Kildare promotes big initiative in primary school Irish conversation
Cllr Claire O’Rourke, Kate Ní Raoghaill , Cill Dara le Gaelige, Joe Neville TD, Cllr Noel Connolly, Cathaoirleach Choiste Gaeilge, Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Cllr Carmel Kelly, Cllr Brian Dooley, Muireann Ní Bheaglaoich, Irish Language Officer, Kildare County Council, Kate Ní Dhubhlaoich, Conradh na Gaeilge, cllr Anne Breen Photo: Aisling Hyland Photography
Kildare County Council is looking for primary schools to participate in an innovative Irish language initiative, Scéim na bhFáinní (The Scheme of the Rings).
It aims to encourage and support the increased use of the Irish language among sixth class students, as they prepare for the transition to post-primary, but can only support the first 20 applicants.
It is developed by the Council’s Irish Language Committee, Coiste Gaeilge and supported by Cill Dara le Gaeilge and Conradh na Gaeilge.
To participate, teachers are asked to facilitate a six-week programme aiming to increase the amount of spoken Irish in the four weeks leading up to and during ‘Seachtain na Gaeilge’.
Content and language-integrated learning is central to the programme, with Ealaín (Art), Corpoideachas (PE), Ceol (Music) all done through Irish.
As part of the programme, students are required to undertake two Irish language-related projects of their own choosing, like researching the Irish origins of Logainmneacha Áitiúla (Local Placenames), or perhaps collecting Seanfhocail agus Nathanna Cainte (Irish Proverbs and Idioms).
Other project ideas include staging a Dráma as Gaeilge (Irish Language Drama), hosting Coinní Puipéad (Puppet Meet and Greets) as Gaeilge, and with a modern twist - creating Méimeanna Gaeilge (Irish Language Memes).
During Seachtain na Gaeilge 2026, successful participants of Scéim na bhFáinní projects will be presented with a Fáinne Gaeilge, and their schools will receive Teastas Scéim na bhFáinní (Scéim na bhFáinní Certificate).
An Comhairleoir Noel Connolly, Cathaoirleach Choiste Gaeilge Chomhairle Contae Chill Dara (Chair of Kildare County Council’s Irish Language Committee) – and one of the few councillors who always puts his ‘airgid’ where his ‘béal’ is – explains:
“Coiste Gaeilge has built upon the pilot scheme and research that had been done by the outgoing committee, and we are delighted to now administer Scéim na bhFáinní to up to 20 schools across County Kildare”.
“It is wonderful to have support from Conradh na Gaeilge and Cill Dara le Gaeilge and we are very much looking forward to visiting schools and meeting teachers and students across the county during Seachtain na Gaeilge, to learning about the various Scéim na bhFáinní class projects and to presenting students with their Fáinní Gaeilge.
