Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31st October 2023
Charity name: Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail Address: 99 Irish Street, Downpatrick BT30 6BS Charity number: 102425
The Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail trustees are: Marcas Mac Ruairí Grainne Smyth Paula Tumelty Máire Burns
Public Benefit Statement: The Trustees have had regard to the Public Benefit Requirement statutory guidance.
The aim of Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail is the advancement of Irish language learning and related arts, culture, heritage or science.
Since it was established in 1981, Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail has been the pulse of the Irish speaking community in the Lecale district. The group is the voice and the focus for Lecale Irish-speakers, it organises monthly social events, trips, weekly Irish language classes and annual school competitions. It founded an Irish medium nursery school and a primary school and an annual summer scheme.
The Cumann works to serve the needs of Irish speakers in every aspect of life and has opened a dialogue with the local council and public service providers about meeting the unique needs of Irish speakers here in every sector. It is a charitable organisation, non party in politics and non sectarian in religion. Its social make up is diverse, with different classes, creeds, ages and genders all represented.
The Cumann is a voluntary organisation with a constitution.
During 2023, Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail organised weekly Irish classes for all levels of learners. The classes are taught by professional teachers and are structured to bring the adult learner from no knowledge of the Irish language to fluency.
Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail is grateful to Foras na Gaeilge for the funding that allows us to employ a development officer. The development officers worked closely with Bunscoil Mhuire is Phádraig to coordinated the annual Irish language summer scheme for Irish speaking children. The Cumann’s financial year is November 2022 to 31 October 2023. The Cumann had a total income of £110,443 and outgoings of £245,599.
The Cumann had £100,000 a reserve fund ringfenced for the purchase of a cultural resource centre. That purchase was completed in 2023. The Cumann is also grateful to the Department of the Communities for funding that helped in the purchase of a building to be developed as that cultural resource centre.
The Cumann has no debts.
Signed:
Date: 8 August 2024