## **Glór Uachtar Tíre** ## **Annual Report** **For the Year to 30th September 2024** ## **Annual Report for the year ended September 30[th] 2024** The trustees of Irish language community group, Glór Uachtar Tíre, are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the period 1[st] October 2023 to September 30th 2024. ## **Achievements and Performance** ## **The Year in Numbers** 31 - Years promoting the use and learning of Irish in the locality 8 – Management Committee meetings 2,600 - Members of the public served 2 - Guest Speakers ## **Meeting Programme** Glór Uachtar Tíre’s Management Committee meets every six weeks throughout the year with the exception of July and August. A number of extra Intra-committee meetings were held which focused on specific events such as plans to develop an Irish language community centre in Castlewellan. ## **Events, Programmes and Activities** ## **Weekly activities:** Ranganna/ **Irish Language Classes** : 10 classes per week from Beginners to A2-Level run in cooperation with Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann, Shimna Integrated College, Newcastle, St Malachy’s High School, Castlewellan and St Colman’s College, Newry. Approximately 80 people of all ages attend these classes. These classes are supported by funding provided by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. The majority of classes were undertaken via face to face format with the exception of GCSE Year 1 and Year2 which are held on-line plus A2-Level (between Oct ’23 and June ’24) which is a hybrid class. meaning it caters for on-line and face to face students. Club Óige/ **Youth Club (10-16 years):** 25 children registered and approximately 15 attend weekly. Supported by the Education Authority, Foras na Gaeilge, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Forúm na nÓg. This is one of the main opportunities the young Irish language speakers have to socialise through the medium of Irish outside the school environment. Mion-Chlub Óige/ **Mini Youth Club** : Caters for children in Rang/ P4 to Rang/P6. It proves very popular with 23 children registered and with weekly attendance up to 18 young people. The club receives Foras na Gaeilge, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and EA funding and is supported by Forúm na nÓg. Grúpaí Tuismitheoirí is Tachráin/ **Parent and Toddler Group** : **Bryansford group** (approx. 35 parents & carers are registered and around 18 parents/carers and 20 children attend weekly). The group is open to everyone and it is a door to young parents to consider Irish language education and bilingualism as an option for their children. Ciorcal Comhrá/ **Conversation Circle** (approx. 15 people attend weekly mostly aged 55 years plus). Attendance remains stable. Ciorcal Comhrá fá choinne Foghlaimeoirí/ **Beginners Conversation:** It has two sessions per week; one in the evening time and one in the morning time. Both sessions are attended by approximately 8/10 people. Many of this group went on to obtain Silber Fáinne/Intermediate-level Irish recognition. Cumann Leabhair/ **Book club** (approx. 7 people attend weekly, mostly aged 55 years plus. The group meets up in Castlewellan Library each Tuesday morning and the library helps the group to source the Irish language books. Cumann Siúlóide Seachtainiúil/ **Easy Weekly Walking Group** (approximately 6 people attend weekly, all ages.) The numbers for this group remain stable. Raidió an Phobail/ **Community Radio Station** : GUT ran a series of training workshops for radio production skills throughout 2023. In September 2023 the group began to record weekly podcasts. This continued throughout 2024 and two launches celebrated the sets of series uploaded. Funding was obtained to continue this project from the Arts Council NI, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Ultach Trust/Community Foundation. In 2023 GUT was given a licence and funding to run **Gaisce/ The President’s Award** from The Duke of Edinburgh organisation. GUT an a series of events between March -June 2024 to attract local uyoujng people to the programme. These evets were funded by the Ciste Spreagtha fund. There are currently 6 young people who are about to embark on the Gaisce programme with GUT. ## **Monthly Activities** Seal ag Canadh/ **Castlewellan Rhyme Time Session** for 0-4 year olds: Run in co-operation with Castlewellan Public Library. Approx. 25 people attend between toddlers and parents. This event has received funding from The National Lottery Fund and now runs monthly in both Castlewellan and Newcastle library. Am Scéil/ **Story Time session for 4-8 year olds** : Run in co-operation with Castlewellan Public Library. Approx. 7 people attend between children and parents. This event has received funding from The National Lottery Fund. Seisiún Amhránaíochta/ **Singing Session** : Approximately 8-10 people meet once a month in Mulholand’s Bar, Castlewellan. Funding has been obtained from The National Lottery Fund to run this event. Siúl agus Spealpadh **/Boots n’ Banter: Monthly moderate hillwalking group** . This walk is directed by professional gardener who talks about the local plant life, In addition, the Mountain Leader is very knowledgeable in local placenames and mythology which he bris to the walk. The group has 11 members and was launched in July 2024. It’s funded by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Alpkit. ## **Seasonal Activities:** Dianchúrsaí/ **Intensive Courses:** 2 times per year. All ages, approximately 40 people attend. These classes are supported by funding provided by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Each Dianchúrsa held 4 levels; Advanced, Upper Intermediate, Lower Intermediate and Beginners. Nuachtlitir **/Newsletter** : Printed and distributed once every season/12 weeks. Copies also emailed to all 760 on GUT’s email list. ## **Annual Events:** **Planning Day** : Focusing on language planning for the locality. Sub-committee met in February this year and eight people attended. Dinnéar na Nollag/ **Christmas Dinner 2023** : This event was attended by 18 people. It was celebrated by GUT’s committee members and volunteers and those who participate in GUT events. was a great success. Seachtain na Gaeilge/ **Irish Language Week** : GUT ran a drumming workshop at the Youth Club and the film Clouded Reveries was shown in Newcastle Community Cinema. Scoil Samhraidh Shéamuis Uí Néill/ **Séamus O’Neill Summer School** : Literary Festival. This July the festival included; a Festival Concert, Intensive Irish Language Course, Irish Language Rhyme Time Session, Irish Language Story Time, Festival Interview with three Irish language film Directors, nature walk focusing on birds, launch of challenging monthly walking group and launch of series two of podcast, . Scéim Samhraidh/ **Summer Scheme:** A week-long activity-based summer scheme for local primary school children. 