New partnership between Arts Council and Lá launched

A new partnership between the Arts Council and the daily Irish language newspaper Lá will be launched at the Cultúrlann, Falls Road, Belfast at 1.00pm on Saturday 22 November.

The Arts Council has approved £27,000 for Lá over the next 12 months to enable the not-for-profit paper to publish two supplements per week on the arts.

Robbie Meredith, Literary and Language Arts with the Arts Council, said: “We are very pleased to be able to have this partnership with Lá. Despite pressures created by the widespread use of the English language, Irish continues to flourish as a spoken and literary language. By providing funds and encouraging development, the Arts Council is determined to play its part in ensuring that language arts in Irish maintains its place in our cultural life.”

The supplements will be pioneered by new Lá arts editor and Irish language author Philip Cummings.

“We have already started these supplements and it’s my intention to provide a platform for the best of new Irish language writing as well as creating a forum for criticism and debate. With the help of the Arts Council, Lá will be distributing information about the Irish language arts while showcasing new literary works for the Gaeilge community.”

Lá editor Ciarán Ó Pronntaigh welcomed the Arts Council investment in the paper which is the only daily in a Celtic language.

“When Lá launched as a daily in April of this year, we said its success depended on forging links with those who understand the importance of Irish in a diverse society. With this help from the Arts Council, we will be able to ensure that our coverage of the arts is expanded and strengthened.”

Páirtíocht nua idir an Chomhairle Ealaín agus Lá

Seolfar páirtíocht nua idir an nuachtán laethúil Gaeilge Lá agus Comhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann sa Chultúrlann, Br na bhFál, Béal Feirste, ar 1in Dé Sathairn 22 Samhain.

Tá socraithe ag an Chomhairle Ealaíon £27,000 a sholáthar do Lá as seo go cionn bliana le gur féidir leis an nuachtán dhá fhoirlíonadh ealaíon a fhoilsiú gach seachtain. Is faoi chúram an eagarthóir nua ealaíon, Philip Cummings, a fhoilseofar na foirlíonta.

Arsa Philip Cummings: “Tá tús curtha cheana féin againn leis na foirlíonta nua seo agus tá rún agam ardán a chur ar fáil do scríbhneoireacht nua sa Ghaeilge chomh maith le fóram do lucht critice agus díospóireachta. Le cuidiú na Comhairle Ealaíon beidh Lá anois ag scaipeadh eolais ar chúrsaí ealaíon sa Ghaeilge agus ag cur saothair ár gcuid filí agus údáir os comhair an phobail Ghaelaigh ar fud na tíre.”

D’fháiltigh Eagarthóir Lá, Ciarán Ó Pronntaigh, roimh an infheistiú ón Chomhairle Ealaíon.

“Ó thosaigh Lá mar nuachtán laethúil i mí Aibreáin na bliana seo, dúírt muid go mbeadh rath orainn ach sinn dul i bpáirt leo siúd a thuigeann tábhacht na Gaeilge i sochaí iolrach. Leis an chuidiú seo ón Chomhairle Ealaíon, beidh sé ar ár gcumas cur go maith leis an chlúdach ar chúrsaí ealaíon sa nuachtán.”