon agus lámhchleasaíocht. Bhí seó sorcais, damhsóirí Afracacha, fear grinn, aerchleasaíocht, rince Gaelach agus céilí agus Caifé Gàidhlig. Bhí neart ceoil ar an ardán fosta le cóir bunscoile, Conall Ó Curraoin ar an phíopa, Anne Martin agus Anna Murray agus Tura Arutura.
I measc na seastán a bhí thart ar Halla Uladh, bhí seastán CAIRDE Teo le hábhair ar síol ón siopa Gael in Ard Mhacha, Cult Úr. Bhí deis ag na daoine óga atá ag tabhairt faoi chlár fiontraíochta Cairde Teo taithí praiticiúla miondíola a fháil ag an seastán i mBéal Feirste. Bhí seastáin ann ó eagraíochtaí Gaeilge ó achan chearn den tír, Bliain na Gaeilge ina measc. Mar chuid den Fhéile Cearta agus Ceiliúradh, cuireadh clabhsúr leis an churiarracht domhanda Comhrá 24/7, an comhrá leanúnach Gaeilge is faide, nuair a labhair Cuisle Nic Liam ó Ardscoil Naomh Doiminic i mBéal Feirste le hArd-Mhéára Bhéal Feirste, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir. Bhí muintir Ard Mhacha iontach sásta bheith páirteach sa lá agus bhain siad uilig sult a as an fhéile seo a chuireann i gcuimhne don lucht polaitíochta nach ann d’Acht Gaeilge go fóill i dtuaisceart na hÉireann, ainneoin an ghealltanais a thug rialtas na Breataine i gCill Rímhinn seacht mbliana ó shin.
There were plenty of Gaels from Armagh present at Pobal’s Rights and Revelry celebration in Belfast last Sunday. The event attracted hundreds of Irish speakers from right across the country and a group of children from Armagh’s Irish medium schools travelled together on a bus organised CAIRDE Teo. The programme of activities at the Ulster Hall was jampacked and everyone in attendance were greeted at the door with a fantastic traditional music session from Armagh Rhymers. The children from Armagh enjoyed storytelling workshops, singing lessons and urban dance workshops, as well as digital music, book-binding, art and juggling. There was also a circus act, African dancing troupe Afrikan Warriors, a clown, aerial acrobatics, Irish and céilí dancing and a Scots Gaelic street theatre café. There was plenty of music on stage too with primary school choirs and musicians, Conall Ó Curraoin from Monaghan, Scottish musicians Anne Martin and Anna Murray and Irish language rap and hip hop artist Tura Arutura.
CAIRDE Teo also organised a stand in the Ulster Hall to sell a sample of the many products on offer in Armagh’s Irish language shop Cult Úr. The stand was manned by some of the young people who are enrolled in Cairde’s cultural enterprise course to give them practical retail experience, which will benefit their future careers. There were stalls from Irish language organisations from across the country including Bliain na Gaeilge, Irish language year. As part of the Rights and Revelry festival, the world record attempt Comhrá 24/7, which aimed to achieve the longest continuous Irish langauge conversation, was brought to a closure by Cuisle Nic Liam from St Dominic’s High School who spoke to Belfast Lord Mayor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir. The Armagh contingent enjoyed the festival immensely and were delighted to be involved in an event which serves a timely reminder of the failure of the British government and Stormont Executive to implement an Irish language Act in the north of Ireland, which was promised in the St Andrew’s Agreement seven years ago.
