Q3 2021

6 EU BUSINESS NEWS / Q3 2021 , Best International Irish Language Arts Platform 2021 An tOireachtas is the organiser of Ireland’s longest established national performing arts festival, tracing its origins back to the Irish language renaissance of the late 19th century. Originally held as a one-day event on 17thMay 1897, it has taken the step into the 21st century and become a national organisation dedicated to serving Irish speaking communities through the promotion of traditional performing arts in a dynamic, energetic, uniquely Irishway. Today, An tOireachtas is a leading advocate for many communities of artistic practice, encouraging participation in Irish-language- based performing arts and celebrating achievement and excellence in many creative and artistic genres. In 2015, An tOireachtas was appointed lead organisation in the Irish Language sector charged with ‘Organising & Promoting Events as Gaeilge & Establishing Irish Language Networks’ and is core-funded by cross-border body, Foras na Gaeilge. The festival is still, after 124 years, a showcase annual event! Now rebranded as Oireachtas na Samhna (meaning Halloween Assembly or Gathering), it is held at a very special time of year, halfway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice, and occupies a permanent space in the Irish calendar. It is where Gaelic speakers congregate annually to participate in the most Apr21355 vibrant expression of their rich and varied heritage and to celebrate their national culture and performing arts as Gaeilge. The festival features the best of sean-nós (traditional old style) performing arts, including junior and senior competitions, formal and informal music and singing sessions, exhibitions, seminars, drama, festival clubs and a host of fringe events. An increasingly important feature of the festival is Aonach an Oireachtais, an exhibition area catering for national organisations, businesses and state-bodies who are eager to connect with Irish speakers. The location of the festival becomes a ‘Gaeltacht’ (Irish-speaking district) for the duration of the festival and all events and competitions are conducted through Irish. The support of the national broadcasters as well as the many commercial and community radio stations who come on board for the period of the festival, is extremely important to An tOireachtas in reaching its target audiences. Earlier this year An tOireachtas announced details of a new strategic partnership with the Department of Modern Irish, Maynooth University, with details of a new MA stream in Irish-language Performing Arts and Oral Traditions. The practical experience and specialist knowledge offered by the partnership, combined with new academic and creative modules, will offer postgraduate students an enriching experience while acquiring transferable skills and an exciting opportunity to specialise in creative practices through the medium of Irish. “Recently retired National Director, Liam Ó Maolaodha, led the organisation through a 25 year period of enormous change and progress during which its cultural footprint has grown exponentially and its arts and culture remit has greatly expanded”, said Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha, Acting National Director of An tOireachtas. “His commitment to providing opportunities for growth and development within all aspects of the traditional performing arts informed all his decisions regarding future planning for the organisation and he was always deeply appreciative of the unstinting efforts of parents and teachers who strove to foster a love for the Irish language, arts and literature among young people. Meanwhile, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the 2020 festival, due to be hosted in Galway, then European Capital of Culture, to be moved online. It was a challenge which was overcome with the backing of the festival’s media partners, TG4, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, BBC Northern Ireland & tuairisc. ie, all of whom went the extra mile in their enterprising and imaginative endeavours to help serve the traditional audience while also garnering a 44.5M social media reach.