# The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Grants?



## bantragh

The Gaeltacht - Its quite expensive to send a child to the gaeltacht for 3 weeks in the summer - is their a grant available from the dept of education or is it only middle income family kids that go?


----------



## Sherman

*Re: The Gaeltacht*

I think some of the larger organisations might have an assistance scheme in place.

I went to _Colaiste na bhFiann_ a good few times when I was in school, and found it a really great experience - you could give them a shout and see if they have reduced rates/assistance.


----------



## Trafford

*Re: The Gaeltacht*



Sherman said:


> I think some of the larger organisations might have an assistance scheme in place.
> 
> I went to _Colaiste na bhFiann_ a good few times when I was in school, and found it a really great experience - you could give them a shout and see if they have reduced rates/assistance.


 
Isn't that the college that supposedly raises the tricolour at dawn, and the students have to salute the flag, a lá Pearse et al? I heard that it was very republican in it's ethos when I was in school, so my family steered me away from it. I went to Colaiste Chiarán twice, over Easter Hols. It was excellent, and even after a week I came back much improved.


----------



## aonfocaleile

*Re: The Gaeltacht*

As an ex-student of Coláiste na bhFiann, I would highly recommend it. The raising of the flag still takes place, but to be honest, it takes about 10 minutes every day and is such a small part of the course that I wouldn't let it influence your decision. There is no republican ethos other than the raising of the national flag.

I think the ESB used to run a scholarship scheme for Gaeltacht places - it may not exist anymore, but worth running a search on google.


----------



## MOB

*Re: The Gaeltacht*

"or is it only middle income family kids that go?"

I wonder.  

I spent five summers in the Gaeltacht as a child (which is not recently, I can tell you), and must admit to being a card carrying member of the middle class; At that time a very substantial proportion of students were - as best I can recall - from relatively poor backgrounds.  I wonder if the growth of gaelscoileanna around the country, and the apparent trend for them to be colonised by the children relatively affluent, (at least according to David McWilliams - I think he has a label for them but can't remember what it is) has contributed to a change in the mix in the students attending gaeltacht summer colleges?  

What does a typical 3 week course cost these days?


----------



## Sherman

*Re: The Gaeltacht*



Trafford said:


> Isn't that the college that supposedly raises the tricolour at dawn, and the students have to salute the flag, a lá Pearse et al? I heard that it was very republican in it's ethos when I was in school, so my family steered me away from it. I went to Colaiste Chiarán twice, over Easter Hols. It was excellent, and even after a week I came back much improved.


 
Yep, they did do that but to be honest, a bunch of teenagers are never going to take too much notice of that side of things - far too many other distractions  .  Anyone who prattled on about stuff like that was quickly ignored and greeted with yawning teenaged faces - enough to discourage even the most zealous crusader  .

While I could see how that side of Colaiste na bhFiann could spook people who have never been, it's not really an issue (my family also would be very anti-Republican but never found the 'ethos' a problem).


----------



## Nige

*Re: The Gaeltacht*

Many years ago I went to the Gaeltacht on Inis Oirr. It wasn't Colaiste na bFiann run, so there was no saluting the flag. At the time, it was very reasonable to go there, considering you were being babysat, accommodated and fed for three weeks.

No idea how much it costs these days though.


----------



## Nige

*Re: The Gaeltacht*

[broken link removed]

It seems three weeks at the gaeltacht now costs €700 to €800.


----------



## deedee80

It was about 300 pounds when i went 12 years ago so 700 euro doesn't seem to bad to me for what you are getting - all food, accommodation, Irish classes, entertainment, transport etc for 3 weeks.  
How much would it cost to bring a 15 year old away on a foreign holiday for a week?  
I'd say the Gaeltacht is money well spent.


----------



## loll

i myself went to colaiste Chonnact a few times, i think some of the gaa clubs offer scolarships


----------



## carpedeum

bantragh said:


> The Gaeltacht - Its quite expensive to send a child to the gaeltacht for 3 weeks in the summer - is their a grant available from the dept of education or is it only middle income family kids that go?


 
Mrs. Carpedeum is a member of the *Health Services Staff Credit Union* and received a contribution for one of our kid's detention in the Gaeltacht a couple of years ago through the Betty Noone Memorial Bursary. 

[broken link removed]

Members of SIPTU and IMPACT can also qualify for scholarship grants...

[broken link removed] 
(see _additional benefits_ at the bottom of the page)

[broken link removed]


----------



## aonfocaleile

Contact Concos - an umbrella group for many colleges, who may have some information re grant-aided programmes or scholarships.



Impact also has a scheme for member's children - [broken link removed]


----------



## ubiquitous

At least some GAA county boards offer Gaeltacht scholarships for their members.


----------



## Trafford

It's a wonderful experience for a teenager, in my opinion. I found it a rite of passage I must say. All very innocent fun, but a wonderful learning environment compared to the rigidity of school. 
Having gone during Easter break, I would come back and straight into school feeling so invigorated and excited about Irish class, now that I had my new found fluency and indeed interest in the language. That interest has stayed with me to this day.


