Glórtha Ciotacha | Awkward Voices

Tá muid ar bís le bheith ar ais le heagrán eile de Ghlórtha Chiotacha le triúr aoichainteoir speisialta agus ábhar cainte thar a bheith tráthúil faoi láthair. Sí an Ghaeilge agus Éire Aontaithe í téama na cainte seo, ag díriú isteach ar na deiseanna atá bainte le hathaontú na tíre don Ghaeilge, cén dóigh chun an sprioc seo a bhaint amach, na dúshláin atá romhainn agus neart eile. Labhair Róisín Nic Liam, an Gníomhaí, Deargóir, Corcaíoch agus Iníon léinn PhD, agus Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhein, Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge, Feirsteach agus Comhordaitheoir Pleanála teanga d’iarthar Bhéal Feirste le Fís an Phobail, le Bean an Tí Brónagh Fusco, an Feirsteach, Deargóir agus gníomhaí pobail a oibríonn le Conradh na Gaeilge. Tharla an chaint seo in mí Eanáir 2026 mar chuid de Scoil Gheimhridh Uí Chadhain, clár oideachas polaitiúil de chuid Ghlór na Móna ag cíorú ceist an athaontaithe ón bhun aníos. Bainigí sult!

For the annual lecture in honor of community activist Harry Holland, we were thrilled that Clare Daly joined us as the guest speaker for the 2024 lecture. Clare was a Member of the European Parliament for Dublin between 2019 and 2024 as part of the 'Independents4Change' group in the Left of the European Parliament - GUE/NGL. For years, Clare has been at the forefront of human rights issues, social justice, anti-imperialism against the militarization of the European Union, and in support of Palestine, especially in the past year against the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. We will have a special conversation with her, focusing on these issues as well as what has inspired and continues to inspire Clare to do this work.Clare was interviewed by Bernadette McAliskey, the renowned human rights activist, social justice campaigner, international socialist republican, and feminist. Bernadette was the Director of the South Tyrone Empowerment Project (or STEP), a community development organisation that works with and on behalf of the migrant community, and she greatly assisted Clare in the most recent European Union election in 2024.

In this latest episode of Awkward Voices, Tarlach Barclaigh and Eoghan Ó Garmaile from Glór na Móna sat down with Siobhán McCallin. Siobhán is a close friend of Glór na Móna and an activist with the inspiring grassroots PPR campaign ‘New Script’ which focussed on developing a new approach to mental health in our society, moving away from asking what’s wrong with you, to asking what happened to you. She retired as a schoolteacher due to severe health complications which she struggles with still. Writing poems has helped Siobhán heal and last year she launched her poetry collection ‘Awakening M.E.’. and she continues to campaign as a community activist around mental health, sepsis and M.E. awareness and a range of political issues. Bainigí sult.

Is gníomhaí teanga aitheanta é Eoghan Gino Mac Cormaic a d’oibrigh mar leascheannasaí ar feadh i bhfad leis an eagraíocht Gaeilge náisiúnta Glór na nGael. Chaith sé tréimhse phríosúnachta saoil in sa Cheis Fhada, áit ar fhoghlaim sé an Ghaeilge. D’fhoilsigh sé cuntas cuimsitheach ar an tréimhse seo ina dhírbheathaisnéis ‘Pluid - Scéal na mBlocanna H’ agus is é seo príomhthéama na cainte seo ó Sheachtain na Gaeilge i nGlór na Móna 2022. Bhí Gino faoi agallamh anseo ag an Dr Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, gníomhaí teanga agus stiúrthóir Ghlór na Móna. Bainigí sult.

‘Empowering the voiceless and building a better world’This episode goes back to when the Awkward Voices podcast first began on Zoom and Youtube during the pandemic in 2021 and we are thrilled to now have it available on Spotify too. Bernadette McAliskey as you know is a renowned human rights activist, social justice campaigner and internationalist socialist republican and feminist who was the youngest ever female to get elected to Westminster in 1969, aged just 21, as a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. At the time of this interview she was the Director of the South Tyrone Empowerment Project (or STEP) the community development organisation who work with and on behalf of the migrant community.Here Bernadette McAliskey is interviewed by our comrade and human rights activist Marissa McMahon who is an inspiring organiser with PPR (the Participation and Practice of Rights) group, campaigning particularly around issues of housing and homelessness. Bainigí sult as an chomhrá iontach seo.

