Newly elected President of Conradh na Gaeilge, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, will visit Derry in August to deliver the Donncha Mac Niallais Memorial Lecture as part of the Féile 2025.
The event will take place in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin on Tuesday 12 August at 12.30pm.
Announcing the event, a Féile spokesperson said:
“We’re absolutely delighted that the President of Conradh na Gaeilge, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, will deliver a lecture in memory of Donncha Mac Niallais during Féile 2025.
“It’s the first time that Ciarán will speak in Derry since becoming President of the island’s leading Irish language organisation, and we’re excited to welcome him to the city to remember Donncha and look at the future of the language across Ireland.
“Ciarán will also outline the current challenges facing Conradh na Gaeilge and the wider Irish language community in Ireland, north and south.
“Donncha Mac Niallais was a key figure in spearheading the growth of the Irish language, so this is a special moment – especially with the event taking place in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, a space he helped bring to life.
“It’s an exciting time as the language continues to thrive in the city, we’re seeing huge growth in the number of adults learning the language, while our local Gaelscoileanna are experiencing unprecedented demand for places.
“This growth is thanks in no small part to the work Donncha, along with others, put in over many years, playing a central role in building the Irish language movement in the city.
“As well as being a keen Gaeilgeoir, he was a community leader and someone who worked hard to bring people together. Through events like this, we want to keep his memory alive and have positive and constructive discussions on the future.
“This is an Irish language event that is open to every, and will include simultaneous translation into English for those who may need it. (DOES THIS READ OK??? Want to ensure people know this)
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin is a long-standing activist for the Irish language and language rights. Originally from west Belfast, he has worked with Conradh na Gaeilge for almost two decades and played a leading role with Dream Dearg in the campaign for Acht Gaeilge and the North’s first ever Irish language legislation.
His recent election as President of Conradh na Gaeilge marks a new chapter for the movement and comes 30 years after the late Gearóid Ó Cairealláin, another towering figure in the language community, became the last Belfast native to hold the post.
The Donncha Mac Niallais Memorial Lecture takes place in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin on Tuesday 12 August at 12.30pm, as part of Féile 2025. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. This is an Irish language event with a simultaneous translation into English.
The 2025 Féile programme can be viewed here:
