Bríde presented with top award for promotion of the Irish language

A LIFETIME of commitment to the education and promotion of the Irish language by Bríde de Róiste was honoured recently at a prestigious award ceremony in Killarney.

Bríde was presented with the RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta 2024 Award at Oireachtas na Gaeilge in Killarney recently. The award was in recognition of Bríde’s contribution to the promotion of the Irish language and culture in Carlow over more than two decades and was presented by Gearóid Ó Donncha, director of RTÉ Radio na Gaeltachta.

Gearóid referred to the many achievements Bríde has had in so many areas of the local community, but especially in the field of education, with almost 1,000 young people now being educated through Irish in Carlow at pre-school, primary and post-primary level.

“Is aitheantas é an Gradam ar an obair atá déanta ag Bríde, ach is aitheantas é chomh maith do phobal labhartha na Gaeilge i gCeatharlach, atá níos láidre de bharr an méid atá déanta ag Bríde,” said Gearóid.

Accepting the award, Bríde acknowledged the huge role played by so many others, some who have now passed on, as well as the hundreds of pupils and past pupils, their families and teachers, staff and all sectors of the community who have been associated with and so supportive of the story of the Irish language and culture in Carlow town and environs down through the years.

Bríde said she was honoured to accept Gradam Raidio na Gaeltachta on behalf of everybody, concluding with “Ceatharlach agus an Ghaeilge abú!”