Ceiliúradh ar 20 Bliain den Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge / Celebrating 20 Years of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund
Date Posted: March 11, 2025
Tá Northern Ireland Screen ag Ceiliúradh 20 Bliain den Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge
Tá bród ar Scáileáin Thuaisceart Éireann 20 bliain den Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge (CCG) a cheiliúradh, atá i ndiaidh claochlú a dhéanamh ar earnáil léiriúcháin neamhspleách na Gaeilge ó seoladh é in 2005.
Mar cheiliúradh ar an chloch mhíle seo, bhí Rich Peppiatt, an stiúrthóir a bhain duaiseanna BAFTA agus IFTA, mar aoichainteoir ar ócáid speisialta cheiliúrtha Dé Máirt an 11ú Márta i Halla na Cathrach, Béal Feirste, le breithniú a dhéanamh ar thionchar an chiste, agus painéal plé ina dhiaidh sin a phléigh todhchaí na craoltóireachta Gaeilge ar fud na hÉireann.
Ó bunaíodh CCG bhí ról fíorthábhachtach aige maidir le daoine oilte a fhorbairt, ábhar den scoth a chruthú agus fás na hearnála a chothú. Tá an méid seo bainte amach ag an chiste le fiche bliain:
- Thacaigh sé le 571 léiriúchán teilifíse agus scannánaíochta.
- Chuir sé oiliúint agus meantóireacht ar fáil do 140 oiliúnaí, lena n-áirítear roinnt mhaith daoine atá mór le rá anois sa chraoltóireacht Ghaeilge, ar nós an stiúrthóra agus scríbhneora Damian McCann, na léiritheoirí Órfhlaith Ní Chearnaigh, Rosie McNally, Aideen Hand, Sorcha Nic Eochagáin agus Aoife Nic Con Midhe, na heagarthóirí Sorcha Nic Giolla Mhuire, Oonagh Ní Mhealláin, Christy Scoltock agus Seán Ó Cearbhaill agus na láithreoirí Proinsias Ó Coinn, Niamh Ní Dhubhgáin agus Aodhán Ó Baoill.
- Le maoinú ó CCG, rinneadh Kings, Rocky Ros Muc agus Kneecap ar scannáin iad a chuir an Ghaeilge ar ardán idirnáisiúnta na scannánaíochta. Ba é Kings an chéád scannán riamh a chuir Éire isteach le breithniú sa chatagóir scannán i dteanga iasachta sna Academy Awards. Ba é Rocky Ros Muc an chéad scannán Gaeilge riamh a bhain an liosta fada amach sa chatagóir Clár Faisnéise is fearr sna Academy Awards. Ba é Kneecap an chéad scannán Gaeilge riamh a roghnaíodh don Fhéile ghradamach Scannán Sundance in Utah, áit ar bronnadh duais Rogha an Lucht Féachana air, agus bhain an gearrliosta amach ansin don Scannán Idirnáisiúnta is Fearr sna Academy Awards.
- Chuir sé maoiniú ar fáil do réimse éagsúil ábhair fuaime agus físe, lena n-áirítear Raidió Fáilte (ó 2012), an ríomhiris Meon Eile (ó 2011), agus babhta maoinithe saindírithe ar Fhuaim agus ar Ábhar Dhigiteach a tugadh isteach in 2021, a thacaigh le 36 tionscadal ar a n-áirítear podchraoltaí, acmhainní foghlama idirghníomhacha agus ábhar físe ar líne.
Bunaíodh an CCG le freastal ar lucht féachana ar mhian leo ábhar Gaeilge a rinneadh go háitiúil a fheiceáil agus d’oibrigh sé le BBC TÉ, TG4 agus RTÉ, chomh maith le hardáin dhigiteacha. In 2021, leathnaigh an ciste a ról chun tacaíocht a chur ar fáil d’ábhar raidió agus idirghníomhach, lena n-áirítear acmhainní oideachasúla agus tionscadail oiliúna sa léiriú teilifíse agus raidió do lucht na Gaeilge a bheadh ag iarraidh dul ag obair sa tionscal. In imeacht na mblianta, bhí an CCG gafa le cuid mhór léiriúcháin a moladh go hard, lena n-áirítear:
- Scannán agus Teilifís: Kings, Seacht, An Bronntanas, Doineann, Kneecap, Crá.
- Faisnéis: Rocky Ros Muc, Eoin Mac Néill, Lomax in Éirinn, An Buachaill Gealgháireach, Níos Mó ná Cluiche, Díolta Faoina Luach.
- Ábhar do Pháistí: Sol, Puffin Rock agus Cairde Nua, M’Ainm, Mo Scéal, Lí Ban.
- Sraitheanna siamsaíochta: Gradam Ceoil, Opry le Daniel, Ar an Sliabh, Peataí, Turas Bóthair, Kayak Ó Thuaidh, Bog Amach, Éadaí SOS.
