Press Release May 2008

Completion of Cross-Border Irish Language Entrepreneur programme – ‘Fiontraithe le Gaeilge’.

The two-year cross-border entrepreneurship programme, part-financed by the European Union through the Interreg IIIA Programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the ICBAN Partnership with matching funds from Údarás na Gaeltachta will have its final conference on Wednesday 21 May in Óstán na Cúirte in Gaoth Dobhair.

The programme recruited thirty participants from community and private businesses in the Gaeltacht and in the Interreg region and they were involved in a comprehensive advanced study program over the period.

The programme commenced in November 2005 and officially launched by The Minister for Rural, Community and Gaeltacht affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív Gleann Cholm Cille in the summer of 2006.

The programme’s mission was to ensure that the best support and mentoring was available to the participants. Up skilling opportunities were provided in communications, financial and business planning, management challenges, marketing skills, innovation in technology and management with professional mentoring. Accreditation was provided through the Líonra initiative by the Letterkenny Institute of Technology.

The participants also spent a period of study at the leading international European School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland. Four were selected to participate in the advanced pedagogic program hosted by Babson College last February, also in St Gallen.

Entrepreneurship is of particular relevance to the future of the Irish language. The growth in Irish-medium education and the increased investment in the Gaeltacht demand that employment opportunities are available in the Irish language. There are, in recent years, increased opportunities in the Irish language sector, here and at EU level - in media, technology, interpretation & translation, tourism and education.

‘Fiontraithe le Gaeilge’ is managed by Oideas Gael, Gleann Cholm Cille in partnership with Forbairt Feirste, and is co-ordinated by WestBic

Is féidir clárú don chomhdháil le eunan@fiontrai.ie nó ag 074 97 38333

Return to top