TurasÓir to Enhance Dublin’s Tourism Offerings for Millions of Language Learners Worldwide

Dublin City Council have teamed up with BÁC le Gaeilge to launch TurasÓir, a new support programme to help businesses in the capital make the most of the growing global interest in the Irish language. Launching the initiative with a splash this week, were Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste, Cathal Furey (City Kayaking Tours) and students from Notre Dame who are doing semester abroad in Dublin studying the Irish language.

In recent years, over 5 million people have started learning Irish on Duolingo outside of the island of Ireland. However, it is recognised that opportunities to engage with the Irish language and the story of the Irish language in Dublin are very limited in the city.

A first of its kind, TurasÓir is a pilot developmental programme which will support five small businesses or community groups to develop tourism experiences which bring the Irish language and/or the story of the Irish language in Dublin to life for tourists.

The programme will see Dublin City Council award €2,000 to 5 businesses or groups to develop and launch pilot projects.

With the language continuing to flourish and increase its profile globally and culturally, DCC have seen a gap between the expectation of visitors to Ireland who expect to encounter the Irish language and the availability of visitor services and experiences which are delivered partially or completely through the Irish language.

City Kayaking Tours have been pioneering this space. Speaking about his experience of using the Irish language as a resource with which to grow his tourism business City Kayaking Commercial Director Cathal Furey remarked “We were noticing that when tourists found out that some of our guides could speak Irish, they were fascinated. They had a real hunger to learn more about the language, its history and Dublin’s current relationship with the language. This is why we’ve developed ‘The Hidden Language Kayaking Tour’ which is proving a real hit with tourists, school groups and Dubliners alike”

Speaking at the launch, Lord Mayor Dáithí de Róiste said “As Lord Mayor of Dublin, I am proud to unveil the TurasÓir programme. Dublin tourism is flourishing, but many of our visitors only scratch the surface of what our city has to offer and in time we hope to have scores of options for travellers who have a broader interest in our language and the story of Irish in our city. The language has boomed in the capital since the turn of the century and we’re looking forward to many more following in the waves of City Kayaking and joining the TurasÓir programme.”

TurasÓir is being rolled out by Dublin City Council in partnership with BÁC le Gaeilge. The programme is part of the European with the support of the EU Capital of Smart Tourism, Dublin Town and the Local Enterprise Office.

Interested parties can apply via the BÁC le Gaeilge website with the deadline for submissions being Monday, 17th June 2024, @23:00. Get started with your application here baclegaeilge.ie/turasoir/

What types of projects should apply for TurasÓir?

●        Projects with a clear route to market and clear potential to continue as commercially viable offerings into the future.

●        Projects which either leverage the story of the Irish language in Dublin or which bring the Irish language to life for tourists.

●        Projects which are designed in a way which encourages people to speak in Irish even if it is the first time they have ever done so.

●        We aren’t looking for simple translations of existing experiences.

 

More information about City Kayaking and their Guided Tours on the River Liffey at

https://citykayaking.com/ or info@citykayaking.com

 

About BÁC le Gaeilge

BÁC le Gaeilge is a joint Irish language initiative between Comhairle Cathrach BÁC and Conradh na Gaeilge, with funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Our aim is to make the Irish language more visible and heard in Baile Átha Cliath and to encourage the use of the Irish language among businesses and the public.

 

Clár Nua Maoinithe TurasÓir chun Tairiscintí Turasóireachta Bhaile Átha Cliath do na milliúin foghlaimeoirí teanga ar fud an domhain a fheabhsú

Tá Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath i gcomhar le BÁC le Gaeilge tar éis TurasÓir a sheoladh, clár tacaíochta nua chun cabhrú le gnólachtaí sa phríomhchathair an leas is mó a bhaint as an spéis dhomhanda atá ag dul i méid sa Ghaeilge. Ag seoladh an tionscnaimh an tseachtain seo, bhí Ardmhéara Bhaile Átha Cliath, Daithí de Róiste, Cathal Furey (City Kayaking Tours) agus mic léinn ó Notre Dame atá ag déanamh seimeastar thar lear i mBaile Átha Cliath ag déanamh staidéir ar an nGaeilge.