Agus í ag caint ar chomh maith agus a d’éirigh leis an chiste, dúirt Ceannasaí an CCG, Áine Walsh:
“Is mór an spreagadh atá an Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge i ndiaidh a chur ar fáil chun earnáil léiriúcháin na Gaeilge a fhorbairt i dTuaisceart Éireann. Le 20 bliain anuas, chonaic muid fás as cuimse ag teacht ar an tionscal agus tá aitheantas náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta bainte amach ag léiriúcháin a fuair tacaíocht CCG. Bhí an ciste lárnach chomh maith maidir lena chinntiú go gcloistear canúint Uladh ar na scáileáin, go háirithe ar TG4 agus RTÉ.”
Tá CCG fiche bliain d’aois, agus amach anseo leanfaidh Scáileáin Thuaisceart Éireann den tacaíocht a thabhairt don ábhar Gaeilge, le hoiliúint a chur ar an chéad ghlúin eile de ghairmithe an tionscail agus deiseanna a chur ar fáil don lucht féachana dul i dtaithí ar léiriúcháin ardcháilíochta. Tá an CCG maoinithe ag DCMS tríd Institúid Scannáin na Breataine agus ag an Rannóg Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meáin de chuid rialtas na hÉireann.
Tá tuilleadh eolais faoi CCG agus a chuid oibre ar fáil ag www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk.
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Northern Ireland Screen proudly marks 20 years of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF), which has played a transformative role in the Irish-speaking independent production sector since its launch in 2005.
To celebrate this milestone, BAFTA and IFTA award-winning director Rich Peppiatt was the keynote speaker at a special celebration event on Tuesday 11th March at Belfast City Hall, reflecting on the impact of the fund, followed by an industry panel discussion exploring the future of Irish language broadcasting across the island of Ireland.
Since its inception, the ILBF has been instrumental in developing talent, creating award winning content and fostering the growth of the sector. Over the past two decades, the fund has:
- Supported 571 Irish-language productions across television and film.
- Trained and mentored 140 trainees, many of whom are now leading figures in Irish language broadcasting including director and writer Damian McCann, producers Órfhlaith Ní Chearnaigh, Rosie McNally, Aideen Hand, Sorcha Nic Eochagáin and Aoife Nic Con Midhe, editors Sorcha Nic Giolla Mhuire, Oonagh Ní Mhealláin, Christy Scoltock and Seán Ó Cearbhaill and presenters Proinsias Ó Coinn, Niamh Ní Dhubhgáin and Aodhán Ó Baoill.
- Made with funding from the ILBF Kings, Rocky Ros Muc and Kneecap have brought Irish language feature films to the international stage. Kings was the first film ever to be submitted by Ireland for consideration in the Academy Awards’ foreign-language film category. Rocky Ros Muc was the first Irish language film to make the longlist in the Academy Awards Best Documentary category. Kneecap was the first ever Irish language film to be selected for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in Utah where it picked up the Audience Award and then went on to be shortlisted for the Academy Awards’ Best International Film.
- Funded a diverse range of audio and digital content, including Raidió Fáilte (since 2012), Meon Eile online magazine (since 2011), and a dedicated Audio Digital funding round introduced in 2021, which has supported 36 projects spanning podcasts, interactive learning resources and online video content.
The ILBF was established to serve audiences eager to engage with locally produced Irish language content, working with broadcasters such as BBC NI, TG4, and RTÉ, as well as digital platforms. In 2021, the fund expanded its remit to support radio and interactive content, including educational resources and training initiatives in television and radio production for Irish speakers seeking careers in the industry.
Over the years, the ILBF has been behind numerous critically acclaimed productions, including:
- Film and TV: Kings, Seacht, An Bronntanas, Doineann, Kneecap, Crá.
- Documentaries: Rocky Ros Muc, Eoin Mac Néill, Lomax in Éirinn, An Buachaill Gealgháireach, Níos Mó na Cluiche, Díolta Faoina Luach.
- Children’s content: Sol, Puffin Rock agus Cairde Nua, M’Ainm, Mo Scéal, Lí Ban.
- Entertainment series: Gradam Ceoil, Opry le Daniel, Ar an Sliabh, Peataí, Turas Bóthair, Kayak Ó Thuaidh, Bog Amach, Éadaí SOS.
Reflecting on the success of the fund, Áine Walsh, Head of the ILBF, said:
“The Irish Language Broadcast Fund has been a driving force in the development of the Irish language production sector in Northern Ireland. Over the past 20 years, we have seen the industry grow exponentially, with ILBF-supported productions gaining national and international recognition. The fund has also been pivotal in ensuring that the Ulster dialect of Irish is given prominence on screens, particularly on TG4 and RTÉ.”
As the ILBF enters its third decade, Northern Ireland Screen remains committed to supporting Irish language content, training the next generation of industry professionals, and expanding opportunities for audiences to engage with high-quality productions.The ILBF is funded by DCMS via the British Film Institute and by the Irish Government’s Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.
For more information about the ILBF and its work, visit www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk.
