The Chief Executives of Foras na Gaeilge and Munster GAA met today to cement a partnership project between the two organisations. Foras na Gaeilge is making a significant investment of €120,000 in Munster GAA over a period of three years to strengthen the use of Irish.

The development project will focus on the target audiences recognised by Foras na Gaeilge – the school communities, community activities and youth work. It aims to condense and maintain the structures long established for the promotion of Irish in Munster and to improve, develop and promote the use of Irish through designated opportunities among the public.

[caption id="attachment_28657" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Executives of Foras na Gaeilge and the Munster GAA Council meeting in Áras Mumhan, Castletroy, Limerick, Tuesday, (27/6/2023). From left are Jamie Ó Tuama, GAA Irish Language Officer; Colm Ó hArgáin, Senior Executive, and Seán Ó Coinn, Chief Executive Officer, Foras na Gaeilge; Kieran Leddy, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary, Munster GAA Council, and Aedín Ní Bhriain, Irish Language Development Officer, Munster GAA.[/caption]

A particular focus will be providing Irish language training opportunities and developing opportunities for use for speaking Irish in the clubs and at major and regional matches. An opportunity will be given to staff and committee members of Munster GAA to learn and use Irish in their roles and GAA members in the province to learn and use Irish daily.

These steps will strengthen Irish from day to day in GAA Munster Council communications and activities, and in the delivery of coaching and development facilities. More effective communications and relations will be created with Gaeltacht clubs and communities and the Munster Cultural Committee will be supported in the promotion of Irish.

To implement these developments, Aedín Ní Bhriain has been appointed as Irish language development officer by Munster GAA from now until March 2026.

Ger Ryan, Munster GAA Chairperson, said, "we are delighted to partner with Foras na Gaeilge on this initiative, which we hope will be a huge boost for the promotion of the Irish Language in GAA units across Munster. We are also delighted to welcome Aedín Ní Bhriain on board. Aedín brings a huge level of experience in promoting the Irish language to Munster GAA, and I would encourage all of our units to avail of this experience and to get active in promoting the Irish language."

Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive Seán Ó Coinn said, “Foras na Gaeilge started a similar partnership project for the first time with Ulster GAA in 2018. Significant and longterm outcomes resulted from the partnership between 2018 and 2022 when a comprehensive teaching and training programme for clubs, trainers and officers was developed. Since there are 475 clubs in Munster, and more than 400,000 people attend GAA games in Munster each year, we have a valuable opportunity to strengthen Irish at the heart of the community, in the parishes and towns of Munster through this project.”

[caption id="attachment_28662" align="alignnone" width="2500"] Children attending an Irish language summer camp at Mungarit/Naomh Pól GAA grounds, Limerick, with Foras na Gaeilge, Muntsreb GAA Council and club officials. From left: Colm Ó hArgáin, Senior Executive, Foras na Gaeilge; Aedín Ní Bhriain, Language Development Officer, Munster GAA, Seán Ó Coinn, CEO, Foras na Gaeilge; Breandán Ó hAnnaidh, Chairman, Bord na nÓg, CLG Mungarit/Naomh Pól and Donal Mac Giobúin, Chairman, CLG Mungarit/Naomh Pól.

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