Graduation marks celebration of talent in the Irish Language television production sector
Date Posted: September 23, 2022
Northern Ireland Screen hosted a reception at Ormeau Baths Gallery on Thursday 22nd September to mark the graduation of sixteen trainees who took part in various Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF) training schemes and to welcome six new trainees onto the New Entrant scheme this year. ILBF Investment Committee Chairwoman, Róise Ní Bhaoill, presented the trainees with certificates in recognition of their achievements.
The ILBF offers several different training opportunities for Irish speakers working or aspiring to work in the independent production sector. A key principle of the training schemes is that they should lead to an advancement of skills, expertise and general career development, which impacts positively on not only the Irish language production industry but the wider sector in Northern Ireland.
This year, sixteen trainees graduated across four year-long courses: 6 on the New Entrants 2020-21 scheme; 8 on the New Entrants 2021-22 scheme; one on the Trainee Assistant Editor scheme; one on the Trainee Assistant Producer scheme.
Several clips from programmes produced by the trainees were screened as part of the ceremony to an audience which included representatives from various television production companies, BBC Northern Ireland, NvTv, Raidió Fáilte and Northern Ireland Screen.
Róise Ní Bhaoill said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to host this graduation event for our trainees once again. We are indebted to our training provider, Macha Media, and to all those production companies which also work with us to build capacity within the sector. Our training is practical and sector-focussed and I’m pleased to say that those who graduate quickly find work.
“On behalf of the ILBF, I warmly congratulate all those who graduated today and wish those who have joined our current training programmes every success. They will all play their part in telling our stories and reflecting the Irish language community to the wider world.”
Áine Walsh, Head of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, said: “The ILBF is delighted that the majority of the trainees who participated in the various training schemes have already secured employment or are continuing training within the production sector. This is especially encouraging when we consider the challenges that Covid brought to the work and learning environments that these trainees experienced. I know that I won’t have to wait long to see their work on Irish language productions in the future.
“This has also been an excellent opportunity to meet and welcome our new trainees on board the scheme. These trainees will support the continued development of the Irish language production sector in Northern Ireland – one of the key aims of the ILBF.”
The ILBF’s annual New Entrant training scheme is now in full swing with six new trainees since the beginning of September. The ILBF is also supporting a further six trainees in producing, assistant producing and video journalist positions this year. The New Entrants will shortly be taking part in a two-week intensive training course with Macha Media in Belfast and the trainees have now begun their placements with production companies and NvTv.
TALLANN ÚRNUA D’EARNÁIL LÉIRIÚCHÁIN FÍSE GHAEILGE Á CEILIÚRADH AG BRONNADH
Reáchtáil Scáileáin Thuaisceart Éireann ócáid sna Ormeau Baths ar an Déardaoin 22 Meán Fómhair le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar sé oiliúnaí dhéag a ghlac páirt i scéimeanna oiliúna bliana de chuid an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge (CCG). Cuireadh fáilte fosta roimh an seisear atá tar éis tosú ar scéim oiliúna na bliana seo d’Iontrálaithe Nua. Bhronn Róise Ní Bhaoill, Cathaoirleach ar Choiste Infheistíochta an CCG, teastais ar na hoiliúnaithe le haitheantas a thabhairt ar an méid atá bainte amach acu.
Cuireann an Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge roinnt deiseanna oiliúna éagsúla ar fáil do chainteoirí Gaeilge atá ag obair nó atá ag iarraidh bheith ag obair san earnáil neamhspleách léiriúcháin. Is é bunphrionsabal na scéimeanna oiliúna go gcuirfí le forbairt scileanna, forbairt saineolais agus forbairt ghinearálta gairme. Ba chóir go mbeadh tionchar dearfach aige seo ar earnáil léiriúcháin na Gaeilge i dTuaisceart Éireann.
I mbliana, chríochnaigh sé oiliúnaí dhéag scéimeanna bliana i gceithre réimse éagsúla: seisear oiliúnaithe ar an Scéim d’Iontrálaithe Nua 2020-21; ochtar oiliúnaithe ar an Scéim d’Iontrálaithe Nua 2021-22; duine ar an Scéim d’Eagarthóirí Cúnta faoi Oiliúint; duine ar an Scéim do Léiritheoirí Cúnta faoi Oiliúint.
Taispeánadh roinnt gearrscannán a léirigh agus a scannánaigh na hoiliúnaithe mar chuid den searmanas. Bhí ionadaithe i láthair ó chuideachtaí éagsúla léiriúcháin teilifíse, ón BBC, NvTv, Raidió Fáilte agus ó Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann.
Dúirt Róise Ní Bhaoill: “Tá an-lúcháir orainn a bheith in ann bronnadh na dteastas a reáchtáil dár dtraenálaithe arís i mbliana. Tá muid faoi chomaoin ag Macha Media, a chuireann an traenáil ar fáil agus ag na comhlachtaí sin uilig a bhíonn ag obair linn le cumas na hearnála a neartú. Is traenáil phraiticiúil atá dírithe ar an earnáil a chuirtear ar fáil and tá lúcháir orm a rá nach mbíonn moill ar bith ar thraenálaithe post a fháil i ndiaidh na traenála.
“Thar cheann an CCG, gním comhghairdeas ó chroí leo sin uilig a mbronntar teastais orthu anseo inniu agus leo sin atá ag cur tús lena gcuid traenála i mbliana. Gach ráth agus bláth orthu uilig. Beidh deis acu ár gcuid scéalta a insint agus pobal na Gaeilge a chur i láthair don tsaol mhór.”
Dúirt Áine Walsh, Ceannasaí an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge: “Tá lúcháir ar an CCG go bhfuil fostaíocht nó áit ar scéim oiliúna laistigh den earnáil léiriúcháin faighte ag an chuid is mó d’oiliúnaithe na bliana. Is ábhar misnigh é seo go háirithe nuair a smaoiníonn muid ar na dúshláin a bhí ann mar gheall ar Covid agus an tionchar a bhí aige ar na timpeallachtaí oibre agus foghlamtha. Tá a fhios agam nach mbeidh orm fanacht rófhada le hobair s’acu ar léiriúcháin Ghaeilge a fheiceáil sa todhchaí.
“Tá lúcháir orm fosta fáilte a chur roimh ár n-oiliúnaithe úra a thosaigh linn. Cuideoidh na hoiliúnaithe seo leis an earnáil léiriúcháin Ghaeilge i dTuaisceart Éireann a chothú, earnáil atá ag fás léi – ceann de phríomhaidhmeanna an CCG.”
Thosaigh an Scéim d’Iontrálaithe Nua ag tús mhí Mheán Fómhair. Tá an CCG ag tacú le seisear oiliúnaí eile mar léiritheoirí, léiritheoirí cúnta agus fís iriseoirí faoi oiliúint i mbliana. Beidh na hoiliúnaithe nua ag freastal ar dhianchúrsa traenála coicíse le Macha Media i mBéal Feirste go luath agus tá siad anois ar socrúchán ag comhlachtaí léiriúcháin agus ag NvTv.
