Réaltaí na Gaeltachta - watch back here.
Do you wish you had more than just the cúpla focal? Are you a survivor of the Peig era: out of love with Irish, but wishing you'd paid more attention in ranganna Gaeilge? Or just looking to take your first steps in the first national language? Then RTÉ’s new series Réaltaí na Gaeltachta might be for you!
Last summer we sent five familiar faces to Coláiste Bhríde, Rann na Feirste - one of Ireland’s most famous Gaeltacht colleges to reconnect with their native language. They spent one week living with a Bean an Tí – and as real students with classes, céilís and obair bhaile.
And at the end of the week, the big test: would they all be Réaltaí na Gaeltachta?
In Réaltaí na Gaeltachta five well known faces travel to the gorgeous Donegal Gaeltacht to take on the challenge of re-learning the Irish language.
Dusting off their copybooks and packing their bags, our five students make their way to one of Ireland's most famous coláistí - Coláiste Bhríde, Rann na Feirste, where they will spend one week under the care of the múinteoirí and mná tí, living the full student experience - all as Gaeilge.
Sharing rooms in the boys' house under the watchful eye of Bean an Tí Caitlín Nóra Frainc, are Sports Broadcaster Des Cahill, Comedian Fred Cooke, and Mayo footballer-turned-AFL-player Oisín Mullin. Meanwhile, in the girls' house, Tiktok superstar Lauren Whelan and writer Amanda Brunker are right at home with Bean an tí Maighread and her gorgeous granddaughter Aisling.
Under the tutelage of Múinteoir Niall Ó Sluain and helped by a host of local faces, the five students immerse themselves in the summer college experience - complete with classes, céilís and the climactic ceolchoirm! Each day the students follow a coláiste timetable - classes in the morning with Múinteoirí Niall and Méabh, and busy afternoons of traditional coláiste activities - singing, dancing….even kayaking! At the end of the week, each student will build up to a 'scrúdú béil’ to see just how much their grasp of Gaeilge has grown. And with a prize-giving at the ceolchoirm at the end of the week - who will come out on top and reveal themselves as the true Réaltaí na Gaeltachta?
Between grammar lessons and role plays, our students get to grips with coláiste life as they get used to sharing a room, set meal times and following house rules. Will some of them be able to overcome their fear of the language and open themselves up to speaking it with the locals? And will others tap into a newfound command that comes about as a result of practice, practice, practice? But it can’t be all work and no play - when sports mad Des and Oisín get the chance to ditch the classroom in favour of a round of golf in Cruit, Fred and Lauren hightail it to the Croithlí Distillery where some liquid relief awaits! As a group, the students head to Gola Island and get to take in all the stunning landscape has to offer.
Ably helped by the likes of Múinteoir Ceol Hugh and local artist Morag, the students focus on the concert - can Fred try his hand at his set as Gaeilge? Can Amanda write and perform a poem? Will Des wrap his head round his party piece in time? And will Lauren EVER be able to teach Oisín how to dance??
Set against the stunning coastal backdrop of West Donegal, it’s not long before the students find themselves on a road to discovery, to a place where the language reveals itself to them in a light they’ve never seen before.
For everyone who’s ever been to a Coláiste Samhradh - and for anyone who’s ever wondered what it would be like - Réaltaí na Gaeltachta is the feel-good dose of nostalgia and novelty that celebrates what it feels like to get to know and love our glorious native language, all over again.
An bhfuil díoma ort nach bhfuil níos mó ná cúpla focal agat? Ar tháinig tú slán trí thréimhse Peig - as grá leis an Ghaeilge, ach aiféala ort nár thug tú tuilleadh airde le linn na ranganna Gaeilge? Nó ar mhaith leat na chéad céimeanna a ghlacadh sa teanga náisiúnta? Más fíor, tá sraith úr RTÉ Réaltaí na Gaeltachta foirfe duit!
An samhradh seo chaite chuir muid cúigear aghaidh aitheanta go Coláiste Bhríde, Ranna na Feirste – ceann de na coláistí Gaeltachta is mó le rá in Éirinn, le nasc úr a bhunú lena dteanga dúchais. Chaith siad seachtain amháin ina gcónaí le Bean an Tí agus mar ghnáth-scoláirí le ranganna, céilithe agus obair bhaile.
