LÁ DEARG – Béal Feirste 12/04/2014
Ba chúis bród é an Satharn anseo i mBéal Feirste do na mílte Gael idir ó óg agus aosta, ó thuaidh agus ó dheas a bhailigh le chéile le siúil gualainn ar ghualainn ar son cearta teanga.
Bhí Gaeil óga as Bhéal Feirste suas ar an Sliabh Dubh le GaelForce Art céad rud maidin Shatharn ag ullmhú fáiltiú feiceálach do na Gaeil bhí ag taisteal go Bhéal Feirste don lá. Scríobhadh “AN LÁ DEARG” ar an Sliabh.
Tháinig gaelscoileanna, grúpaí gaeilge, feachtais eagsúla chomh maith le neart eile le siúil ar son cothrom na féinne don Ghaeilge, agus ba é Cearta, Cothromas agus Cóir meana an lae agus an fheachtais amach anseo.
Tá trí éileamh bainte leis an fheachtas dearg,
1. Acht Gaeilge ceart-bhunaithe ó Thuaidh
2. Go comhlíonnann an rialtas a ndaulgas le chóras gaeloideachais cuimsitheach a chur i bhfeidhm
3. N hachainní cuí do ghrúpaí Gaeilge a chur ar fáil
Chomh maith le sárcheoil agus céiliúradh a bhuí le J.J Óó Dovhartaigh agus Éamonn Ó Faogáin, bhí Gaeil óga ar an ardán ag ardú próifíle agus ag léiriú neamhaird an stáit ar a cuinsí pearsanta. Labhair deagóir, Cassie Ní Chathain 
fá na 750 gael óga atá ar ghaelscoileanna i gCo.Doire gan deis freastal ar mheánscoil lán-Ghaeilge, í féin ina measc.
Labhair déagóir eile, Tiarnach Ní Chaiside fá easpa seirbhís taisitil do Ghaeil óga as tuaisceart Bhéal Feirste cé gur mhol an Giústís Treacey gur chóir seirbhís bus bheith acu. Beag beann ar seo áfach, molann an Roinn Oideachais do na paistí siúil chun na scoile síos Bhóthar na Seancille, an dheánfá é? Bhí Gael agus príomhoide gaelscoile Móna 
Uí Dhochartaigh i mbun cainte chomh maith agus léirigh sí an easpa tacaíochta agus seirbhísí stait agus aineolais stáit agus í agus a fear ag tógáil clainne i nGaeilge.
Tar éis na mílte ag freastal ar an léirsiú leis an mhíshástacht i measc na nGael dá bharr easpa cearta, cothromas agus cóir, is féidir a rá gur seo ach tús an fheachtais. Bí linn!
**Pictiúirí Chiaráin Uí Bhrolcháin
Saturday was a proud day for the thousands of Gaels between young and old, of North and South who landed in to Belfast, shoulder to shoulder to march on behalf of language rights.
Young Belfast Gaels had an early start as they organised a visual welcome for those travelling to the march. Along with GaelForce Art, they laid out “AN LÁ DEARG” on the Black Mountain.
Gaelscoils, Irish language groups, along with sub-campaigns with the Irish language sector along with plenty of others to walk on behalf of equality for the Irish language. Equality, Rights and Fairness was the mantra of the day and of the campaign.
The campaign has specified three demands:
- 1. A comprehensive rights-based Irish Language Act for the North.
- 2. That the State in the North fulfil their obligations to develop a comprehensive Irish-medium Education system.
- 3. Those adequate resources be provided for the Irish speaking Community.
Along with great music and revelry with J.J Ó Dochartaigh and Éamonn Ó Faogáin, young Gaels took to the stage to highlight the state’s ignorance of their personal circumstances. Derry teen Cassie Ní Chaithin spoke of the 750 Derry children receiving an Irish medium education with no opportunity to attend an Irish medium secondary school, an opportunity Cassie herself was denied.
Belfast teen, Tiarnach Ní Chaiside spoke of the lack of school travel service for young Gaels in North Belfast despite the ruling of Justice Treacey advocating that a bus be provided. Despite this advocacy however, the Department of Education suggests the young people walk to school through the Shankill, would you? Gael and school principal, Móna Úí Dhochartaigh also demonstrated the lack of state support and services and the level of state ignorance as she and her husband raise a family through Irish.
Thousands attended the demonstration to highlight their dissatisfaction at the lack of rights, equality and fairness for Irish speakers, it is a safe bet that this is but the beginning of the campaign. Be a part of it!
** Ciarán Ó Brolcháin pictures
