FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH
Mooinjer Veggey ayns Nerin

Ta Mooinjer Veggey jeean dy liooar dy lhiggey da nyn skimmee dy ve mie ynsit er aghtyn ynsee lane-Ghaelgagh. Myr shen hie ny mraane ynsee as coonee veih ro-scoill Purt ny h-Inshey as y Brastyl Lane-Ghaelgagh marish Caairliagh Mooinjer Veggey as yn Oaseir Ynsee lesh shilley er scoillyn lane-Ghaelgagh ayns Nerin Twoaie mysh shiaghtin er dy henney.

V'eh feer anaasagh daue jeeaghyn er yn aght ta Yernish goll er ynsaghey as yn aght ta ny boodeeysyn cummal seose yn chengey. S'bastagh dy vel foast boiraghyn ayns Beeal Feirshtey gyn ouyrys, agh v'eh baghtal da ny Manninee dy vel smooinaght smoo sheeoil gaase dy lajer ny laghyn shoh as ta bree as maynrys cheet er ash da ny straidyn.

Cha row yn chied scoill hie yn possan lesh shilley er cosney ping veih'n reiltys er y fa nagh row paitchyn dy liooar ayn as va ooilley'n argid jeant veih paarantyn as y booddeeys. Va skimmee yn scoill sheityn dy beagh paitchyn dy liooar ayns 2003 son keimeeaght oikoil as myr shen argid veih'n reiltys agh son blein ny ghaa bee genney dy argid oc.

Lurg yn scoill shen va'n possan jeeaghyn er ro-scoillyn as kyndagh rish polaseeyn reiltys yn RU va £1200 currit veih'n reiltys son dagh paitchey. Shoh stayd share ny t'ain nish ayns Mannin raad nagh vel yn reiltys cur argid da ro-scoillyn cheu mooie ny scoillyn. V'eh yindyssagh jeeaghyn er yn aght aashagh va ny paitchyn aegey gynsaghey yn Yernish.

Hie yn possan lesh shilley er Bun-Scoill Pobble Feirshtey neesht. Tra va'n scoill shoh currit er bun mysh 30 blein er dy henney cha row agh jeih dy phaitchey ayn - nish ta ny smoo na tree keead. Va'n fys shen cur beggan dy aggle er ny Manninee er fa dy vel mysh yn earroo cheddin dy phaitchey 'sy vrastyl ayns Mannin as v'oc ayns Beeal Feirshtey as my vees yn scoill ain gaase cha tappee as y scoill oc cre voish nee ny fir as mraane ynsee cheet?

Yeeagh skimmee Vooinjer Veggey stiagh ayns y Culturlann as shen ynnyd er lheh son cummal seose Yernish as y cultoor. Ta thie bee jesh aynshen chammah's shapp lioar, thie cloie as oikyn son mysh daa yeig dy sheshaghtyn ta prowal dy vishaghey Yernish. Va bee mie kionnit ec ny Manninee chammah's lioaryn as posteyryn dy liooar.

V'eh mie erskyn towse neesht jeeaghyn er ynnyd son jannoo stoo ynsee ayns Colleish Noo Moirrey. Ta feedyn dy lioaryn clouit oc hannah as ta queig dy obbree jannoo claare queig blein son clou ymmodee lioaryn noa elley. Hug yn skimmee shen cooney dy liooar da ny Manninee as she turrys feer anaasagh v'ayn.

S'treisht lesh Mooinjer Veggey dy bee ny kianglaghyn eddyr obbree y chengey veih Nerin Twoaie as shinyn ayns Mannin freilt bio as lajer car ny bleeantyn cheet, agh bee skimmee Mooinjer Veggey goll gys cheer Celtiagh elley 'sy vlein shoh cheet son feddyn magh aghtyn braew son freayll bio nyn jengey.

Mooinjer Veggey Fact Finding Visit
to Northern Ireland

Mooinjer Veggey is very keen for its staff to remain completely aware of the latest developments in language teaching so a number of its staff recently went on an educational visit to Northern Ireland. Teachers and nursery nurses from the nursery at Peel Clothworkers and the Manx medium class at Ballacottier joined Mooinjer Veggey's chairman and education officer for the visit just over a week ago.

It was a very informative trip which focussed on the way in which Irish is being taught and encouraged in schools and the community. It was very sad to see that the troubles in Belfast have not gone away but the Manx party were encouraged to see that progress towards a more peaceful and confident society is being made.

The first school Mooinjer Veggey visited received no Government support as the numbers of children were to low to qualify for official funding. Consequently all the funding comes from parents and community fund raising initiatives. The staff of the school explained, however, that the numbers of children would be high enough by 2003 for official recognition. In the meantime money at the school is very scarce.

Mooinjer Veggey then went to visit some nurseries which receive about £1,200 per child from the UK Government's widespread support for preschool education. This is a slightly better position than that of Manx preschool as the Manx Government does not currently provide widespread support for preschool education outside of the school system. It was a source of great encouragement to the Manx party to see how readily the young children were picking up the Irish.

The next stop was the Irish medium primary school Bun Scoill Pobble Feirshtey. When this school was established 30 years ago it had 10 children on its books - now there are more than 300! This was a bit scary to find out as our own Manx medium class which started in September last year started with 9 pupils. If our class grew at the same pace as the first school in Belfast we'd have trouble finding staff and resources to cope with the demand.

The Mooinjer Veggey team also visited the Culturlann - a centre dedicated to the promotion of Irish language and culture. There's a cafe at the Culturlann (which makes lovely Irish stew) as well as a bookshop, theatre and offices for a dozen or more different organisations which work to promote the language. The Manx left the Culturlann well fed and with large parcels of books and posters from the shop.

There was also an opportunity to visit St Mary's College which houses the new teaching resource development centre for the Irish language. They have already published scores of books in Irish and the 5 members of staff have just embarked on an extensive 5 year resource development programme. The staff at the centre provide the Manx party with a number of samples and have offered to provide more support in the future.

Mooinjer Veggey hopes that the strong links made between Northern Ireland and Mann during the visit will continue to grow in the future, but next year the staff visit is expected to be to one of the other Celtic countries.

Phil Gawne