Turas
{{short description|Irish-language project in Belfast, Northern Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{for|the album|Fergus McCreadie}}
Turas (Irish for "journey") is an Irish-language project which is part of East Belfast Mission, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Beginning as a grassroots effort, spearheaded primarily by Linda Ervine, Turas aims to promote the language particularly in the Protestant Unionist community.{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/linda-ervine-i-dont-want-to-be-part-of-the-problem-in-northern-ireland-31050166.html|title=Linda Ervine: 'I don't want to be part of the problem in Northern Ireland'|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph}} Historically, the Irish language was more closely associated with Irish Catholic identity.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/04/protestants-go-gaelic-northern-ireland-2014423132641709630.html|title=Protestants go for Gaelic in Northern Ireland|first=Peter|last=Geoghegan|website=Al Jazeera}}
Turas was first established in 2011 with a single Irish-language class held on the Newtownards Road. Today, the project caters to approximately 200 learners and is considered the largest provider of Irish-language classes in Belfast.{{Cite web|url=http://www.universitytimes.ie/2018/05/irish-language-can-bridge-northern-irish-divide-trinity-study-finds/|title=Irish Language Can Bridge Northern Irish Divide, Trinity Study Finds|website=The University Times}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ErvineLinda/status/978204032274698241|title=Turas in east Belfast is now the largest provider of Irish classes in Belfast with the highest number of people registered. @ForasnaGaeilge|first=Linda|last=Ervine|date=March 26, 2018}} Turas has received many accolades for its cross-community work. In 2015, after awarding Linda with the Civic Leadership Award, Community Relations Council chairman Peter Osborne stated that Turas' success was a "testament to Linda’s vision, bravery and leadership."{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebm.org.uk/turas/|title=TURAS at East Belfast Mission|website=East Belfast Mission}}
History
Linda Ervine, sister-in-law of the late Progressive Unionist Party leader David Ervine, participated in a six-week Irish-language course in early 2011 as a member of an East Belfast cross-community women's group. When an article published by the Belfast Telegraph prompted local interest in learning Irish, East Belfast Mission decided to host a 15-week Irish-language class in November 2011.{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/ervine-relative-speaks-up-for-irish-28654022.html|title=Ervine relative speaks up for Irish|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph}} In 2012, with funding from Foras na Gaeilge, East Belfast Mission was able to hire Ervine as Irish Language Development Officer.{{cite web|url=https://www.cairdeturas.com/about |title=About Us – Cairde Turas |access-date=26 September 2020 |publisher=Cairde Turas}} In 2014, further funding allowed for the allocation of a permanent space for Turas in the newly built Skainos Centre.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-25654557|title=New Irish language centre in Belfast|date=January 9, 2014|work=BBC News}}
Programme
Turas currently offers 12 Irish-language classes each week, with levels ranging from total beginners to GCSE.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cairdeturas.com/languageclasses|title=Language classes|website=Cairde Turas}} Some learners at Turas have since continued on with A-levels as well as diploma certificates.{{cite web |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/2017/08/09/news/students-from-east-belfasts-mission-prepare-to-take-their-irish-courses-all-the-way-to-college-1105625/ |title=Students who took Irish classes in loyalist area embark on university diploma as Gaeilge |last=McConville |first=Marie |date=9 August 2017 |website= Irish News |access-date=2019-09-22}} Cultural classes include singing, set dancing, and tin whistle. Turas also hosts plays, lectures, debates, film screenings, festivals, and trips to the Gaeltacht.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiokerry.ie/protestants-unionists-east-belfast-learning-irish-dingle-peninsula/|title=Protestants and Unionists from East Belfast learning Irish on the Dingle Peninsula|date=August 31, 2017 |website=Radio Kerry}}
Outreach
Ervine and Gordon McCoy (who has served as Education Officer at Turas since 2015) host outreach presentations and events about the 'hidden' heritage of Northern Ireland at local churches, clubs, libraries, schools, and community centres. McCoy is an expert on Irish-speaking Protestants, and runs a bus tour about the history of the language in East Belfast.{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/where-the-streets-have-both-names-many-east-belfast-landmarks-have-longforgotten-irish-roots-as-ivan-little-discovers-on-a-bus-tour-36066495.html|title=Where the streets have both names - many east Belfast landmarks have long-forgotten Irish roots, as Ivan Little discovers on a bus tour|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph}}
Ervine and McCoy have also encouraged and facilitated the development of Irish-language programmes throughout the greater Belfast area.{{Cite web|url=https://connor.anglican.org/2014/04/29/irish-classes-a-success-in-monkstown/|title=Irish classes a success in Monkstown|date=April 29, 2014 |publisher=Diocese of Connor}}
Advocacy
The status of the Irish language has proved divisive in post-Good Friday Agreement Northern Ireland.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/the-rebirth-of-the-irish-language-has-northern-irelandtalking/article37323215/|title=Irish-Gaelic rebirth has Northern Ireland talking|work=The Globe and Mail}} As a representative of Turas, Linda Ervine has actively engaged with Unionist politicians, as well as members of the Orange Order, in order to promote the language.{{cite web |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/2017/04/14/news/dup-mep-diane-dodds-met-irish-language-students-during-visit-to-east-belfast-charity-997039/ |title=DUP MEP Diane Dodds met Irish language students during visit to east Belfast charity |last=Monoghan |first=John |date=14 April 2017 |website=Irish News |access-date=2019-09-22}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/visit-our-irish-class-in-loyal-east-belfast-challenge-to-orange-chief-who-hit-out-at-language-29973255.html|title=Visit our Irish class in loyal east Belfast... challenge to Orange chief who hit out at language|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph}} Ervine has been particularly vocal about her support for a standalone Irish Language Act.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/education/linda-ervine-curry-my-yoghurt-pushed-me-towards-irish-act-1-8038462|title=Linda Ervine: 'Curry my yoghurt' pushed me towards Irish act|website=Belfast News Letter}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://turasbelfast.com/ Official website]