More than 2,000 people used the educational and other services of Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha (The Centre for Spoken Irish) at UCC in the past year. This is proof, says its director, Mr Pol Ruiseal, that Irish is becoming increasingly popular.
Of the 1,000 foreign students now attending UCC, at least 25 per cent are taking Irish classes and displaying much more than a passive interest in the language by attending Gaeltacht courses, etc. These are exciting times for the Irish language, he believes.
The centre (An tIonad) operates under Bord na Gaeilge at UCC, whose annual report for 1999/2000, just published, has an upbeat ring.
Some 840 learners attended language courses during the academic year while a further 1,284 participated in various seminars, schemes and cultural activities. In all, it represents a 5 per cent increase on the previous year.
An tIonad estimates that 5,000 people came into significant or brief contact with the language during the year while 8,000 people at home and abroad used its website www.ucc.ie/ucc/igl The site is available principally in Irish but also in four other world languages.
During the year, the Higher Education Authority awarded An tIonad a grant of £250,000 to fund Irish-language initiatives in the computer skills area. The Department of Education (DOE) is now considering a proposal from the centre which could lead to a multimillion-pound development at Colaiste Iosagain in the Ballyvourney Gaeltacht, Co Cork. A DOE teacher-training centre is already under construction on the campus of the former all-Irish school.
If the centre's plans win approval, an adult education centre, centres for Irish-language courses and cultural resources as well as an information technology centre, will be located there, giving a huge boost to this part of the Gaeltacht.