An Clár as Gaeilge is a Community Language Development Partnership Proposal that focuses on the development of the Irish language in County Clare.
Since the establishment of this project in 2002, it has done a lot of work in promoting the Irish language in Ennis and the County as a whole.
It is a community-based project, it has representatives from all the community groups that are active in the promotion of the Irish language throughout the County and therefore, it has access to community work at an effective level, where it can have the most impact to have more.
The project is being organized by Craobh na hInse of Conradh na Gaeilge, which has been active in the promotion of the Irish language at home for over thirty years and is funded by Foras na Gaeilge under the Irish Community Scheme.
By the year 2000, it was clear that the range of events taking place at the Craobh na hInse of Conradh na Gaeilge was becoming so wide that a more formal structure would be needed than the voluntary Committee that existed until then. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep all the initiatives in hand moving forward.
Therefore, it was decided to open a central office and employ a development officer. A submission was made to FÁS and Foras na Gaeilge to start an employment initiative. Arrangements were made to register the initiative as a limited company in December 2002.
As it happened at the time, Foras na Gaeilge was preparing a scheme to employ people at community level, to promote Irish at that level. Ennis received permission to hire two people and rent an office under the Irish Community Scheme launched in 2003. An Clár as Gaeilge as it was called had six strategic aims or goals:
Strategic Goals: An Clár as Gaeilge
- Strengthening the status of the Irish language in the County
- To encourage the Irish speaking community in the county
- Cultivating the youth's respect for the Irish language
- Strengthening the visibility of the Irish language in the county
- Initiate partnerships with state, church and community organizations in order to meet the needs of the Gaelic community
- To support cultural tourism in the County
Documents relating to the six goals mentioned above were submitted to Foras na Gaeilge and the submission was accepted as a pilot scheme for County Clare. The project is funded by Foras na Gaeilge.
ACTION PLAN Foras na Gaeilge has approved three Irish Community Schemes for the Clár as Gaeilge Ltd since 2003. The Committee has put together an action plan for each Scheme under the titles mentioned above.
