This article is from page 18 of the 2011-05-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
SIXMILBRIDGE is awash with comhrá this week, with everyone sporting badges that announce they have ‘cúpla focal’. This pride in the Irish language comes after the village became the only one in Clare to get through to the next round of the TG4 ‘G-Team’ competition.
Now, the village is in with a strong chance of winning the prize – € 40,000 to spend in promoting their area.
The badges – which declare ‘Tá cupla focal agam’ – have been distributed in shops; a trad music session ‘as Gaeilge’ has been organised; and the local bistro, The Miller’s Loft, is even changing its name to an Irish version in honour of the event.
‘The G-Team’ is a new 10-part television series on TG4 that will feature non-Irish speaking communities from all over the country. The challenge is for these communities to begin using their native tongue in their daily routines.
Film crews descended on the East Clare village a week ago and filmed local people doing their shopping, ordering pints and having business meetings in Irish. Diners in the bistro were filmed enjoying their meals, having ordered them as Gaeilge.
The G-Team winners 2011 win a € 40,000 prize, sponsored by Foras na Gaeilge, to use in promoting their local area.
There was absolute delight at a meeting to announce that Sixmilebridge has become the only village in Clare to qualify.
Speaking at the Irish-speaking trad session and the launch of the badge at the weekend, Brendan Walsh of the Sixmilebrideg Folk Club said, “There is fantastic excitement in the village about the whole thing. They’re really grabbing this and running with.
“There are all kinds of plans coming up. The aim is to involve every organisation in the village, and there are plenty of them.”
TG4 has appointed a mentor to help the Sixmilebridge residents to co-ordinate their next steps in the competition.
Film crews will be arriving to film at intervals and watch the progress of expanding the amount of Irish that people in the community use in their everyday lives.