Foras na Gaeilge is pleased to announce that grants worth €1,215,491 have been approved at a Foras na Gaeilge board meeting today. Grants in the areas of literature, publishing and community were approved along with significant funding which will consolidate the programme of events for Bliain na Gaeilge 2018.

€389,209 was approved for the lead organisation Conradh na Gaeilge to provide a comprehensive and versatile programme during Bliain na Gaeilge 2018. As part of that grant Foras na Gaeilge has approved a grants fund which will provide small grants to groups which organise events throughout the country. Funding will also be provided for the Bliain na Gaeilge 2018 Creative Programme along with the Fund for School Prizes as part of the international celebration of the Irish language.

€40,000 has been approved for an art, theatre and music production, Aisling?, based on a newly composed work by renowned Gaeltacht artists. The project will be directed by dramatist, writer and film maker, Darach Mac an Iomaire, and will be performed in more than ten venues north and south during Bliain na Gaeilge 2018.

As well as funding for Bliain na Gaeilge 2018 Foras na Gaeilge has approved grants to the value of €112,310 to promote reading and literature in Irish, and €644,885 for Irish language publishers, including: Coiscéim, Cló Iar-Chonnachta, Futa Fata and Leabhar Breac.

Welcoming the board’s decision today, Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive Seán Ó Coinn said, “We congratulate all those organisations for whom Foras na Gaeilge has approved grants today for their work and creativity. The most important role of Foras na Gaeilge is promoting the use of Irish in the community. Through the grants approved today by Foras na Gaeilge we will be helping Irish language organisations to continue with their great work publishing excellent books, presenting them to the public, and we will be ensuring that all of the public on the island can take an active part in Bliain na Gaeilge 2018.”

*Ends*

Note to the editor:

TG4 will bring in Bliain na Gaeilge 2018 with a live programme sponsored by Foras na Gaeilge, Fáilte 2018, which will be broadcast on New Year’s Eve 2017 from the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry.

Further information:

Anna Davitt, Programme Manager: Communications, Marketing & Awareness, Foras na Gaeilge

Tel: 0035387 673 6175    

Email: adavitt@forasnagaeilge.ie