Le blianta beaga anuas, tá breis is 5 mhilliún duine tosaithe ag foghlaim na Gaeilge ar Duolingo lasmuigh d’oileán na hÉireann. Aithnítear, áfach, go bhfuil deiseanna dul i ngleic leis an nGaeilge agus le scéal na Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath an-teoranta sa chathair.

Ar an gcéad cheann dá leithéid, is clár forbartha píolótach é TurasÓir a thacóidh le cúig ghnó nó grúpa pobail chun eispéiris turasóireachta a fhorbairt a thabharfaidh an Ghaeilge agus/nó scéal na Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath beo do thurasóirí.

Bronnfaidh Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath €2,000 ar 5 ghnó nó grúpa mar chuid den chlár chun treoirthionscadail a fhorbairt agus a sheoladh.

Agus an teanga ag leanúint ar aghaidh ag bláthú agus ag cur lena próifíl ar fud an domhain agus go cultúrtha, tá bearna feicthe ag CCBÁC idir an t-ionchas atá ag cuairteoirí go hÉirinn atá ag súil le taithí a fháil ar an nGaeilge agus infhaighteacht seirbhísí agus eispéiris do chuairteoirí a sheachadtar go páirteach nó go hiomlán trí mheán na Gaeilge.

Bhí City Kayaking Tours i measc na chéad ghluaiseoirí sa spás seo. Ag labhairt faoina thaithí ar an nGaeilge a úsáid mar acmhainn chun a ghnó turasóireachta a fhás, dúirt Cathal Furey, Stiúrthóir Tráchtála Cadhcála na Cathrach, “Thugamar faoi deara nuair a fuair turasóirí amach go raibh Gaeilge ag cuid dár dtreoraithe, bhí an-suim acu ansin. Bhí fíor-ocras orthu tuilleadh a fhoghlaim faoin teanga, faoina stair agus faoin gcaidreamh atá ag Baile Átha Cliath leis an teanga faoi láthair. Sin an fáth a bhfuil ‘The Hidden Language Kayaking Tour’ forbartha againn, rud atá thar a bheith tarraingteach do thurasóirí, do ghrúpaí scoile agus do mhuintir Bhaile Átha Cliath.”

Ag labhairt dó ag an seoladh, dúirt an tArdmhéara Dáithí de Róiste “Mar Ardmhéara Bhaile Átha Cliath, táim bródúil as an gclár TurasÓir a nochtadh. Tá turasóireacht Bhaile Átha Cliath faoi bhláth, ach ní dhéanann go leor dár gcuairteoirí ach spéis a chur ina bhfuil le tairiscint ag ár gcathair agus le himeacht ama tá súil againn go mbeidh scóir roghanna againn don turasóir a bhfuil spéis níos leithne acu inár dteanga agus i scéal na Gaeilge inár gcathair. Tá borradh faoin teanga sa phríomhchathair ó thús an chéid agus táimid ag súil go mór le go leor eile leanúint i dtonnta na City Kayaking Tours agus páirt a ghlacadh sa chlár TurasÓir.”

Tá TurasÓir á chur i bhfeidhm ag Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath i gcomhpháirtíocht le BÁC le Gaeilge. Is cuid den chlár Eorpach é an clár le tacaíocht ó Phríomhchathair an AE um Thurasóireacht Chliste, Baile Átha Cliath agus an Oifig Fiontair Áitiúil.

Is féidir le páirtithe leasmhara iarratas a dhéanamh ar shuíomh Gréasáin BÁC le Gaeilge agus is é Dé Luain, 17ú Meitheamh an spriocdháta le haghaidh aighneachtaí. Cuir tús le d’iarratas anseo <insert link>.

Cad iad na cineálacha tionscadal ar cheart a bheith ag déanamh iarratais orthu chuig TurasÓir?

●        Tionscadail a bhfuil bealach soiléir acu chuig an margadh agus poitéinseal soiléir le leanúint ar aghaidh mar thairiscintí inmharthana ó thaobh tráchtála de amach anseo.

●        Tionscnaimh a spreagann scéal na Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath nó a thugann an Ghaeilge beo do thurasóirí.

●        Tionscnaimh atá deartha ar bhealach a spreagann labhairt  na Gaeilge fiú más é seo an chéad uair riamh a leithéid a dhéanamh.

●        Níl aistriúcháin shimplí ar eispéiris reatha á lorg againn.