Gaeltacht Bean an Tí goes online – Blas Choláiste UISCE
COLÁISTE UISCE in northwest Mayo have unveiled an innovative online course, which launched this week – Blas Choláiste UISCE.
In the face of the cancellation of summer Gaeltacht courses due to Covid-19 and 25,000 students missing their trip to the Gaeltacht, the team at UISCE have come up with a novel way to bring the Gaeltacht and the famous Bean an Tí straight to your living room.
From meeting a real Bean an Tí to practicing surf pop ups with enthusiastic activity instructors, this is an online course like no other. You will even get to join in a céilí mór during the last session!
The course consists of five one-hour interactive sessions where you will get to meet UISCE staff, experience first-hand the spirit of Coláiste UISCE and hopefully fall in love with Gaeilge.
CEO Róisín Nic Grianna stated: “Our team here at Coláiste UISCE have done an outstanding job in two months developing our new and exciting virtual Gaeltacht – Blás Choláiste UISCE. It really is a course like no other and brings the experience of the Gaeltacht here in Elly Bay to homes ar fud na tíre. With fun, interactive learning, Coláiste UISCE really does deliver.”
Asked about the challenges of running an online Gaeltacht course, education manager Caitríona Ní Mhaoineacháin said: “The cancellation of our summer courses was heart-breaking. A year’s worth of work and preparation wiped out.
“UISCE is more than a Gaeltacht college; it’s a strong community made up of our students, cinnirí, staff and local families connected through our grá don Ghaeilge. The idea that we could re-create this experience online seemed almost impossible, however what we have managed to produce truly represents the spirit of our college, giving students a taster of what they can experience in UISCE and allowing parents a fly on the wall view of who we are and what we represent – ‘Learning Irish is Fun’.”
Coláiste UISCE is well known for their water sports activities, including surfing, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking. The biggest challenge for instructors taking classes online was how to really engage and motivate the students through a screen.
Thankfully, the activities translated to the online platform successfully and they were able to do what they do best in UISCE – have fun learning Irish.”
One of the highlights of the Gaeltacht experience is meeting your Bean an Tí. They felt that students doing an online course shouldn’t miss out and that’s why Bean an Tí Fidelma D. Uí Pháidín agreed to take part in the initiative.
Said Fidelma: “I will really miss the buzz of the students around the house this summer. I love getting to know them. It always makes me smile seeing them arrive each year with no confidence speaking Irish and then not getting a word in edgeways as Gaeilge by the end of the course.
“I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to meet with students online. Although I was really nervous myself I am delighted I took part in the challenge. It is so much fun interacting with them and giving them a taste of the Gaeltacht at home. I hope they all come to UISCE next year so we can show them the real deal.”
In spite of the new online course, for the first time in 28 years, the college remains closed to residential students, at a time when usually there would be more than 300 students on site and approximately 100 staff employed. UISCE employs 17 people on a year-round basis and with the addition of seasonal staff this equates to 38 full-time positions.
The loss of the summer courses will be felt locally too. Based on an economic study carried out by Gaillimh le Gaeilge in 2009, Irish colleges are worth more than 50 million to the economy of Gaeltacht areas.
Based on a turnover of €2 million, UISCE is worth between €6 and €10 million to the local economy of the Erris area.
Ciarán Ó Murchú, managing director, spoke about the challenges UISCE faced due to the closure of the summer courses and the importance of creating a new revenue stream.
“When the Covid 19 restrictions were put in place we were looking at a financial year without any income, having already spent approximately €500,000 on staff and investment for our summer courses. We had no choice but to put our heads together to see if we could transfer the spirit of UISCE onto online courses.
“Our team showed great flexibility and took to the challenge with gusto. I didn’t have to ask people twice to commit to delivering classes online. Even our Bean an Tí showed great enthusiasm at the idea of meeting students online and giving them a taste of the experience they were missing out on by not being able to attend the Gaeltacht in person this summer.”