POBAL

{{Short description|Umbrella organization for the Irish language movement in Northern Ireland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{about|the Irish language movement in Northern Ireland|the government funding agency in the Republic of Ireland|Pobal}}

POBAL was an umbrella organisation for the Irish language movement in Northern Ireland,{{cite web |title=Pobal- Who we are|url=http://www.pobal.org/english/who-we-are/ |website = pobal.org |url-status=usurped| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20181118162312/http://www.pobal.org/english/who-we-are/ | archivedate = 18 November 2018 }} which was formed in 1998 and closed in 2019.{{cite web| url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/belfast-language-group-pobal-to-close-due-to-lack-of-funding-1.3850070 | publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = Belfast language group Pobal to close due to lack of funding | date = 4 April 2019 | accessdate = 17 October 2022 }} The organisation was funded by the UK Department for Social Development and Belfast City Council.{{cite web|author=Janet Muller|title=OPINION - Janet Muller: What does Pobal's closure say about the state of Irish language provision?|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/janet-muller-what-does-pobals-closure-say-about-the-state-of-irish-language-provision-38007337.html | website = belfasttelegraph.co.uk }} It received funding from Foras na Gaeilge until 2014. Formerly registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland,{{cite web|url = https://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/charity-details/?regId=102846&subId=0 | publisher = Charity Commission for Northern Ireland | website = charitycommissionni.org.uk | title = Register - Pobal | accessdate = 17 October 2022 | quote = This charity was removed from the register on 20 Jan 2020 [..] Charity no. 102846 [..] Date registered. 11/08/2015}} it campaigned for an Irish Language Act to be enacted for Northern Ireland that is similar to language acts in the Republic of Ireland, Wales and Scotland.{{cite web|work=Cairde Teo.|title=POBAL call for Irish Language Act|url=http://www.cairdeteo.com/2017/02/pobal-call-irish-language-act/ | date = 20 February 2017 }}{{cite web|work=Meon Eile|title=Agallamh: Príomhfheidhmeannach POBAL, Janet Muller|url=https://vimeo.com/143723885/ | via = vimeo.com }}{{cite web|work=Éist|title=The struggle for Irish language rights in Northern Ireland: an interview with POBAL's Janet Muller|url=http://www.eistworks.org/the-struggle-for-irish-language-rights-in-northern-ireland/|access-date=7 April 2018|archive-date=8 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408141511/http://www.eistworks.org/the-struggle-for-irish-language-rights-in-northern-ireland/|url-status=dead}} Its director was Janet Muller.