Seachtain na Gaeilge 2022

Le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar Seachtain na Gaeilge 2022 ba mhaith leis An Chomhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn spotsholas a chur ar roinnt dár dtaighdeoirí luathghairme Gaeilge.

To celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge 2022 the Irish Research Council highlights a selection of our funded early-career Irish language researchers.

 

Katie Whelan, Scoláire Iarchéime Rialtas na hÉireann sa bhliain 2021, Scoil na Gaeilge, an Léinn Cheiltigh & an Bhéaloidis, An Coláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath

‘Is é teideal mo thaighde dochtúireachta ná ‘Scéal na mBan’ in iriseoireacht na Gaeilge i dtréimhse iar-athbheochana na hÉireann, 1922-1962. Tá iniúchadh á dhéanamh agam ar ghuth na mban Éireannach in iriseoireacht chló na Gaeilge i dtréimhse chlaochlaitheach i stair an náisiúin, idir bunú Shaorstát Éireann i 1922 agus tús chraoladh RTÉ i 1962. Tá anailís á déanamh agam ar ghuth na mban i dtréimhseacháin, in irisí agus i nuachtáin Ghaeilge ón tréimhse úd, cuir i gcás An Claidheamh Soluis agus Fáinne an Lae (1899-1932) agus An t-Éireannach (1934-1937).

Tá foinsí litríochta ó pheann an scríbhnora baineann á mionscrúdú agam freisin, idir dhrámaí, ghearrscéalta agus dánta le léargas cuimsitheach a thabhairt ar ghuth na mban ag an am. Is í príomhaidhm an taighde seo ná tionchar na mban ar iriseoireacht na Gaeilge i dtréimhse iar-athbheochana an tSaorstáit a mheas. Tá tábhacht níos mó ag baint leis an taighde seo sa lá atá inniu ann freisin, agus ceiliúradh Dheich mBliana na gCuimhneachán faoi lán seoil. Le fada an lá, bhí ról na mná Éireannaí cúngaithe mar charachtar traidisiúnta, miotaseolaíoch amháin – a fheicimid le Cathleen Ní Houlihan.

Taispeánfar sa taighde seo gur saoránach rannpháirteach, gníomhach í an bhean Éireannach agus gur thug an t-ardán iriseoireachta Gaeilge an deis di í féin a chur i lár an aonaigh sa Shaorstát nuabhunaithe. Is cuid lárnach den thaighde í an Ghaeilge agus is léir ó mo chuid staidéir go dtí seo gur fheidhmigh sí mar uirlis chumarsáide éifeachtach do bhantracht na hÉireann agus cúis na mban agus cearta comhionanna á gcur chun cinn acu.’

Katie Whelan, Scoláire Iarchéime Rialtas na hÉireann sa bhliain 2021

‘The title of my doctoral research is ‘The Story of Women’ in Irish language media in post-revival Ireland, 1922-1962. As part of this research, I am examining the Irish woman’s voice in Irish language print journalism during a transformative period in the nation’s history, between the founding of the Irish Free State in 1922, and the beginning of RTÉ broadcasting in 1962. I am analysing the female voice in Irish language periodicals, journals and newspapers from this particular period, for example An Claidheamh Soluis agus Fáinne an Lae (1899-1932) and An t-Éireannach (1934-1937).

I am also analysing literary works from the pen of the female writer, including dramas, short stories and poems in order to gain a comprehensive insight into the female voice of the time. The primary aim of this research is to assess the impact of Irish language journalism from the female writer in the post-revival period in Ireland. There is now a greater importance to undertaking this work as the Decade of Centenaries celebrations are underway. For too long, the role of the Irish woman was historically confined to that of a mythological character, as we see in the case of Cathleen Ní Houlihan.

This research will show however, that the Irish woman was an engaged and active citizen and that the platform of Irish language media allowed her to assume a central role in the newfound Free State. The Irish language is an integral piece of this research and it is clear from my work this far that the language functioned as a very effective medium for the women of Ireland to express themselves and promote the cause of women and equal rights.’

Dr Cassandra Smith-Christmas, Comhalta Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action, Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh; Bronnadh Comhaltacht Iardhochtúireachta Rialtas na hÉireann uirthi sa bhliain 2016, Ollscoil Luimnigh

‘Na dushláin roimh mhiontheangacha: Beartais Teanga na dTeaghlach in Éirinn agus in Albain. Ag tógáil ar mo chuid taighde i réimse Bheartas Teanga an Teaghlaigh úsáideann an tionscnamh seo modhanna cáilíochtúla agus eitneagrafacha le tuiscint níos doimhne agus níos fearr a fháil ar na dúshláin a bhíonn roimh theaghlaigh a thógann páistí le mionteanga. Tá an tionscnamh dírithe ar dhá mhionteanga – Gaeilge na hAlban agus Gaeilge na hÉireann. Tá na teangacha seo an-chosúil lena chéile nuair a bhreathnaítear orthu mar theangacha labhartha agus scríofa, ach tá an-difear eatarthu maidir le tacaíocht stáit agus na beartais atá ann chun iad a chosaint.

