Stair Ghluaiseacht Chearta Síbhialta na Gaeltachta
Donncha Ó hÉallaithe: as Tiobrad Árannach ó thús ach tá cónaí air le os cionn 50 bliain i gCois Fharraige, Conamara. Chaith sé blianta ag múineadh Matamaite i RTC na Gaillimhe, nó an GMIT mar a tugadh air níos deireannaí. Bhí baint aige sna 1970aí le Gluaiseacht Chearta Síbhialta na Gaeltachta agus leis an bhfeachtas chun Údarás na Gaeltachta a fháil bunaithe. Ina dhiaidh sin bhí sé ar dhuine den mheitheal, faoi stiúr Bob Quinn, a chuir Teilifís na Gaeltachta ar an aer, ag craoladh go bradach ó Ros Muc i 1987 as a d’eascair TnaG/TG4 i 1996. Is iomaí alt staire atá scríofa aige thar na blianta, ina measc sraith alt faoi Ghluaiseacht Chearta Síbhialta na Gaeltachta, a foilsíodh san iris BISEACH. Chomh maith le sin tá altanna anailíse scríofa aige faoin meath atá ag teacht ar an nGaeilge mar theanga bheo phobail, bunaithe ar na torthaí daonáireamh faoi usáid na Gaeilge ar bhonn laethúil sna pobail Ghaeltachta. Na laethanta seo tá sé gafa leis an bhfeachtas tithíochta, BÁNÚ, atá ag stocaireacht ar na húdaráis éagsúla le go gcuirfear feabhas ar an soláthar tithíochta do chainteoirí Gaeilge sa gcuid bheag den Ghaeltachta ina bhfuil an Ghaeilge á úsáid mar theanga phobail.
Donncha Ó hÉallaithe was originally from Tipperary but has lived in Cois Fharraige, Connemara, for over 50 years. He spent years teaching Mathematics in Galway RTC, or GMIT as it was later known. In the 1970s he was involved in the Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement and the campaign to have Údarás na Gaeltachta established. He was later part of the team led by Bob Quinn that put Teilifís na Gaeltachta on the air, broadcasting pirated from Ros Muc in 1987 which gave rise to TnaG/TG4 in 1996. He has written many historical articles over the years, including a series of articles about the Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement, which were published in the magazine BISEACH. He has also written analytical articles on the decline of Irish as a living community language, based on census results on the daily use of Irish in Gaeltacht communities. These days he is involved in the housing campaign, BÁNÚ, which is lobbying the various authorities to improve the provision of housing for Irish speakers in the small part of the Gaeltacht where Irish is used as a community language.
Date: Monday, 16 March 2026
Time: 20:00/8pm
Venue: Harbour Hotel, Galway