A new cross-border initiative aimed at building relationships between communities through the Irish language has secured almost €84,000 in funding from the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme.
The 15-month project will be led by Líonra Leitir Ceanainn in Letterkenny, working in partnership with groups in Carntogher, Co. Derry, and East Belfast.
The organisations will bring people from different cultural, geographic and political backgrounds together through shared language and cultural experiences.
Bairbre Uí Chathail of Líonra Leitir Ceanainn says it’s an important programme…………..
Release in full –
Cross-Border Irish Language Project Secures €83,951 PEACEPLUS Funding
A new cross-border initiative aimed at building relationships between communities through the Irish
language has secured €83,951 in funding from the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme.
The 15-month project will be led by Líonra Leitir Ceanainn in Letterkenny, working in partnership
with Cairde Dhroim nDamh in Carntogher, Co. Derry, and Cairde Turas in East Belfast. The
organisations will bring people from different cultural, geographic and political backgrounds
together through shared language and cultural experiences.
The project will involve participants from the largely unionist communities of East Belfast, the rural
community of Carntogher and the urban community of Letterkenny. Organisers say the initiative is
both a cross-border and cross-community programme, focused on building understanding and
relationships between people who might not otherwise meet.
The initiative will explore the role of language in shaping identity and belonging in different
communities. While Irish has a long and rich cultural history, it remains a minority language and
engagement with it can be influenced by factors such as confidence, isolation, perception and
identity.
Participants will come from a variety of linguistic and social backgrounds. Some have studied Irish
throughout their schooling but feel they have lacked opportunities to use it meaningfully as adults.
Others come from areas where Irish was historically strong and where over the past thirty years
work has gone on to re-establish it as an Irish speaking community . A further group will include
learners from communities where Irish has traditionally been viewed with suspicion or politicised in
public discourse.
Despite these different experiences, organisers say participants share a common challenge: limited
opportunities to connect with other learners outside their own community. By bringing people
together, the project hopes to challenge assumptions about who the language belongs to and
encourage a more inclusive understanding of linguistic heritage.
At its core will be a group of Irish language learners from the three areas, alongside young people
and families. The organisers believe that involving participants across generations will help
strengthen connections and ensure the long-term sustainability of the relationships developed
through the project.
A range of activities is planned throughout the programme. These include a major visit to Belfast
where adult learners from the three regions will take part in cultural tours, workshops and
discussions about language and heritage. Young people from Letterkenny will also travel to Belfast
to explore the city’s Irish language initiatives and discuss identity and culture.
Families involved in Irish-language education in the three communities will take part in a storytelling-
themed family day at the Drumnaph Nature Reserve in Carntogher, while teenagers from Belfast,
Derry and Donegal will receive media training to create short films exploring language, heritage and
identity.
The programme will also include residential workshops in the Donegal Gaeltacht, where participants
will take part in classes, music, storytelling and reflective discussions about their experiences. The
project will conclude with a showcase event in Letterkenny featuring the young filmmakers’ work
and facilitated conversations about linguistic diversity and identity.
Organisers say the project aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation while building confidence
and friendships among Irish language learners of all backgrounds.
By creating opportunities for meaningful interaction and dialogue, the partners hope the initiative
will foster greater understanding across communities and contribute to a deeper appreciation of
how the languages we are rooted in shape our sense of self.
Photo Front left –
Cathal Mac Grianna Líonra Leitir Ceanainn
Joe Ó Dochartaigh Cairde Dhroim nDamh
Niall Páirc Cairde Turas
Bairbre Uí Chathail Líonra Leitir Ceanainn
Back from the left –
Alma Ní Ghormáin Líonra Leitir Ceanainn
Caitlín Uí Chochláin Líonra Leitir Ceanainn
Caoimhín ó Dochartaigh Líonra Leitir Ceanainn