Sa tionscnamh seo, dírítear ar na cleachtais agus ar na creidimh teanga atá ag sé theaghlach faoi leith – trí cinn atá lonnaithe in Oileáin Thiar na hAlban agus trí cinn a bhfuil cónaí orthu i nGaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne. Léiríonn an cur chuige seo an dóigh a dtéann beartais teanga an stáit i bhfeidhm ar an bpobal a labhraíonn an teanga agus léirítear an tionchar atá ag na beartais sin ag leibhéal an teaghlaigh féin.  Tá monograf á scríobh agam i láthair na huaire bunaithe ar na torthaí agus an tionscanamh ina dhiadh sin a rinne mé i gcomhpháirt le hIonad an Bhéaloidis agus Oidhreacht Chultúrtha Smithsonian, atá lonnaithe i gCorca Dhuibhne chomh maith.’

Dr Cassandra Smith-Christmas, Bronnadh Comhaltacht Iardhochtúireachta Rialtas na hÉireann uirthi sa bhliain 2016

‘Building on my previous research in the area of ‘Family Language Policy’ (‘FLP’) (Smith-Christmas, 2014, 2016), this project uses qualitative and ethnographic methods to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges of raising children with minority languages. The project focuses on two minority languages—Scottish Gaelic and Irish—which, in linguistic terms, are extremely similar but which exist in polities where state support for the language is vastly different. 

By focusing on the language practices and language beliefs of six families, three of whom live in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and three of whom live in the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht in Ireland, this project provides an in-depth understanding of how language policies at the state and community level—and more importantly, how individual speakers experience these particular language policies— impact language policy at the micro-level of the family. I’m currently writing a monograph based on the findings and the subsequent project I did with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, which was also based in Corca Dhuibhne.’

Oileán Sgalpaigh, Albain

Connor McCabe, Scoláire Iarchéime Rialtas na hÉireann 2021, Saotharlann Foghraíochta agus Urlabhra, Coláiste na Tríonóide. Buaiteoir an gradam taighde iar-chéime IRC 2021 i gcatagóir na nEalaíon, na nDaonnachtaí agus na n-eolaíochtaí sóisialta.

 

‘Baineann mo chuid taighde le foghraíocht (staidéar fhuaimeanna na hurlabhra) agus fóineolaíocht (staidéar eagrú na bhfuaimeanna céanna sa mheabhair) na Gaeilge, go háirithe prosóid i gcanúintí na Mumhan. Fo-ábhair de chuid na teangeolaíochta – an staidéar eolaíochta ar theanga go ginearálta – is ea iad seo. Sa bhliain dheireanach de chuid mo PhD atáim faoi láthair, a maoinítear ag an CTÉ. Trí mheán scrúdú agus anailíse ar thaifid scéalaíochta ón lá atá inniu ann agus ó 1928, agus trialacha cainte ar nós comhordú cainte le bualadh rithimeach, agus foghrú bréagfhocal smachtaithe, is féidir liom díriú isteach ar: tréithe siollaí tosaigh na bhfocal faoi urú, patrúin tuanaíochta sa chúige agus a n-athruithe idir 1928 agus an lá atá ann, agus cúrsaí béime in éineacht le tuanaíocht.

Tá an-shuim agam in athrú béime sa Mhumhan, inar deirtear gur bhog béim sa cheantar ón siolla tosaigh go cinn eile i bhfocail áirithe (ar nós cu-PÁN in ionad CU-pán). Trasnaíonn teangeolaíocht línte idir teangacha, síceolaíocht, soiceolaíocht, teicneolaíocht, agus féiniúlacht; ní hionann í agus staidéar praiticiúil na dteangacha éagsúla, nó staidéar na litríochta, nó staidéar oidhreachta, cé gur mó an tábhacht a bhaineann leo siúd féin. Is iontach taighde sa réim seo a fheiscint tacaithe ag an CTÉ, agus is mór an phribhléid í páirt a ghlacadh ann.’

Connor McCabe, Scoláire Iarchéime Rialtas na hÉireann 2021

My research concerns phonetics (the study of speech sounds) and phonology (the study of the same sounds’ organisation in the mind) in Irish, specifically prosody in the dialects of Munster. These are subfields within linguistics – the scientific study of language generally. I am currently in the final year of my PhD, which is funded by the IRC. By way of examination and analysis of storytelling recordings from the present day and 1928, and speech experiments such as coordination between speech and a rhythmic beat, and pronunciation of controlled non-words, I am able to look at: characteristics of words’ initial syllables under urú (eclipsing mutation), intonation patterns in the region and their changes between 1928 and the present day, and stress in conjunction with intonation.

I am very interested in stress change in Munster, in which stress in the region is said to have moved from the initial syllable to another in certain words (such as cu-PÁN instead of CU-pán). Linguistics crosses lines between languages, psychology, sociology, technology, and identity; it is not the same as the practical study of languages, literary study, or heritage study, although these are very important in their own right. It is wonderful to see research in this area supported by the IRC, and a great privilege to take part in it.