114 children attended this popular weekend long scheme which was funded by Foras na Gaeilge and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Uachtar an Uachtar [Crème de le Creme] **Residential immersion, Intensive course for Irish language A-Level students** . The event was attended by 20 people from all over NI. It was funded by 4 local Housing Associations (Clanmill, Arbour Housing, Raduis Housing and Ark Housing) and Foras na Gaeilge. Aclaí Abú!/[Sports Forever]: three day outdoor pursuits event for primary school children attending the 4 Irish language Primary Schools in Co Down. The event was held in May 2024. It was attended by 26 children. It was funded by Foras na Gaeilge and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. ## **Membership** 0n September 30[th] 2024 membership of GUT’s emailing list was 840. In Sept 203 is was 760. ## **Accommodation** GUT’s office was based in Room No 8 in Dún Éigse/The Lodge, Castlewellan until May 2024. In June 2024 GUT moved its office into a temporary accommodation in a mobile beside Castlewellan Community Hall. GUT purchased a building, 29 Main St & 2-4 Castle Ave, Castlewellan with funding from An Ciste Infheisíochta and The Community Ownership Fund. The group is currently working to raise funds to refurbish the premises in order to develop an Irish language community centre in Castlewellan. ## **Assets of Liabilities** On February 29[th] 2024 Glór Uachtar Tíre purchased a building for £210,000 (plus £42,000 VAT). The building is currently awaiting a refurbishment and it is insured under vacant status. ## **Financial Review** ## **Financial Performance** Financial performance in the year to 30[th] November 2023 has been broadly consistent with the trustee’s forecasts and expectations. ## **Income** £216,517 ## **Expenditure** £107,691 ## **Reference and Administrative Details** ## **Charity Name** Glór Uachtar Tíre ## **Charity Number Registered Charity in Northern Ireland** NIC102681 ## **Principal Address** 2-4 Castle Ave Castlewellan Co Down, BT31 9DX ## **Charity Trustees as of 30[th] September 2024** Wayne Pickering – Chairman Blaine McCartney - Secretary Aodhán Mac Ruairí - Treasurer Áine McCrickard – Senior Youth Officer Frainc Mac Cionnaith – Language Planning Officer Mary MAnulty - Line Manager Nial Sadler – Family Representative ## **Structure, Governance, and Management** ## **Governing Document and Constitution** The Society is a charity and is governed by a constitution adopted January 2011 and last amended September 15th 2022 and on March 9[th] 2023; this is publicly available at from GUT’s office. The Society is run entirely by its directors who meet every 6 weeks to manage it. The group employs an Irish Language Development Officer for 37 hours per week. In addition, the group employs two Senior Youth Officers for 4 hours per week and 6 tutors, along with a team of three to manage the Parent and Toddler Group. The group has approximately 25 local people who very generously volunteer for the organisation when required. ## **Trustee Selection and Management** The directors of the Management Committee are adopted solely on the basis of a vote at the groups’ AGM as outlined in Glór Uachtar Tíre’s constitution. ## **Objectives and Activities** ## **Charitable Objects** The object of GUT as set out in our Constitution is the following Glór Uachtar Tíre is a Community Association which was established to promote for the benefit of the inhabitants’ area and its immediate environs without distinction of age, sex, race, political or other opinions, by associating with statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, institutions, business and inhabitants in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare, health, recreation and leisure activities, with the objective of improving conditions of life for the inhabitants. In particular, Glór Uachtar Tíre works to nurture an Irish language community in Uachtar Tíre (Castlewellan and its environs, the ‘area of benefit’). The charity will undertake all legal actions to achieve this and anything that the directors deem beneficial to this aim. ## **Public Benefit Statement** The trustees of Glór Uachtar Tíre confirm that they have had regard to the NI Charity Commission’s Public benefit requirement statutory guidance. The public benefit requirement has informed the activities of GUT in the year to 30[th] September 2024. In evaluating public benefit, the trustees note that membership of the society is open to all who share an interest in the Irish language. Whilst we would encourage those with interest to join our ranks we also strive to make our services and facilities available to those with no back ground in Irish. The direct benefits which flow from our object or purpose includes increasing the opportunity for locals to either learn the Irish language or to attend social events at which they can speak it. The participants can either attend subsidised classes or they can enjoy lectures, social nights and finally they can participate by supporting Glór Uachtar Tíre in organising these events. These benefits are demonstrated by the growing class sizes that Glór Uachtar Tíre experiences year on year and the trend for the class sizes to be maintained throughout the year. Additionally, the benefits are demonstrated through feedback Glór Uachtar Tíre receives in our event feedback forms from participants and beneficiaries and by the level of uptake of our activities. The purposes of our charity will not lead to any harm. Glór Uachtar Tíre’s beneficiaries includes the general population living within south east Down including Newcastle, Castlewellan, Dundrum, Clough, Hilltown, Rathriland, Ballyward and the surrounding areas. A private benefit to trustees may arise from our programme of ongoing training programmes. Through this training trustees may gain skills and experience which are transferable to other settings. These benefits are incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries. Approved, adopted and signed on behalf of the Management Committee. Chairman, Wayne Pickering, 30[th] September, 2024