An Post Celebrates Irish Language Landmarks with Four New Stamps

7 June 2006

These 48c stamps have been issued to mark the 50th anniversary of the Department of the Gaeltacht, the 10th anniversary of TG4 and to commemorate the contribution of Celtic scholars Máirtin Ó Cadhain and Johann Caspar Zeuss.

50th Anniversary of the Department of the Gaeltacht

The Department of the Gaeltacht was established in 1956 with one of its aims to encourage the preservation and extension of Irish as a vernacular language in areas which were designated by Government and in which Irish is the community language.  The Department has had a significant and diverse impact over the years in promoting the cultural, economic and social welfare of the Gaeltacht as the main source of the living language.  With Údarás na Gaeltachta, it continues to play a pivotal role in the future of the Gaeltacht through language support schemes, infrastructural and educational provision and employment development.

TG4 10 Years On

TG4 was established in 1996 with the aim of providing a high quality programming schedule in Irish supported by a wide range of material in other languages.  The station invests over €15 million annually in original Irish programming from the independent production sector in Ireland, and over 800,000 viewers now tune in every day.  Programmes commissioned by TG4 have won many prestigious awards, among the most recent being the Best Documentary Award in the Irish Language for “Concerto Chaitlin Maude” at IFTA 2005.

Writers and Scholars

Also issued today are two 48c stamps celebrating the lives of Celtic scholars Máirtin Ó Cadhain and Johann Caspar Zeuss.  Ó Cadhain ranks among Ireland’s most talented writers in the Irish language, and is best known for his 1949 novel Cre na Cille (Churchyard Clay).  Ó Cadhain was born in 1906.

Zeuss was born in Germany in 1806 and is widely recognised as the father of Celtic Studies.  His extensive research into Celtic languages resulted in the publication of Grammatica Celtica, which put the study of the languages on a sound scientific basis.  2006 is both the 150th anniversary of his death and the bi-centenary of his birth.

The Department of the Gaeltacht and TG4 stamps were designed by Zinc Design Consultants and are issued as individual 48c stamps and a First Day Cover.  The Ó Cadhain and Zeuss stamps were designed by Q Design from paintings by Seán O’Sullivan and James Hanley respectively, and are issued as 2 x 48c se-tenant (sold perforated as a pair) and First Day Cover.  All are available from the Philatelic Bureau in the GPO, at main Post Offices and online at www.irishstamps.ie

Please contact the Press Office for further information.  Visit our Media Centre for more press releases and other resources.

Ceithre mhór-ocáid Ghaeilge a cheiliúradh ag An Post

An Mháirt 6 Meitheamh 2006:
D’eisigh An Post ceithre stampa inniu mar chomóradh ar éachtaí a chuaigh chun leasa cultúr agus traidisiúin na Gaeilge.

Is é 48c luach na stampaí seo agus tá siad á eisiúint chun comóradh a dhéanamh ar chothrom lae 50 bliain Roinn na Gaeltachta, ar chothrom lae 10 mbliain TG4 agus mar aitheantas ar bheirt scríbhneoirí mór le rá, Máirtín Ó Cadhain agus Johann Caspar Zeuss.

Comóradh 50 bliain Roinn na Gaeltachta

Bunaíodh Roinn na Gaeltachta i 1956 agus í mar aidhm aici an Ghaeilge a chaomhnú,  agus a húsáid mar theanga phobail a leathnú, sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Bhí toradh suntasach agus ilghnéitheach ag obair na Roinne thar na blianta. Is príomh-fhoinse na teanga beo í an Ghaeltacht agus chuir an Roinn leas mhuintir na Gaeltachta chun chinn ó thaobh cúinsí cultúrtha, eacnamúla agus sóisialta de. I gcomhpháirt le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta, tá ról lárnach fós ag an Roinn chun todhchaí na Gaeltachta a chinntiú le scéimeanna tacaíochta teanga, le soláthar infreastruchtúrtha agus oideachasúil agus le forbairt fostaíochta.

TG4 - 10 mbliain ag fás

Bunaíodh TG4 i 1996 agus í mar aidhm aici cláracha Gaeilge den scoth a chur ar fáil chomh maith le réimse leathan ábhair i dteangacha eile. Caitheann TG4 níos mó ná €15m sa bhliain sa tír seo ar chláracha nua Gaeilge ó léiritheoirí  neamhspleácha. Bíonn níos mó ná 800,000 ag féachaint ar a gcláracha gach lá. Is mó gradam cáiliúil atá faighte ag cláracha a ndearnadh TG4 coimisiniú orthu. Le déanaí, rug an clár “Concerto Chaitlín Maude” an chraobh leis don Chlár Faisnéise is Fearr sa Ghaeilge ag IFTA 2005.

Scríbhneoirí agus Scoláirí

Tá dhá stampa eile 48c á eisiúnt inniu in ómós do Mháirtín Ó Cadhain agus do Johann Caspar Zeuss. Áirítear Ó Cadhain ar na scríbhneoirí is fearr riamh sa Ghaeilge agus is é a úrsceal Cré na Cille a foilsíodh 1949 ba mhó a tharraing aird an phobail air. Rugadh é i 1906.

Rugadh Zeuss sa Ghearmáin sa bhliain 1806 agus aithnítear é mar bhunaitheoir an Léinn Cheiltigh. Chuir a leabhar Grammatica Celtica an dlaoi mhullaigh ar a chuid taighde sna teangacha Ceilteacha agus chuir sé maith bonn eolaíoch freisin leis an Léann Ceilteach. Ní hamháin go bhfuil comóradh a dhéanamh i mbliana  ar chothrom lae a bhreithe sa bhliain 1806 ach is cothrom lae 150 bliain a bháis é chomh maith.

Ba iad Zinc Design Consultants a dhear na stampaí ag comóradh Roinn na Gaeltachta agus TG4. Stampaí 48c atá iontu agus sa dá chás tá stampa aonair á eisiúint agus Clúdach Chéad Lae. Dhear Q Design stampaí Uí Chadhain agu Zeuss. Tá na stampaí seo bunaithe ar phictiúir den bheirt a rinne Seán Ó Súilleabháin agus James Hanley faoi seach. Tá an dá stampa seo á eisiúint mar phéire se-tenant (iad ceangailte le chéile ach polladh eatarthu) agus mar Chlúdach Chéad Lae. Tá na stampaí seo le fáil ón Oifig Stampshanais san Ard-Oifig an Phoist, ó na príomhoifigí poist agus ar an idirlíon ag www.irishstamps.ie