CARLOW will benefit to the tune of €4,500 after two local organisations scooped major awards in the 51st annual Glór na nGael competition.
Glór Cheatharlach and Glór Balána were once again applauded by the national group when results were announced during a live broadcast on Raidió na Gaeltachta on Friday.
Glór Cheatharlach bagged a prize worth more than €3,000 in recognition of its tremendous promotion of the Irish language in the print media.
Glór’s weekly column in The Nationalist and regular coverage of events, activities and projects, were among the main reasons the local group nabbed the crown.
According to Bríde de Róiste of Glór Cheatharlach, “the Gaelscéal prize will be of great benefit to Carlow in the further promotion of Irish, as it incorporates assistance with planning media campaigns and a public seminar on the language”.
There was good news also for Ballon village, as Glór Balána was declared winners of the Heritage Council prize of €1,500.
This prize is in recognition of the heritage trail as Gaeilge “Slí na Sceacha”, which was launched in 2011 and includes a bilingual information sheet which can be picked up at Bialann an Forge and used as a DIY guide for the trail.
Praising their achievements, Glór na nGael manager Nóra Welby said: “It is a great achievement for these groups to be awarded prizes. I would like to congratulate them all and also to express our thanks to the sponsors for their ongoing support.”
The prizes will be presented at a gala ceremony on Saturday 25 February in the Carlton Hotel in Kildare.