----------



## Gordanus

My child of course picked the most expensive one - 840.  And we left it very late - I think we booked it in May, so we were too late to find out /apply for grants.  But she came back very confident (much more so than beofre) and had had a great time.


----------



## seriams

I went to Irish college all those years ago but won it in school. Each year they gave away a french and an Irish college place. Check out your child's school!


----------



## Money Bags7

I went a couple of times as a teenager. Got two part scholarships one from Conradh na gaeilge and one from a political party. They were both for the same specific college in Donegal. I tried to get one through the GAA too. All involved an informal interview as gaeilge. For the GAA and political party one a family member had to be associated with party/club respectively.

Great memories....... first cigarette(still smoking ten years later), first proper kiss and first time I puked from drinking too much(rarely happens to me now!)


----------



## Brianne

*Re: The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Gra*

I would recommend highly Colaiste Ide just outside Dingle. It's an all girls Irish boarding school during school term but is an Irish college during the summer. It is for both sexes aged 10 to 14. They live in the school and have great fun, well supervised and plenty of Irish without being draconian. As they live in you have no worries about them cycling about on what are busy roads during the tourist season. They have the nightly ceili and lots of sport with classes every morning. They have to help with washing up and setting tables etc but that's not a problem. It was 720 euros this year I think, so to send a few children is expensive but it is money well spent. To be honest I think that poorer children no longer get the chance to go as I don't think that grant is available any longer. Comharchumainn Corca Dhuibhne is the organising body and they are very helpful.


----------



## Haille

All my children have gone to Colaiste Chamus near Rosmuc. Excellent.All enjoyed it.Cost approx700 euro.


----------



## rmelly

*Re: The Gaeltacht*



aonfocaleile said:


> There is no republican ethos other than the raising of the national flag.quote]
> 
> Agreed - I went for 5 or 6 years in the late 80's/early 90's, and there was never a hint of republicanism. And is it such a bad thing that people know their own national anthem?


----------



## Marie

It was one of the definitive experiences of my (working-class!) childhood so it is great to know the Gaeltacht system is still vigorous and appreciated.  One of my childhood Irish-speaking stomping grounds (Tra Bolgan) is now a plush Centre Parc-style commercial venue which gives an indication of how wonderful the environment was.  The other Gaeltacht I remember most about was Falcarragh in Donegal.  I do remember we had to supplement our diet heavily with chocolate and fruit purchased from local shops as in those days there was a bit of a boot-camp 'iron rations' mentality and given we were burgeoning teenagers  you couldn't have too much energy for it all!!  Grant (none of the families involved would have been able to afford big fees) was from Roinn na Gaeltachta.


----------



## SarahMc

I think that most designated disadvantaged schools have a scholarship system in place.

If your child is not attending a DDS, perhaps contact Foras na Gaeilge


----------



## rmelly

Marie said:


> One of my childhood Irish-speaking stomping grounds (Tra Bolgan) is now a plush Centre Parc-style commercial venue


 
and as for Mosney...


----------



## fionac

*Re: The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Gra*

The UISCE centre in Belmullet are offering a scholarship scheme this year. We recieved notification about it in the post. They have €15,000 worth of scholarships this year.

Have a look here www.uisce.ie/competition

I think its a full scholarship for kids to one of their courses in the summer


----------



## ali

*Re: The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Gra*

I did 4 summers in Colaiste Chamuis in Connemara. Brilliant. Sent my kids to several Gaeltachts with varying results. None were as strict as mine - one full sentence in English and you're on the train home. Stricter = greater improvement IME. My eldest lad went to Colaiste na bhFiann which we used to be afraid and in awe of and didn't make the same strides as we did as kids. 

BTW you know the way the houses where you stay have names : one of the houses was named Ti Bobby Sands by virtue of the lack of food and the inedibility of what you did get. My brother lost 2 stone in 3 weeks. Oh God the spam sandwiches. (There was a lot of walking though).

A.


----------



## ajapale

*Re: The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Gra*

Moved back to  Miscellaneous Non-financial Questions from  Work, Careers, Employment Rights

aj


----------



## Teatime

*Re: The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Gra*



loll said:


> i myself went to colaiste Chonnact a few times, i think some of the gaa clubs offer scolarships


 
Yeah not a bad place, not too strict either but I dont think I learned much Irish but I wasn't too bothered about that. Good for sports though.


----------



## Hans

*Re: The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Gra*

Check with their school my son got a grant from his secondary school they were told if anyone was going to Irish college to come to the office as there were grants available it amazed me as if they were not given out on assessment basis I doubt we would have got it if they were - but was still glad of it and he had great time.


----------



## ariidae

*Re: The Gaeltacht: expensive to send a child to gaeltacht for 3wks in the summer, Gra*

I went to the Gaeltacht after winning a scholarship through the VEC. I was attending a VEC school and my Irish teacher told us about it. I was given £X (can't remember) to attend whatever college I wanted. It covered the entire cost.


----------

