I am back in New York after a short break. I was at Wisconsin University, Madison for the American Conference for Irish Studies (ACIS) last week. I flew to Chicago where my Ph.D supervisor Dominic Bryan and the guys from the Institute for Irish Studies, Belfast, met me and we all drove up to Madison. My hotel, The Madison Conference, was superb and so reasonable compared to New York City hotel prices -- it only cost me around $100 per night and I had such a wonderful view of the beautiful State Building from my hotel window. There were about 350 people attending the conference in Madison. There were lectures each morning, a nice break for lunch then back to lectures for the afternoon. The evenings were spent at various receptions, book launches, concerts, etc. There was a very high standard of lectures, all based around the theme, "Global Networks and Local Ties." I was presenting a lecture on my Ph.D findings on "Irish identity in New York." I was a little nervous, but I got on grand. I am just about to begin my Ph.D writing that will take a year or so. I am really looking forward to it, but I also realize the size of the challenge I am up against. I chaired a panel at ACIS entitled "The Irish Language Abroad." There were seven Irish language professors on the panel from various Universities in the U.S.: Brian Ó Conchubhair from Notre Dame, John Gleeson University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Nancy Stenson University of Minnesota, Shane Curran and Fintan Moore from University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, Brian Ó Broin from William Patterson University in New Jersey, and myself. We realise that every Irish language instructor in the U.S. is faced with the same issues: trying to increase enrollment in classes and trying to promote the Irish language here. But they are all extremely happy to be dealing with the Irish language in the U.S. many remarked on the progress that the language has made in the past few years -- something which is hopefully encouraging to Irish politicians and to the Irish public. Members of the audience at "The Irish language Abroad" debate were very active also, declaring that there needs to be an umbrella group established in the U.S., in New York for example, that would help manage the Irish language in North America. The experts agreed that such an organization would greatly help the language here. This is something I mentioned a few years back at the "Irish Language Conference" that was held in New York. Funds should be made available for such a program, including an office that would be responsible for the promotion of the Irish language in North America. Perhaps it is something that I could explore as soon as I'm done with my Ph.D. I'll put it on my "To Do" list. Bye for now!
Táim ar ais sa chathair tar éis sos beag. Bhíos in Ollscoil Wisconsin i Madison, don American Conference for Irish Studies (ACIS) an tseachtain seo caite. D'eitil mé chuig Chicago agus ansin bhuail mé le mo stiúrthóir Ph D Dominic Bryan agus le lucht an Roinn Ghaelach ó Ollscoil na Banríona i mBéal Feirste. Thiomáineamar ó Chicago go Madison. Bhí m'óstán 'Madison Concourse' go hálainn agus chomh saor i gcomparáid le praghsanna Nua Eabhrac. Níor chosnaigh sé ach tuairim $100 in aghaidh na hoíche. Bhí an t-óstán ar ard chaighdeán agus radharc iontach agam den fhoirgneamh Stáit ó mo sheomra. Bhí thart ar 350 duine i láthair in Ollscoil Mhadison don chomhdháil. D'fhreastail mé ar léachtanna gach maidin, ansin brise don lón, níos mó leachtanna um thráthnóna agus bheadh ócáid éigean ar siúl i s'oíche, ceolchoirm, dinnéar, seoladh leabhair mar shampla. Bhí caighdeán na léachta ar fheabhas ar fad, iad uilig bunaithe ar an téama 'Global Networks and Local Ties'. Bhí léacht a thabhairt agamsa ar mo thaighde Ph D 'Irish identity in New York'. Bhíos beagánín neirbhíseach ach d'éirigh go breá liom. Táim ar tí tosú ar mo chuid Ph D scríobhnóireacht, rud a thógfaí bliain ar a laghad. Táim ag tnúth go mór le tabhairt faoi ach is dúshlán mór atá amach romham. Bhíos i mo chathaoirleach freisin ag ACIS ar phainéal acadúla 'The Irish Language Abroad', áit a raibh 7 nOllamh Gaeilge ó Ollscoil éagsúla i Meiriceá ag déanamh plé ar an leas agus na constaiceanna is mó a bhaineann le bheith ar iarraidh an Ghaeilge a mhúineadh i Mheirceá Thuaidh. Seo a leanas na daoine a raibh páirteach sa díospóireacht: Brian Ó Conchubhair as Ollscoil, Notre Dame, John Gleeson as Ollscoil Wisconsin i Milwaukee, Nancy Stenson as Ollscoil Minnesota, Shane Curran agus Fintan Moore as Ollscoil St. Thomas, Minnesota, Brian Ó Broin as Ollscoil William Patterson i Nua Gheirsí agus mé féin. Thugamar faoi deara le linn na díospóireachta go raibh na deacrachtaí céanna ag gach duine againn maidir le poiblíocht na ranganna agus cur chun cinn na teanga ach le sin ráite, tá gach aon duine fíor sásta go bhfuileadar ag obair leis an nGaeilge anseo agus tugadh le fios go bhfuil ag éirí go breá leis an teanga anseo, rud a thugann fíor spreagadh dos na polaiteoirí agus an phobail sa bhaile meas cheart bheith acu ar an nGaeilge. Bhí an lucht féachana an-pháirteach sa chaint chomh maith. Comhairle a mhol siad agus a d'aontaigh na saineolaithe le ná eagraíocht a thosú I Nua Eabhrac cur i gcás, áit a mbeadh oifig amháin i gceannas ar an nGaeilge i Mheirceá. Mhol mise é seo blianta ó shin nuair a bhí anchomhdháil 'Fís Ghaeilge Mheirceá Thuaidh' againn i Nua Eabhrac. Dar liomsa be cheart go mbeadh maonú ann chun oifig a chur ar fáil, áit a mbeadh ardú céime na Gaeilge i Meiriceá mar phríomh aidhm ag an oifig sin. Bheadh an oifig seo in ann cabhair agus cúnamh a thabhairt do mhúinteoirí Ghaeilge timpeall na Stáit Aontaithe agus Ceanada. Dhéanfadh a leithead d'oifig an-mhaitheas don teanga. B'fhéidir go mbeidh mé in ann a leithead a dhéanamh chomh luath agus a mbíonn an Ph bainte amach agam. Cuirfidh mé é ar mo liosta 'Le Déanamh'. Slán!
