Ultach awards over £59,000 announced by Community Foundation NI 

18 Jul 2022

The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has awarded £59,541 to 30 community organisations across Northern Ireland through the Ultach Fund, to support them to use and promote the Irish language.

Registered charities, voluntary and community groups applied for grants to deliver innovative projects including the development of songbooks in gaeilge, bi-lingual sports camps for children, healthy eating programmes, building learning and study spaces and resources, as well as Irish language classes for all ages.

Orla Black, Grant Director at the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland explained:

“Since it’s opening the Ultach fund has been hugely popular. This year almost £60,000 has been awarded to 30 groups for a wide range of activities and projects from building resources and learning spaces, multilingual sporting camps for children, local history projects all the way to healthy eating programmes.

“Key to many local groups was the ability to promote and boost the language for accessible, community led Irish language classes and activities for all ages.

“The funded groups include Naíscoil na Seolta in East Belfast promoting healthy eating messages in the Naíscoil for staff and families and the Creggan Enterprises North West Columban Initiative planning to produce and distribute a songbook of Irish language songs.

The original Iontaobhas Ultach Trust was established in 1989 to promote the Irish language as part of Northern Ireland’s shared cultural heritage. During its lifetime the Trust invested over £2million in a wide range of Irish language projects, classes, social events, publications, competitions, research, resources, and education projects. The Ultach Trust formally closed in March 2021 and its remaining assets transferred to establish a new fund within the Community Foundation.

Fógraíonn Fondúireacht an Chomhphobail go bhfuil breis is £59,000 bronnta ag Ultach.

Tá £59,541 bronnta ag  Iontaobhas an Phobail do Thuaisceart Éireann ar 30 eagraíocht phobail ar fud Thuaisceart Éireann tríd an Chiste Ultach, le cuidiú leo an Ghaeilge a úsáid agus a chur chun cinn.

Chuir carthanais chláraithe, grúpaí deonacha agus pobail isteach ar dheontais le tionscnaimh nuálacha a sholáthar lena n-áirítear leabhair amhráin Ghaeilge, campaí spóirt dátheangacha do pháistí, cláir do bhia sláintiúil a fhorbairt agus spásanna staidéir agus áiseanna a chothú chomh maith le ranganna Gaeilge do gach aoisghrúpa.

Dúirt Orla Black, Stiúrthóir Deontais ag Iontaobhas an Phobail do Thuaisceart Éireann an méid seo:

“Ó cuireadh tús leis tá an-ráchairt ar an Chiste Ultach. I mbliana bronnadh chóir a bheith £60,000 ar 30 grúpa le haghaidh réimse leathan d’imeachtaí agus tionscadail idir áiseanna agus spásanna foghlama a fhorbairt, campaí spóirt ilteangacha do pháistí, tionscadail do stair áitiúil agus fiú cláir do bhia sláintiúil.

“Rud a bhí an-tábhachtach do ghrúpaí áitiúla a bheith in ann an teanga a chur chun cinn agus borradh a chur fúithi do ranganna Gaeilge agus gníomhaíochtaí pobalstiúrtha inrochtana  le haghaidh gach aoisghrúpa.

“Ar na grúpaí a fuair maoiniú tá Naíscoil na Seolta in Oirthear Bhéal Feirste ag cur teachtaireachtaí chun tosaigh do bhia sláintiúil sa Naíscoil le haghaidh na mball foirne agus na dteaghlach  agus Togra Cholm Cille an Iarthuaiscirt ag Fiontair an Chreagáin atá ag brath leabhar amhráin d’amhráin Ghaeilge a dhéanamh agus a dháileadh.

Bunaíodh Iontaobhas Ultach ar dtús in 1989 leis an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar chuid d’oidhreacht chultúrtha chomhroinnte Thuaisceart Éireann. Lena linn d’infheistigh an tIontaobhas corradh le £2 mhilliún i réimse leathan de thionscadail, ranganna, imeachtaí sóisialta, foilseacháin, comórtais, taighde, acmhainní agus tionscadail oideachais i nGaeilge.

Dhruid Iontaobhas Ultach go foirmiúil i Márta 2021 agus aistríodh na sócmhainní a bhí fágtha aige chuig ciste úr taobh istigh d’Fhondúireacht an Phobail.