Celebrating the Irish Language and Galway as a Bilingual City on
St Brigid’s Weekend
Tonnta – Galway’s newest festival, celebrating the Irish language and Galway as a bilingual city will run from February 1st to 4th. What’s it about? Given the weekend that’s in it there are a number of themes, but the primary one is to celebrate Galway’s status as a bilingual city.
Bilingualism!
Throughout the weekend and particularly at the free Céilí Mór and fire shows in Eyre Square and at the workshops, cartoon exhibitions and family events in the PorterShed, there will be opportunities to (re) awaken your interest in the Irish language by speaking with helpful and empathetic language ambassadors who will chat to you at whatever level of Gaeilge you are comfortable with. That word you’re looking for will be right above you on the overhead bunting as you stroll through the Latin Quarter – just reach up and grab it and use it! Many workshops and events will be bilingual including the Food and Whiskey Tours with Galway Food Tours, the Dirty Circus in An Taibhdhearc, Story Time in conjunction with the Moth and Butterfly Festival in the City Library.
Tonnta is also about Mnásome Women!
On St Brigid’s Day and indeed all weekend, we celebrate women and Tonnta is delighted to bring you a live presentation of the Beo ar Éigean podcast, the Mnásome Geeze comedy performance in the Róisín Dubh and Seisiún Ceol na mBan at the Crane.
Language and Culture go hand in hand.
The programme also celebrates the Culture of the Gaeltacht and who better to embody that than Altan, in the Town Hall Theatre on Friday 2nd; Liam O’Maonlaí, as well as Mairéad Ní Fhlatharta, accompanied by musician Erin Nic Eoghain (An Spidéal, Co na Gaillimhe) in An Taibhdhearc on Saturday 3rd; Pastime Chonamara and Ceoltóirí Óga Chois Fharraige in the Eyre Square Centre, also on Saturday at noon and the Trad Rave in the Róisín Dubh on February 1st.
Free
A big part of the Tonnta Festival programme is free including talks, workshops, the Irish Language Cartoon Exhibition presented by the Galway Cartoon Festival and Lá na bPáistí all taking place in the PorterShed a Dó, Market Street, on Saturday and Sunday.
Also on Saturday 3rd, Tonnta takes over Eyre Square with a free Céilí Mór (2pm) and two fire shows presented by the renowned Rogu at 5.15pm and at 7pm.
Gaillimh le Gaeilge, which works to enhance the visibility and audibility of the Irish language in Gaillimh | Galway, has planned the new festival and is co-funded by Galway City Council, Fáilte Ireland, Plean Teanga Chathair na Gaillimhe, Galway Culture Company and Gaillimh le Gaeilge. As part of the designation of Galway as a city of culture and as an official bilingual city, a partnership is also being formed with the Galway Culture Company.
Bríd Ní Chonghóile, CEO Gaillimh le Gaeilge, is looking forward to an exciting weekend:
“Tá muid ag tnúth go mór leis an bhFéile Tonnta chun an dátheangachas a cheiliúradh i gCathair na Gaillimhe. Since Tonnta was announced, we’ve had a great response from everyone, as well as businesses and organisations interested in getting involved. Gabhann muid buíochas ó chroí le gach duine as a dtacaíocht mar aon leo siúd atá ag glacadh páirt ann.”
The new festival and is co – funded by Galway City Council, Fáilte Ireland, Plean Teanga Chathair na Gaillimhe and Gaillimh le Gaeilge. As part of the designation of Galway as a city of culture and as an official bilingual city, a partnership is also being formed with the Galway Culture Company.
