Siar agus Aniar

Siar agus Aniar | Siar agus an Ear | East and West Ambassadors’ Exchange: An Ireland-Maritime North America Language and Cultural Pilot Program!

I am going to Ireland until July. Leaving on 15 April, 2024!

I was selected for the Siar agus Aniar | Siar agus an Ear | East and West Ambassadors’ Exchange: Ireland-Maritime North America Language and Cultural Pilot Program. The program is co-sponsored by the Office of Gaelic Affairs, Government of Nova Scotia and Údarás na Gaeltachta, Government of Ireland.

Many of my closer friends and acquaintances know about this but the time has come to spread the word. I am beyond description with excitement. I am also very happy to receive unwaivering support from my employer, Parks Canada.

The Nova Scotia Office of Gaelic Affairs has a mandate to promote all of the Celtic cultures in Nova Scotia. Scottish Gaelic probably comes to mind but Irish, or Irish Gaelic, also fits squarely in their goals.

For this pilot project, I will be studying Irish in Carraroe, west of Galway, housed with a host family, and doing 10 weeks of language immersion. Plus, I will be travelling to all of the Irish-speaking areas, the Gaeltachtaí, throughout the island to learn about their cultures, share the glory of Nova Scotia with them, make friends and contacts, and foster a deeper relationship between Ireland and Nova Scotia.

Many of you know my passion for culture… Acadian, French Canadian, and Irish are all part of the fabric of my life. I have been teaching myself to speak Gaeilge for the past several years. It is fair to say that I am obsessed with it. I was founder of Cumann an Ghleanna – the Irish Association of the Annapolis Valley. We offer céilís with music by local Irish session players and traditional dancing. Every fall, we offer a cultural weekend called Gleann na Gaeilge where goal is to create an immersive bubble of Irish culture here in the Valley to help people of Irish descent or those who just love the culture to form a deeper connection living connection. It’s a living culture. A culture meant to be lived in music, dance, and language. I find so much similarities between the Irish and Acadian realities.

It is all about the connections. We are so fortunate in Nova Scotia to have many elements of our traditional cultures that thrive. I hope, upon my return, to contribute to this with solid Gaeilge language skills.

If you see me around, you will understand the look of shock upon my face as I step into literally something that I have been working every day at for the last 10 years. It is a dream come true.