Building for the future
Pádraig Ó Cléirigh (ar dheis), an Br Beausang agus an t-ealaíontóir Raymond Piper thiar i 1981. Pádaí Mór Ó Cléirigh (right) joins artist Raymond Piper to present a portrait to Br Beausang to mark his retirement in 1981.
It’s been a while since I was hauled into the principal’s office — but those memories certainly came back when I was invited up to Rathmore Grammar School on Friday to be reminded by principal Thérèse Hamilton of the necessity to defend the education budgets. Since we met, progress was made in allocating more funds to schools but the visit gave me an opportunity to congratulate the head teacher on her tireless commitment to transforming lives through education.
There is always more to do: I want every child to have the opportunity of a Rathmore-style education. But the dedication of the staff of Rathmore and the school’s commitment to make every student a model citizen of this great city is truly inspiring. And perhaps a sign of how the city is changing thanks to the efforts of leaders like Ms Hamilton is that this picture was taken by a pupil, with a broad Belfast accent, who told me her mother was a Czech immigrant to Belfast!
Tá áthas orm go mbeidh dréacht-bhille don Acht Teanga a chur os comhair an phobail. Bealach iontach é seo le cloch a chur ar charn do Phádraig Ó Cléirigh, ball de Choiste Gnó Chonradh na Gaeilge a feallmharaíodh taobh amuigh dá theach cónaí i dtuaisceart Bhéal Feirste i bhFeabhra 1992. D’íoc sé go daor as a ard-cháil mar thírghráthóir agus mar theanga-ghráthóir ach beidh an tAcht Teanga — a thiocfaidh amach anseo mar ní féidir todhchaí rannta a bheith againn má dhéantar leithcheal ar phobal na Gaeilge — mar ómós cuí dó.
I’m delighted to see that a draft Irish Language Act will be released for consultation shortly. Every step forward for the Irish language sparks memories in me of Pádraig Ó Cléirigh, a pal and member of the executive of our largest Irish language organisation, Conradh na Gaeilge, who was assassinated outside his north Belfast home in February 1992. A selfless leader, he paid a high price for his love of his country and his native language. But the Irish Language Act (which will come because we can’t have a shared future while Irish speakers are confined to the back of the bus) will surely be a fitting legacy for Pádaí Mór.
Finally, we had a great reception to the Ciclovía concept of opening a main road into Belfast for several Sunday mornings each year. You can hear some of the radio interviews here and I can report that a large meeting of interested bodies on Friday gave the idea the thumbs-up with plans progressing for four Ciclovía events this year, one each for west, south, north and east Belfast. Now to get the government funders up into the saddle.
