Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig, a chairde! Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!
March 17th is a hugely significant date for Irish people around the world each year, St. Patrick’s Day!
This date also marks the end of Seachtain na Gaeilge/Irish Language Week, a worldwide annual event, celebrating Irish language and culture.
Míle buíochas/Many thanks to everyone who attended or facilitated our events, and to our various partners who collaborated with us for Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025, including An Cumann Gaelach, Department of Irish & Celtic Studies, QFT, and Irish language organisation, An Droichead.
Our Seachtain na Gaeilge events for 2025 included:
Maidin Taighde/Research Morning
An Chéadaoin 5ú Márta/Wednesday 5th March 10-12 @Cultúrlann Mac Adam Ó Fiaich
Our students from the Department of Irish & Celtic Studies presented their latest research findings. This extensive research covered themes such as Seamus Heaney’s poetry, Irish place names and their origins, languages rights and community groups, and the influence of religion and politics on the Irish language.
This was an engaging and informative event with a large audience in attendance.
Ciorcal Comhrá le ceol/Irish language conversation circle with music
An Déardaoin 6ú Márta/Thursday 6th March 12.30-1.30 @Junction Café
Junction Café, the venue on campus for our monthly Ciorcal Comhrá/Irish language conversation circle, drew a large gathering, with Irish language speakers of all abilities in attendance, using their ‘cúpla focal’ and enjoying a ‘cupán tae’ together.
We were delighted to welcome our special guests from Ollscoil Dhún Éideann/Edinburgh University, visiting as part of a university exchange programme.
A special thank you to our Student Traditional Music Group who added so much to the event, performing a selection of songs in front of a captivated audience.
Ióga le Sinéad/Yoga with Sinéad
An Aoine 7ú Márta/Friday 7th March 12.30-1.30 @Blue Sky Room – One Elmwood
Yoga Instructor and fluent Irish speaker, Sinéad McCartney, guided us through a relaxing and revitalising yoga class ‘as gaeilge’!
In the comfortable surroundings of the Blue Sky Room, One Elmwood, our yoga enthusiasts enjoyed the mix of language and yoga with Sinéad.
Céilí Mór Sheachtain na Gaeilge/Seachtain na Gaeilge Céilí Dance
An Domhnach 9ú Márta/Sunday 9th March 8.30pm @Mandela Hall
A huge crowd attended our Céilí Mór Sheachtain na Gaeilge, with those in attendance learning and practising well-known traditional Irish céilí dances, such as ‘Waves of Tory’ and ‘The Siege of Ennis’.
Mandela Hall was filled with céilí dancers of all abilities and backgrounds, who were expertly guided through the dances by Claire Hughes, from the local Irish Language Centre, An Droichead.
Huge thanks to Loch Lao Céilí Band who performed the music for the event and added so much to the occasion.
Ceardlann T-léine/T-shirt Workshop
An Mháirt 11ú Márta/Tuesday 11th March 7pm @Auditorium, McClay Library
An Cumann Gaelach hosted a wonderfully creative evening, as those in attendance had the opportunity to design and print their own Irish-themed t-shirts.
The final products were of a high standard and everyone thoroughly enjoyed this workshop.
Lí Ban
An Chéadaoin 12ú Márta/Wednesday 12th March 10.00am @QFT
Scoil an Droichid pupils visited us in the QFT for a screening of the Irish language animation sensation, Lí Ban.
Máire Zepf (Writer/Co-Producer) and Claire Handley (Development Producer, Paper Owl Films) called in to meet our young guests, with Máire speaking about the making of Lí Ban, and having a Q&A session with Scoil an Droichid pupils afterwards.
Máire has a strong connection with Queen’s, not least as she became the first ever Children’s Writing Fellow at the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry in 2017.
Rocky Ros Muc
An Chéadaoin 12ú Márta / Wednesday 12th March 3.30pm @QFT
Acclaimed Irish Language film, Rocky Ros Muc, came to the QFT as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025. Recounting the story of famous Irish boxer, Seán Ó Mainnín, the film follows the Irish speaking fighter from his humble beginnings in Ros Muc, Co. Galway, to the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, and a World Title fight.
The audience enjoyed Rocky Ros Muc immensely, and a huge thank you to our partners in QFT for collaborating with us for Seachtain na Gaeilge again this year.