Agus ag deireadh na seachtaine, tá scrúdú mór rompu – an mbeidh siad uilig ina Réaltaí na Gaeltachta?
I Réaltaí na Gaeltachta téann cúigear aghaidh aitheanta chuig Gaeltacht Dhún na nGall le tabhairt faoi dhúshlán úr – Gaeilge a fhoghlaim in athuair.
Ag ullmhú na cóipleabhar agus ag pacáil a gcuid málaí, téann ár gcúigear dhalta chuig ceann de na Coláistí Gaeltachta is cáiliúla in Éirinn – Coláiste Bhríde, Ranna na Feirste, áit a chaithfidh siad seachtain amháin faoi chúram na múinteoirí agus na mná agus iad sáite i saol an scoláire, agus i saol na Gaeilge chomh maith.
Ag roinnt seomraí i dteach na mbuachaillí faoi shúil ghéar Bhean an Tí Chaitlín Nóra Frainc, tá craoltóir spóirt Des Cahill, fuirseoir Fred Cooke agus imreoir peile Oisín Mullin. Idir an dá linn i dteach na gcailíní tá sár-réalta TikTok Lauren Whelan agus scríbhneoir Amanda Brunker breá chompordach lena mBean anTí, Maighread, agus a gariníon gleoite, Aisling.
Le treoir ó Mhúinteoir Niall agus cuidiú ó roinnt aghaidheanna áitiúla, déantar na daltaí a thumadh go hiomlán in eispéireas an choláiste samhraidh - le ranganna, céilithe agus ceolchoirm críochnúil. Leanann na daltaí clár ama an choláiste gach lá, ranganna ar maidin le Múinteoir Niall agus Múinteoir Méabh, agus bíonn na tráthnónta lán le himeachtaí coláiste: ceol, rince… agus cadhcáil fiú! Ag deireadh na seachtaine beidh ar gach dalta tabhairt faoi scrúdú béil leis an dul chun cinn atá déanta acu a mheas. Agus le bronnadh duaiseanna ag an cheolchoirm ag deireadh na seachtaine – an mbeidh siad ábalta stádas a bhaint amach mar Réaltaí na Gaeltachta?
Idir ranganna gramadaí agus ról-imirt, téann ár ndaltaí i dtaithí ar shaol an choláiste agus iad ag roinnt seomraí, ag ithe ag amanna áirithe amháin agus ag leanúint rialacha an tí. An mbeidh siad ábalta an eagla atá orthu a shárú agus an teanga a labhairt le muintir na háite? Agus an dtiocfaidh feabhas ar na scileanna teanga atá acu mar gheall ar chleachtadh, cleachtadh, cleachtadh? Ach ní obair ar fad atá i gceist! Agus an deis ag Des agus Oisín éalú ón sheomra ranga, téann siad go hOileán Crúit le babhta gailf a imirt, téann Fred agus Lauren go drioglann Chroith Lí le táirge na háite a bhlaiseadh Agus mar ghrúpa, téann na daltaí go hOileán Gola le sult a bhaint as na radharcanna álainn atá le feiceáil ann.
Le cuidiú ábalta ó a leithid de Hugh, an múinteoir ceoil, agus ealaíontóir áitiúil, Morag, díríonn na daltaí isteach ar an cheolchoirm. An féidir le Fred triall a bhaint as seit as Gaeilge? An féidir le Amanda dán a scríobh agus a léiriú ar ardán? An féidir le Des dul i dtaithí ar a party piece in am? Agus an mbeidh Lauren in ann a cuid scileanna rince a roinnt le Oisín?
Suite i gceantar álainn Ghaeltacht iarthar Dhún na nGall, ní bhfad go dtí go bhfuil na daltaí ar aistear féin-fhollasaithe, agus cuidíonn an teanga leo iad féin a fheiceáil i solas úr.
D'aon duine a d’fhreastail ar Choláiste Samhraidh riamh, agus d’aon duine a raibh suim acu sin a dhéanamh, ardú meanman atá i Réaltaí na Gaeltachta, a spreagann cuimhní ar an cheol, chraic agus chomhluadar, agus a thugann léargas ar cad é mar is féidir grá a aimsiú dár dteanga náisiúnta as an nua.
Réaltaí na Gaeltachta
