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Students from Maynooth Post Primary School and Loreto Secondary School, Bray, Co. Wicklow, as well as, second-level schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland, along with their teachers, gathered on the Isle of Skye in Scotland from September 29th to October 1st . They were there to take part in the annual Ri Chéile Festival, having won Gael Linn’s Debating and Public Speaking Competitions and Comann na Gaidhlig’s Debating Competition earlier on in the year.
RI CHÉILE means ‘together’ in Scots Gaelic or ‘le chéile’ in Gaeilge / Irish and the purpose of this annual event is to foster ties between young people from both countries and to give them an opportunity to explore similarities between their two languages. The scheme is organised jointly by Gael Linn and Comann na Gaidhlig and funded by the organisation COLMCILLE. This is the eighth year of the festival which is held every Autumn in Ireland or Scotland on alternate years.
The Ri Chéile group was made very welcome in the Dunflodigarry Hostel, former home of the Jacobite heroine, Flora McDonald, on the Isle of Skye. Various activities were organized for the visitors, including a tour of the island and a trip to the Skye Museum of Island Life. The comprehensive itinerary also included a mini Gaidhlig/Gaeilge class and a bi-lingual tablequiz which greatly assisted the students and teachers in understanding both languages!
The main focus of the three day event was a Public Speaking Forum during which the young orators from Scotland and Ireland spoke on a wide range of topics such as the GAA, TV Programmes, Mobile Phones, Scottish Independence, etc. Certificates and plaques were presented to all speakers in recognition of their participation.
The festival concluded with a social night at which musicians, dancers and singers entertained with some help from Ri Chéile students and teachers! Plans are already in train for Ri Chéile 2010, which will be held in Ireland.
Déirdre Ní Chearúil, Peadar Óg Ó Muirí, Niamh Ní Mhuirí and Éirin Ní Chearúil travelled to the Isle of Skye for this event with Ms. A Ní Mhaonaigh. They are currently the reigning All-Ireland champions of Comórtas Uí Chadhain in the Junior Gael Linn Debating competition.
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