Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025 in Fingal

Fingal County Council is getting ready to celebrate our language and culture during Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025.  This international Irish Language festival runs from 1-17 March with its motto encouraging everyone use whatever Irish they have – Bain Triail Aisti.  Council events are taking place in County Hall Swords, Local Libraries, Ardgillan Demesne and the Seamus Ennis Centre and many other events are being organised by Irish language groups throughout the County.  

Full details will be  uploaded here but some events include: 

On Wednesday 12th March at the Atrium County Hall Swords, there will be a Seachtain na Gaeilge celebration with Ceol, Craic and Gaeilge from 7 to 9pm. With support from The Seamus Ennis Arts Centre we present Bernadette Nic Gabhann, Caitlín Nic Gabhann, Ciarán Ó Maonaigh & Seán McElwain. Full details see Ceol & Craic for Seachtain na Gaeilge  This annual event, which welcomes Irish language enthusiasts from the county to join Fingal staff, is always very popular and audience participation is encouraged so if you would like to join in with a song on the night please do.

On Thursday March 6th Head Gardener Dominica McKevitt and Irish Officer Bernie Kelly will lead a bilingual walk in Ardgillan Demesne, Balbriggan. Meet in front of the Castle (facing the sea) at 11am.

There will be a Pop Up Gaeltacht in the Seamus Ennis Arts Centre on March 20th starting at 6pm followed by their regular bilingual singing session. 

The events in local libraries include music by Antaine Ó Faracháin and Nollaig Mac Carthaigh in Malahide Library on 12 March at 6.30-7.30.  There will be  Coimicí Gael le Aidan Courtney, Píosa Spraoi le Cupán Focail(s)! Fun with a Cup of Focals!) with Áine Gallagher, Folklore Stories with Róisin Murphy, Family Storytime with Seosamh O Maolalaí, a bilingual poetry evening and much more See: Library Brochure

Píosa Spraoi le Cupán Focail(s)!  

(Have Fun with a Cup of Focals!) le Áine Gallagher

‘Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste’ seo é an sprioc don ceardlann seo le Áine Gallagher, aka ‘the queen of offbeat’. Is ealaíontóir í Áine agus tá sí i gconaí ag déanamh rudaí nua agus cruthaitheach cun Gaeilge a cur cun cinn agus inspioráid a thabhairt do dhaoine cun an teanga a labhairt.

San ceardlann dhá theangach seo, beidh an aidhm cun píosa spraoi a fháil agus Gaeilge a cleactadh gan brú. Má cheapann tú nach bhfuil do chuid Gaeilge ró mhaith, ach ba mhaith leat í a feabhsú, seo é an ceardlann duit.

In this fun family, pop up event, children will play games to practice their cúpla focal and turn them into a simple story. ‘Queen of Offbeat’, Áine Gallagher, uses her ‘cup of focals’ (cup full of words) to encourage people to give Irish a go, even if it’s not perfect. She lives by the saying, ‘is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste’ (broken Irish is better than clever English).

Fáilte roimh chách/ All welcome

Scéalta Béaloideas (Irish Legends and Folklore)

le Róisín Murphy

Den ceiliúradh linn, le scéalaí Róisín Murphy agus a cuid scéalta tradisiúnta ó Éirinn. Oiriúnach do leanaí 7+

Storyteller Róisín Murphy delves into much loved Irish stories that have been passed down through the generations, ó lámh go lámh, ó glúin go ghlúin. This event is bilingual. Ages 7+

To reserve a place, please contact the library hosting the event.

Oíche Filíochta Dhátheangach 

Join us for a Bilingual Poetry evening in Balbriggan Library to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge. Read a poem yourself or listen to others and have a chat. Poems in Irish or English.

Bígí linn ag Oíche Filíochta Dhátheangach i Leabharlann Bhaile Brigín chun Seachtain na Gaeilge a cheiliúradh. Léigh dán tú féin nó éist le daoine eile agus bígí ag caint. Dánta i mBéarla nó i nGaeilge

Fáilte roimh chách! Everyone welcome!

Scéalaíocht don Teaghlach

(Family Storytime) le Seosamh Ó Maolalaí

Insíonn Seosamh scéalta i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge le chéile. Bíonn an–spraoi ina chuid scéalaíochta.

Seosamh tells stories in English and Irish together. His storytelling is great fun for all the family.

Ceol & Amhránaíocht Thraidisiúnta na hÉireann (IrishTraditional Music & Singing)

le Antaine Ó Faracháin & Nollaig MacCarthaigh

Is amhránaí ins an stíl dhúchasach é Antaine Ó Faracháin a chasann i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge agus is píobaire den scoth é Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh a bhfuil an–mheas air mar cheoltóir.

Antaine Ó Faracháin sings in the native style in both Irish and English and Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh is an excellent piper who is renowned for his skills as a musician.

Coimicí Gael

le Aidan Courtney

Sa cheardlann dátheangach seo, taispeánfaidh Aidan Courtney conas stiallghreannáin a chruthú agus conas cartúin a tharraingt. Píosa spraoi cruthaitheach do gach duine!

In this bilingual workshop, Aidan Courtney will show you how to create comic strips and draw cartoons. A bit of creative fun for everyone! Ages 8+