CARTLANN: Gníomhaíochas, teanga agus na meáin / CARTLANN: Activism, language and the media

Tá CARTLANN á mhaoiniú ag an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas faoin gClár Taighde Thuaidh-Theas agus is comhthionscadal é idir Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus Ollscoil Uladh. Déanann CARTLANN scrúdú ar an eagraíocht dheonach trasteorann Ghaeilge, Conradh na Gaeilge, a bunaíodh sa bhliain 1893 agus atá fós ag feidhmiú sa lá atá inniu ann. Ag tarraingt ar thaifid chartlainne fhairsinge ar an dá thaobh den teorainn, díríonn an tionscadal ar ról lárnach na meán in obair Chonradh na Gaeilge, mar ardán chun eolas a scaipeadh agus mar ábhar feachtasaíochta. Is é príomhfhoinse an tionscadail bailiúchán cartlainne Chonradh na Gaeilge in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe ina bhfuil breis agus 600 bosca taifead agus atá ar an gcartlann Ghaeilge is mó a tháinig i seilbh na hOllscoile riamh.

Ag díriú ar na tréimhsí 1922-1940 agus 1970-2000, scrúdaíonn an tionscadal an úsáid a bhain Conradh na Gaeilge as na mórmheáin, an fhorbairt a rinneadh ar a mheáin chraolacháin agus chlóite féin agus an ról a bhí aige i bhfeachtais chun go mbeadh meáin áitiúla agus náisiúnta Ghaeilge ar fáil. Is é CARTLANN an chéad mhórthionscadal taighde a scrúdaíonn an caidreamh idir Conradh na Gaeilge agus na meáin ar dhá thaobh na teorann agus tugann sé léargas ar an tuiscint a bhíonn ag an ngníomhaíochas teanga ar na meáin, an rath a bhí ar fheachtais éagsúla nó an chaoi ar theip orthu agus an caidreamh íogair atá idir an dá dhlínse maidir le ceist achrannach na Gaeilge. Ó thaobh coincheapa de, baineann sé leas as raon teoiricí a bhaineann le staidéar ar na meáin, léann cartlannaíochta agus an tsochtheangeolaíocht lena n-áirítear na meáin sna mionteangacha, athneartú teanga agus polasaí teanga.

Ó uair a bhunaithe, thuig Conradh na Gaeilge an tábhacht a bhaineann leis na meáin, mar is léir ón mbaint a bhí aige le nuachtáin Ghaeilge ag deireadh an 19ú agus tús an 20ú hAois, na feachtais leanúnacha a bhí ar bun aige ar son stáisiúin raidió agus teilifíse Ghaeilge agus an úsáid a bhaineann sé as na meáin shóisialta sa lá atá inniu ann. Bhí a chuid feachtas fite fuaite leis na meáin ón tús agus úsáideadh réimse leathan ardán i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla i bhformáidí analógacha agus digiteacha. Bhí Conradh na Gaeilge ar scaradh gabhail idir an traidisiún agus an saol nua-aimseartha ó bunaíodh é: agus é ag cur teanga agus cultúr dúchais na hÉireann chun cinn, chuaigh sé i ngleic le gach dul chun cinn teicneolaíochta sa chraoltóireacht agus sna meáin chun a chuid feachtas a chur chun cinn agus a fhealsúnacht a scaipeadh i measc an phobail i gcoitinne.

Ar na torthaí a thiocfaidh as CARTLANN tá páipéir acadúla, imeachtaí for-rochtana poiblí agus comhdháil in earrach 2024.

Foireann taighde

Príomhthaighdeoir: An Dr John Walsh, Scoil na dTeangacha, na Litríochtaí agus na gCultúr, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.

Príomhthaighdeoir: An Dr Niall Comer, Scoil na nDán agus na nDaonnachtaí, Ollscoil Uladh

Taighdeoir Iardhochtúireachta (Gaillimh): An Dr Colm Mac Gearailt

Taighdeoir Iardhochtúireachta (Doire): An Dr Máire Nic Cathmhaoil

Maoinitheoir: An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas

Blianta an tionscadail: 2022-2024

CARTLANN is funded by the Higher Education Authority under the North-South Research Programme and is a joint project of the University of Galway and Ulster University. CARTLANN investigates Ireland’s cross-border Irish language voluntary body, Conradh na Gaeilge, which was founded in 1893 and continues to operate today. Drawing on extensive archival records on both sides of the border, the project focuses on the central role of the media in Conradh na Gaeilge’s work, both as a platform for disseminating information and as a recurring campaign aim. A key source for the project is the Conradh na Gaeilge archival collection at the University of Galway which consists of over 600 boxes of records and is the largest Irish language archive ever acquired by the University.

Focusing on 1922-1940 and 1970-2000, the project examines the use of mainstream media by Conradh na Gaeilge, the development of its own broadcast and print media and its involvement in campaigns for local and national media in Irish. CARTLANN is the first major research project examining the relationship between Conradh na Gaeilge and the media on both sides of the border and provide insights into how language activism understands media, the success or failure of various campaigns and the delicate relationship between the two jurisdictions around the contested terrain of the Irish language. Conceptually, it draws on a range of theories from media studies, archival studies and sociolinguistics including minority language media, language revitalisation and language policy.

