Graduation event celebrates latest cohort of Irish Language Broadcast Fund trainees
Date Posted: September 8, 2025
Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF) has celebrated the graduation of eight emerging talents, marking another milestone in the development of Irish language broadcasting and content creation during the Fund’s 20th anniversary year.
Since its establishment in 2004, the ILBF has supported high-quality Irish language content while nurturing the growth of Northern Ireland’s independent production sector. Over two decades, it has become a cornerstone for developing new talent and expanding opportunities within the Irish language media landscape.
This year’s graduates include five from the New Entrant Scheme 2024–2025, one from the Trainee Radio Producer Scheme 2024–2025, another from the Trainee Assistant Producer Scheme 2023–2025, and one from the Trainee Production Coordinator Scheme 2023–2025. Through these programmes, participants gained hands-on experience in television, radio, and multimedia production, equipping them with the skills to thrive in a dynamic and evolving media industry.
At the graduation ceremony, attendees viewed clips from projects created by the New Entrant trainees during their Advanced Production Course with Macha Media. The event brought together representatives from BBC Northern Ireland, NVTV, Raidió Fáilte, TG4 and independent production companies, reflecting the Fund’s ongoing contribution to talent development and cultural enrichment.
Bríd Ní Fhachtna, Chair of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, said:
“It is a wonderful opportunity to meet the new ILBF graduates, along with their mentors and trainers, and get a taste how much they have achieved during their training schemes. Their creativity shines through, and I have no doubt that they will continue to excel in bringing new, important and entertaining stories to life – both on screen and across the airwaves. Congratulations to each one of them as they move into the next stage of their careers in Irish language media.”
Áine Walsh, Head of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, said:
“In this milestone 20th anniversary year for the ILBF, we are delighted to celebrate the achievements of our 2025 graduates. Their talent, creativity, and dedication mark them out as the next generation of Irish language media professionals, and we can’t wait to see how they will continue to enrich our storytelling and culture.”
Hugh O’Reilly Fitzgerald, outgoing ILBF New Entrant Trainee, said:
“It was hard to believe the opportunities that came our way over the course of the year; from TV skills to radio courses and everything in between. The thing that struck me most was the consistent support from the ILBF as well as other people working in Irish language media. We are lucky to be in an industry in which new people coming in feel as welcome as they do.”
Graduates Fionn Mac Lochlainn, Hugh O’Reilly Fitzgerald, Luke Ó Gráda, Jake Campbell McLaughlin, Molly Wallace, Méabh Broderick, and Mary Claire Williamson received their certificates from ILBF Chair Bríd Ní Fhachtna. Emma Devlin, also a member of the graduating cohort, was unable to attend the event.
For more information about the Irish Language Broadcast Fund and its training schemes, visit Forléargas | Overview – Northern Ireland Screen.
Ceiliúradh ag an ócáid bhronnta ar an chohórt is déanaí d’oiliúnaithe ón Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge
Rinne Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann (CCG) ceiliúradh bródúil ar bhronnadh ochtar atá ag teacht chun cinn agus ar éirigh leo a scéimeanna oiliúna a chur i gcrích, rud a léiríonn cloch mhíle eile i saibhriú chraoltóireacht na Gaeilge agus cruthú ábhair agus an Ciste ag ceiliúradh 20 bliain ar an bhfód.
Ó bhunaíodh an Ciste i 2004 tá sé mar aidhm aige ábhar Gaeilge ar ardchaighdeán a chur chun cinn i dTuaisceart Éireann agus níos faide i gcéin, agus ag an am céanna tacú le fás na hearnála léiriúcháin áitiúla. Thar fiche bliain tá sé forbartha ina bhunchloch maidir le tallann nua a chothú agus deiseanna a leathnú do ghairmithe spreagúla i dtírdhreach na meán Gaeilge.
Tá Scéim Iontrálaithe Nua an CCG 2024-2025 curtha i gcrích ag cúigear céimithe, chríochnaigh céimí amháin an Scéim Léiritheoirí Raidió faoi Oiliúint, chríochnaigh céimí eile Scéim Léiritheoir Cúnta faoi Oiliúint agus chríochnaigh duine eile Scéim na gComhordaitheoirí Léiriúcháin faoi Oiliúint. Fuair gach duine de na daoine seo oiliúint phraiticiúil i réimsí éagsúla, lena n-áirítear léiriú teilifíse, léiriú raidió agus cruthú ábhar ilmheán, ag tabhairt na scileanna is gá dóibh chun rath a bhaint amach i saol na mean, saol atá de shíor ag athrú sa lá atá inniu ann.
Ag an tsearmanas bronnta céime, bhí deis ag an lucht freastail gearrthóga ó chláir a léirigh na hIontrálaithe Nua faoi Oiliúint a fheiceáil agus iad ar Ardchúrsa Léiriúcháin le Macha Media. Tháinig ionadaithe ó chomhlachtaí léiriúcháin teilifíse, BBC Thuaisceart Éireann, NVTV, Raidió Fáilte agus TG4 le chéile ag an ócáid.
Dúirt Bríd Ní Fhachtna, Cathaoirleach an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge:
“Is deis iontach í bualadh leis na h-oiliúnaithe nua-chéimithe, lena meantóirí is leis na h-oiliúnóirí a bhí agaibh. Tá sé soiléir go bhfuil neart bainte amach acu le linn bhliain na scéimeanna agus gur daoine cruthaitheacha iad. Níl aon amhras ann go leanfaidh siad leis an obair mhaith agus scéalta nua, idir thábhachtach agus shiamsúil a thabhairt don scáileán agus do na haerthonnta mar aon. Comhghairdeas le gach duine acu agus iad ag bogadh ar aghaidh chuig an chéad chéim eile ina ngairmeacha sna meáin Ghaeilge.”
Dúirt Áine Walsh, Ceannasaí an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge:
“Is bliain speisialta é seo don CCG agus muid fiche bliain ar an bhfód. Is ceiliúradh é an lá inniu ar phaisean, ar chruthaitheacht, ar thallann agus ar dhúthracht leis na meáin Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. Is ionann rang céime an CCG in 2025 agus saol ár dtionscal amach anseo, agus leanfaidh a gcuid oibre ag saibhriú ár gcultúr agus ár scéalaíochta ar feadh na mblianta atá le teacht.”
Rinne an t-oiliúnaí iarchéime Hugh O’Reilly Fitzgerald machnamh ar a taithí:
“Ba dheacair na deiseanna a tháinig inár dtreo i gcaitheamh na bliana a chreidiúint, ó scileanna teilifíse go cúrsaí raidió agus go leor eile. An rud ba mhó a chuaigh i bhfeidhm orm ná an tacaíocht leanúnach ón CCG agus ó dhaoine eile ag obair sna meáin Ghaelacha. Tá an t-ádh linn a bheith in earnáil mar seo ina gcuirtear fáilte chroíúil roimh daoine nua teacht isteach.”
Fuair na céimithe, ina measc Fionn Mac Lochlainn, Hugh O’Reilly Fitzgerald, Luke Ó Gráda, Jake Campbell McLaughlin, Molly Wallace, Mary Claire Williamson, agus Méabh Broderick a dteastais ó Bhríd Ní Fhachtna. Ar an drochuair, ní raibh duine de na hoiliúnaithe, Emma Devlin, ábalta bheith linn ag an bronnadh.
Le tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoin Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge agus faoina scéimeanna oiliúna, téigh chuig Forléargas | Overview – Northern Ireland Screen.
