Episode 3 Múinteoirí

NARRATOR SPEAKS GAELIC

HEATHER SPEAKS GAELIC

AINE SPEAKS GAELIC

SEAN SPEAKS GAELIC

They started out in September, where they had no real experience,

so by the time they come to me, hopefully they're a bit

more confident with their lesson plans, schemes of work

and the work they do in the workshop here, getting resources prepared,

so they'll all hopefully be able to make their resources

and go out and present with more confidence in the classroom.

And hopefully the four weeks that they have coming up will fly in

for them, and at the end of it they are a qualified teacher

and they are ready to hit the big bad world out there of...

schoolchildren.

THEY CHANT THE NEW ZEALAND HAKA

AINE SPEAKS GAELIC

GIRL SPEAKS GAELIC

THEY SING IN GAELIC

HEATHER SPEAKS GAELIC

CHILDREN SPEAK GAELIC

THEY SING IN GAELIC

Yeah, yeah!

GABRIELLE SPEAKS GAELIC

SEAN SPEAKS GAELIC

NARRATOR SPEAKS GAELIC

GABRIELLE AND SEAN LAUGH

MUSIC: Faith by George Michael

We have more Irish language place names

in East Belfast than there actually are in West Belfast.

And I'll give you an example, we have two schools

in East Belfast. One of them is Knocknagoney Primary School,

and their badge is a hill and rabbits,

because, of course, Cnoc na gCoinini -

"the hill of the rabbits".

We have Lisnasharragh Primary School and we had

Lisnasharragh High School,

it was Georgie Best's old school, their badge was a horse's head.

The primary school - their badge is four horses,

and of course along it, it says, "the fort of the foals".

And people don't realise that's where the meaning has come from,

the Irish.

SHE SPEAKS GAELIC

..A language that I love is regarded as offensive

by some people because they haven't been allowed to know...

You know, the only Irish they know is Tiocfaidh Ar La -

they don't know anything else.

Now, there are a lot of people

within the Protestant/Unionist community

who are interested in the language

and, you know, all we have done is open a door.

'You know, these are people who are going to be going out

'teaching in the community and I think it's important'

to come and share the story of what we do in East Belfast,

I suppose, to show the diversity of the language...

That there are, you know, people from both sides of the community

who are engaging with the language and interested in the language

and I suppose that no area is barred.

I'd just like to say something about my experience

as somebody coming from a Protestant background...

And I always wanted to learn it, but going to a state school,

obviously, never had the opportunity and it's my absolute dream

to have, erm, a Gaelscoil in a Loyalist area.

And it's been also my dream to teach Irish to Protestants

and I think it's important in Loyalist areas for people

learning in Loyalist areas to see people from Protestant backgrounds

coming in and teaching the language and giving it back.

We need well-qualified, well-trained teachers

to teach the teachers of the future too

because these children are going to come up and...

You know, just, the language is growing.

NARRATOR SPEAKS GAELIC

So, can you remember where you're sitting?

So that whenever you come on Friday morning,

that that's exactly where you're sitting

and the reason you're sitting like that is because towards

the end of the Mass, whenever we have the commissioning

and the RE certificates, you'll be called up in that order.

On Friday morning, the students are coming here with their parents,

this is the TICO Commencement ceremony

and it begins with a Mass for all of those students

who've come through the TICO programme.

'They are invited here because as part of their programme,

'they do the Religious Education Certificate.

'We have been preparing for the Mass here as part of the RE Certificate.

'The students will be presented with their certificate

'and commissioned to go out and teach in Catholic schools,

'North and South and wherever else they go.'

HEATHER SPEAKS GAELIC

HE SPEAKS GAELIC

HEATHER SPEAKS GAELIC

NARRATOR SPEAKS GAELIC

Where's Aine? Do you want yours?

-Go on...

-Thanks.

Heather...

Here you go...

-Congratulations, well done.

-Thank you,

pass with commendation.

-Oh, that's great, thank you.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

NARRATOR SPEAKS GAELIC

SEAN LAUGHS

-Happy enough.

-Good. Congratulations.

-Thanks.

-Thank you.

-Well, how did you get on?

THEY SPEAK GAELIC

NARRATOR SPEAKS GAELIC

Happy enough.

Yeah, yeah...

CHEERING

CHEERING

I'm glad she's going in to teaching.

She does have the nature for it.

I'm just unbelievably proud of her.

Yeah.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Yeah, she's done well, it's something she's wanted to do

for a while, so, it's er...

It's all culminated today.

It's been a long year for him, so it's paid its dividends today

and we're extremely proud, he's done well.

He's a couple of things to bring home with him, so we're all happy.

LAUGHTER