Is é Míchael Cronin an t-aoi speisialta den eagrán nua seo ón chaint a thug sé i nGael-Ionad Mhic Goill le linn Féile an Phobail in 2023 le fear an tí Eoghan Ó Garmaile, oibrí le Glór na Móna. Tá an chaint dírithe ar leabhar Mhíchael darbh ainm An Ghaeilge agus an Éiceolaíocht agus labhair sé faoin nasc daingean atá eatarthu agus an dóigh ar chaill muid cuid dár nasc leis an timpeallacht nuair a chaill muid an Ghaeilge agus an géarghá leis an bheirt a shábháil.Is léachtóir i gColáiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath, agus is údar trí mhonagraf déag, comheagarthóir ar sheacht gcnuasach a cuireadh in eagar agus údar bhreis agus 150 alt measúnaithe agus caibidil leabhair é Michael Cronin. Aistríodh a shaothar go sé theanga dhéag. I measc a shaothair fhoilsithe tá, Across the Lines: travel, language, translation in 2000, Translation and Globalization in 2006 agus Translation and Identity in 2006 chomh maith. Bainigí sult.

This episode is a discussion from International Women’s Day 2023 in Gael-Ionad Mhic Goill with two inspirational women Rosie McCorley and Roseleen Walsh who featured in the TG4 documentary series Mná an IRA (IRA Women) detailing their activism and particularly the time they spent in prison during the conflict. Eimear Nic Ionnrachtaigh, a Glór na Móna youth worker and Irish language activist chaired this discussion.Born in Belfast in 1957, Rosaleen McCorley left school at 17 to work in the Housing Executive where she worked until the time of her arrest in 1990 when was sentenced to 66 years and released as part of the Good Friday Agreement. She obtained two degrees and a postgraduate diploma while in prison. Rosaleen McCorley was elected to the six counties Assembly for West Belfast as a member of Sinn Féin between 2012 and 2016.And Roseleen Walsh was born in 1950 in Belfast, and she joined Cumann na mBan as a young woman. She was interned in Armagh Prison in 1973 for just over a year. Here, her writing flourished and she covered her white cell walls with poetry. Walsh was actively involved with Sinn Féin in the lead up to the Peace Process. She has written 35 plays, 33 of which have been produced. Bainigí sult.

This episode goes back to January 2024 with a book launch during the Ó Cadhain Political Education Winter School, a weekend of meetings and discussions in West Belfast centred on a new Ireland, but for what class?  This book launch featured Dr. Elizabeth DeYoung from Boston in the United States, and her new book Power, Politics and Territory in the New Northern Ireland: Girdwood Barracks & the Story of the Peace Process.Dr DeYoung earned a PhD at the Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool, focussing on post-conflict politics in the six counties and she now works as a Research Scientist at the University of Pennsylvania. Here she is introduced and interviewed by community and human rights activist Seán Mac Brádaigh from the grassroots campaigning organisation Participation and Practice of Rights (PPR). They dig into the housing crisis in the six counties and particularly into the issue of the development of the Girdwood Barracks in North Belfast. Liz learned Irish during her time here in Ireland and so this discussion is bilingual in both Irish and English and is suitable for those with both languages. Bainigí sult

Seo eagrán de Glórtha Ciotacha a rinne Glór na Móna ar Zoom in Aibreán 2021 agus is é seo ceann de na chéad eagrán de chuid an podchraoladh seo, ach an fáth a bhfuil an eagrán seo chomh speisialta ná gurb é Fergus Ó hÍr an aoichainteoir. Is gníomhaí cearta daonna agus feachtasóir iomráiteach ar son ceartas sóisialta é Fergus as Iarthar Bhéal Feirste a bhfuil 50 bliain taithí aige le gluaiseachtaí agus i bhfeachtais éagsúla. Bhí sé lárnach san fheachtas ar son Chearta Sibhialta agus sa ghluaiseacht in éadan na Blocanna H. Toghadh é mar chomhairleoir le Halla na Cathrach ar son Daonlathas an Phobail in 1981 agus lean sé ar aghaidh chun ról lárnach a imirt in athbheochan na Gaeilge ina phríomhoide le Meánscoil Feirste sna 90idí agus ina bhainisteoir ar Raidió Fáilte i mBéal Feirste. Chur an gníomhaí cearta daonna fadbhunaithe Deirdre McAliskey, a bhí ina Leas-Stiúrthóir ar an National Children’s Bureau NI ag an am, an t-agallamh ar Fergus. Bainigí sult

