Blag na Bliana blog wins at Spraoi’23
Second and third year students at Castlepollard Community College won two awards for their Irish language blog and poster design at last week’s national Spraoi’23 celebration ceremony.
The competition was open to all secondary schools across the country and the two winning groups from Castlepollard won cash prizes of €1,000 for their school.
The students involved and their teachers Ms Grainne Guirke and Ms Aoife Smith went to Naas to collect the awards on behalf of the two classes.
The aim of SPRAOI’23 was to engage students in fun activities and competitions through the medium of Irish and to foster a love of the culture, and promote Irish as a living language rather than something hidden in a textbook.
The students won an award for ‘Blag na Bliana’, where they had to write a blog about events at school and in the locality, where an attempt is made to promote the Irish language and culture. In the blog, the students discussed the success of the girls Gaelic football and camogie teams, as well as events that took place during Seachtain na Gaeilge, and activities the local Comhaltas group every Saturday in the school. They also highlighted the transition year céilí dancing module.
The second award was for a category called ‘Mo Scoil Mo’, where the students had to create a poster and a 100-word explanation on aspects of their school that affect them, and they chose to focus on ‘Mo Scoil, Mo Dheiseanna’ – My School, My Opportunities.
ETB Spraoi’23 ambassador and RTÉ 2FM presenter Aindriú de Paor was joined by students and staff from schools in Galway, Dublin, Limerick, and Meath as well as Westmeath for the culmination of the campaign, for which other competitions were ‘Blag na Bliana’, ‘Bua na Cainte’ and ‘Rap & Roll’.
ETBI Educational Policy and Development officer and Spraoi’23 coordinator Gean Gilger said: “We were delighted to partner with An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta and Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) for this initiative and I’d like to thank them for their generosity in sponsoring the prizes for Spraoi’23. I know that COGG, like ETBI, see significant value in encouraging and supporting schools and students to engage with Irish as a living language, inside and outside the classroom.
“Spraoi’23 encouraged students to embrace our language in innovative and meaningful ways. We are thrilled to recognize today the achievements of those who have shown dedication and passion for the Irish language.”