Since its inception, Conradh na Gaeilge has recognised the significance of the media, evidenced by its involvement with late 19^th and early 20^th Century newspapers in Irish, its sustained campaigns for Irish language radio and television and its use of social media today. Its campaigns have been intertwined with the media from the outset and have engaged with a wide range of platforms in Irish and English and in analogue and digital formats. Conradh na Gaeilge’s development over the past century straddles tradition and modernity: while championing Ireland’s ancestral language and culture, it has engaged with each technological advance in broadcasting and media to promote its campaigns and disseminate its philosophy among the wider public.

The outputs of CARTLANN include academic papers, public outreach events and a conference in spring 2024.

Research team

Lead investigator: Dr John Walsh, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, University of Galway

Lead investigator: Dr Niall Comer, School of Arts and Humanities, Ulster University

Postdoctoral researcher (Galway): An Dr Colm Mac Gearailt

Postdoctoral researcher (Derry): Dr Máire Nic Cathmhaoil

Funder: Higher Education Authority

Project years: 2022-2024

Researchers

John Walsh

Is Ollamh Comhlach le Gaeilge i Scoil na dTeangacha, na Litríochtaí agus an gCultúr, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, é an Dr John Walsh. Tá saineolas aige ar an mbeartas teanga, an tsochtheangeolaíocht, na meáin chumarsáide i dteangacha mionlaigh agus ar an ilteangachas. In 2022 a d’fhoilsigh Peter Lang a mhonagraf is déanaí One Hundred Years of Irish Language Policy, 1922-2022. Fostaíodh an Dr Walsh cheana mar léachtóir le FIONTAR, DCU agus roimh dó dul leis an saol acadúil, chaith sé deich mbliana ag obair mar iriseoir leis an raidió áitiúil agus le RTÉ agus TG4.

Dr John Walsh is an Associate Professor of Irish in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Galway. He has expertise on language policy, sociolinguistics, minority language media and multilingualism. His latest monograph, One Hundred Years of Irish Language Policy, 1922-2022 was published by Peter Lang in 2022. Dr Walsh was employed previously as a lecturer with FIONTAR, DCU and before becoming an academic, he spent a decade working as a journalist with local radio and with RTÉ and TG4.

Niall Comer

Tá an Dr Niall Comer ina léachtóir le Gaeilge in Ollscoil Uladh, Doire, agus ina stiúrthóir ar an chúrsa Máistreachta san Aistriúchán. Is i réimse na logainmníochta, na hathbheochana agus na reachtaíochta teanga atá a spéis agus chaith sé cúig bliana mar eagarthóir ar An tUltach. Iar-uachtarán ar Chonradh na Gaeilge agus ar Chomhaltas Uladh atá ann chomh maith.

Dr Niall Comer is a Lecturer in Irish in the Ulster University, Derry, and course director of the MA in Translation. His research interests include onomastics, the revival and language legislation and he spent five years editing An tUltach. He is a former president of both Conradh na Gaeilge and Comhaltas Uladh.

Colm Mac Gearailt

As Gaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne, bhronn Coláiste na Tríonoide dochtúireacht ar an Dr Colm Mac Gearailt in 2019 dá thaighde, ‘Teaching the Nation’s Past: Irish History in Secondary Schools, 1924-69’, maoinithe ag an gComhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn. Roimhe seo d’oibrigh sé mar thaighdeoir iardhochtúireachta leis an aonad SEALBHÚ, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath agus le Coláiste na Tríonóide agus mar léachtóir in Institiúid Oideachais Marino. Ar na spéiseanna taighde atá aige tá oideachas na staire, stair shóisialta na hÉireann san fhichiú aois agus an nasc idir féiniúlacht náisiúnta, oideachas, agus teanga. Tá taithí ghairmiúil aige ar earnáil na teilifíse, ar na meáin agus ar na healaíona.

From the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht, Dr Colm Mac Gearailt completed his IRC-funded PhD, entitled ‘Teaching the Nation’s Past: Irish History in Secondary Schools, 1924-69’ at Trinity College Dublin in 2019. He has worked previously as postdoctoral researcher at SEALBHÚ in Dublin City University and at Trinity College and as a lecturer at Marino Institute of Education. His research interests are history education, twentieth-century Irish social history, and the link between national identity, education, and language. He also has professional experience of working in television, media and the arts.

Máire Nic Cathmhaoil

Bhain Máire Nic Cathmhaoil PhD amach in Ollscoil Uladh in 2006 ar ‘The Seventeenth Century Text Cín Lae Uí Mhealláin with Introduction, Translation and Notes’. Tá réimse spéiseanna taighde i stair, teanga agus litríocht na seachtú haoise déag, traidisiún na lámhscríbhinní sa Ghaeilge, anailís théascúil, litearthacht sa Ghaeilge, sochtheangeolaíocht agus pleanáil teanga agus teanga agus litríocht na Nua-Ghaeilge. Fostaíodh í cheana mar léachtóir Gaeilge in Ollcoil Uladh agus in UCD agus chaith sí tamall fada ag obair ag léibhéal na meánscolaíochta i nGaeltacht Thír Chonaill. Tá go leor alt foilsithe aici ar ghnéithe dá cuid taighde.

Máire Nic Cathmhaoil completed her PhD at Ulster University in 2006 on `The Seventeenth Century Text Cín Lae Uí Mhealláin with Introduction, Translation and Notes’. Her research interests include the history, language and literature of the seventeenth century, the Irish manuscript tradition, textual analysis, literacy in Irish, sociolinguistics and language planning, and modern Irish language and literature. She was employed previously as lecturer in Irish at Ulster University and UCD (2022-23) and spent an extended period working at secondary level in the Donegal Gaeltacht (2010-22). She has published several articles on aspects of her research.