Is gníomhaí teanga fadbhunaithe den eite chlé é Ben Ó Ceallaigh a bhfuil neart taighde agus obair déanta ar cheist na Gaeilge agus an Caipitleachas, ach go háirithe an PhD s’aige Neoliberalism and language shift: The Great Recession and the sociolinguistic vitality of Ireland's Gaeltacht, 2008-18’ a chríochnaigh sé in 2019 mar mhac léinn in Ollscoil Dhún Éideann.  Bhain Ben duais Joshua A. Fishman as an taighde PhD a rinne sé agus tá neart cainteanna déanta aige ar an ábhar.

This episode features the guest speaker of Scoil Gheimhridh Uí Chadhain 2024, Mansoor Adayfi. Mansoor  was born in Yemen and at 18 years of age he was detained in Guantanamo Bay, the infamous US military prison. Mansoor was tortured during the 14 years he spent there without ever being charged. He published a book Don’t Forget Us Here: Lost and Found at Guantanamo and he now campaigns to close Guantanmo Bay down.  At the Scoil Gheimhridh he was in conversation with Clare Daly, the Independent MEP for Dublin. Bainigí sult!

This episode features a panel discussion as part of Scoil Gheimhridh Uí Chadhain 2024 with Clare Daly (Independent MEP), Bríd Smith (PBP TD) and Chris Hazzard (Sinn Féin MP) with community and human rights activist Dessie Donnelly chairing the discussion titled ‘A New Ireland: For What Class?’

Thug an craoltóir Raidió Fáilte, an t-údar, agus laoch mór na Gaeilge, Eoghan Ó Neill, léacht ar a thaighde ar stair na Gaeilge i mBéal Feirste darbh ainm “Abrasive Gaels” mar chuid d’Fhéile na Carraige 2023. Thug Eoghan léargas iontach spreagúil ar ghníomhartha radacacha a rinne Gaeilgeoirí Bhéal Feirste ar son na Gaeilge ó na 1980í ar aghaidh chomh maith leis an dóigh ar chaith an stát ó thuaidh leis an Ghaeilge sa tréimhse chéanna. Go raibh maith agaibh as éisteacht agus bainigí sult.

In this episode our cara and comrade Seán Byers of Trademark Belfast chaired a discussion with Eoin Ó Broin under the title  Envisioning a transformative housing agenda in a New Ireland for the Harry Holland Lecture as part of Féile na Carraige 2023, Glór na Móna’s annual community festival in October. Eoin has been TD for Dublin Mid-West since 2016 and is widely tipped to be the next Housing Minister in a predicted Sinn Féin led government after the next election. He was a  City Councillor for North Belfast between 2001 and 2004 and has published 6 books on topics such as Left Republicanism, Youth Movements in the Basque Country and Housing Crisis in Ireland. Thanks for listening and Bainigí sult.

Seo eagrán ar leith in ómós do Matt Lundy atá imithe ar shlí na fírinne.  Rinneadh an t-agallamh seo le Matt in 2019 mar chuid den togra oidhreachta ‘Faoi Scáth an tSléibhe - Connecting People and Place in the Upper Springfield Area’. Rugadh agus tógadh Matt in Ard Eoin ansin Loiste na Móna agus gabhadh é agus é ina dhéagóir in 1976 agus chaith sé tréimhse shaoil i bpríosún na Céise, áit ar fhoghlaim sé Gaeilge sular scaoileadh saor é in 1990.  Theagasc Matt Gaeilge sa phobal agus bhí sé bainte le forbairt pobail sa cheantar ó shin. Bhí sé i measc bunaitheoirí Naíscoil agus Gaelscoil na Móna in Loiste na Móna agus theagasc sé ranganna oíche le Glór na Móna ar feadh na mblianta. Suaimhneas síoraí air.*This interview is available with English subtitles on Glór na Móna’s Youtube channel*

Hazar Azzeh and Mohammad Alazzah from Palestine, and Ainle Ó Cairealláin from Belfast are three activists working in the Lajee Centre in Bethlehem, Palestine, who were kind enough to give their time for a special conversation on Awkward Voices during their visit to Ireland in June 2023. Support their projects here https://lajee.org/ and https://www.aclai.ie/aclai-palestine Bainigí sult - Free Palestine! 

Mary and Sue were interviewed on a panel as part of International Women’s Day 2023 by Gearóidín Mhic Mhathúna, Glór na Móna Operations Manager.Mary Enright was born and raised in the New Lodge Road in Belfast before marrying and settling in Dermot Hill in West Belfast. Mary was a founding member of the Relatives Action Committees which led the campaign against the H-Blocks, the radical republican feminist group, Women Against Imperialism and she later helped establish the Falls Women’s Centre in 1984. Mary is a long-standing trade union, feminist and socialist activist who has worked with a range groups such as UNISON, PPR and CAJ.Sue Pentel was born and raised in London before moving and throwing herself into politics here in Ireland. She was a member of People’s Democracy who also helped found Women Against Imperialism. Sue is a trade union, feminist and socialist activist who has been an outspoken critic of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. She is also an Irish language activist who helped found Gaelscoil na bhFál and Ionad Uíbh Each.

Joe Guinan is Vice President at The Democracy Collaborative and Executive Director of the Next System Project and Martin O’Neill is a Senior lecturer in political philosophy at the University of York.Joe and Martin published a book together in 2020 called The Case for Community Wealth Building which can be bought online.Both men are from England who were visiting Ireland recently and meeting community groups as well as government bodies here to discuss the model of community wealth building which we talk about in this episode as well as the influence of James Connolly, the importance of co-operatives, and some of the lessons from the Jeremy Corbyn moment and the attack on the left in the British Labour Party. Bainigí sult, enjoy our conversation.

San eagrán nua seo de Ghlórtha Ciotacha, labhair Eoghan Ó Garmaile agus Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, stiúrthóir Ghlór na Móna, le Deaglán Ó Mocháin. Is Iarchime é Deaglán as Muineacháin a chaith seal sa Cheis Fhada idir 1989 agus 1997. Níos moille ina shaol bhunaigh Deaglán an comhlacht scannáin Dearcán Media agus oibríonn sé le Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin i nDoire faoi láthair. Bain sult as an chomhrá ionraic agus spéisiúil seo.In this Irish-only episode of Awkward Voices, Eoghan Ó Garmaile and Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, Director of Glór na Móna, spoke to Deaglán Ó Mocháin. Deaglán is an ex-prisoner from Monaghan who was jailed in Long Kesh between 1989 and 1997. Later in his life, he started his own film company Dearcán Media and he currently works with Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in Derry. Enjoy this honest and special conversation with him.

Eagrán speisialta mar cheiliúradh ar Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan.  Is gníomhaí pobail agus sóisialach í Yas Rodriguez ó Chúba a chuir fúithi i mBéal Feirste breis is scór bliain ó shin agus a bhí mar pháirt de réimse feachtais anseo ó shin, ach go háirithe dlúthpháirtíocht le Cúba in éadan imshuí Mheiriceá ar an tír s’aici.  Bhí ról lárnach aici ag cruthú a brat Cúbach is mó sa stair a nochtadh ar an Sliabh Dubh in 2021 mar chuid den fheachtas #UnblockCuba.Special episode to celebrate International Women’s Day.  Yas Rodriguez is a community and socialist activist from Cuba who has lived in Belfast for over 20 years and who has been part of a range of community campaigns here since, especially around Cuban Solidarity against the US blockade on her country.  She played a central role in making the biggest Cuban flag in history that she then helped put on Black Mountain in West Belfast in 2021 as part of the UnblockCuba campaign.

Sa chéad chlár de shraith úr de Glórtha Ciotacha, bhí comhrá againn ag deireadh 2022 le beirt ghníomhaí teanga Liam Ó hEidhin agus Eimear Nic Ionnrachtaigh fán baint s’acu le gluaiseacht na Gaeilge ar Ollscoil na Banríona, ach go háirithe an feachtas ar son comharthaíocht dhátheangach agus an bua ar na mallaibh do scéim chónaithe ar champas.In the first episode of a new series of Awkward Voices, we talked to two language activists Liam Ó hEidhin and Eimear Nic Ionnrachtaigh at the end of 2022 about their experience in the Irish language movement at Queen’s University Belfast, especially about the campaign for bilingual signage and the recent victory around an Irish language residence scheme on campus.