Preasráiteas: Fógraíonn an tAire Calleary Oireachtas na hEorpa, oíche de chultúr na Gaeilge sa Bhruiséil chun Uachtaránacht na hÉireann ar an AE a chomóradh
Press Release
Monday, 19 October 2026
Minister Calleary announces Oireachtas na hEorpa, an evening of Irish-language culture in Brussels to mark Ireland’s EU Presidency
- Minister Calleary announces signature Irish-language cultural event for Ireland’s EU Presidency
- Event to take place on Thursday 3rd December 2026 at the Albert Hall in Brussels
- “Glórtha Gael ag Treisiú Ceangal 1500 Bliain” to tell the story of Irish speakers in Europe over 15 centuries
- Performance in Brussels and livestream worldwide to showcase the Irish language to European and international audiences
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, today (Monday 19th October) has announced that Oireachtas na hEorpa – Glórtha Gael ag Treisiú Ceangal 1500 Bliain will take place in Brussels on Thursday, 3 December 2026. The event is presented by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in partnership with An tOireachtas, which is producing the programme.
The evening brings together sean-nós singing, dancing and music with lúibíní and storytelling, woven into a single performance. It traces the journey of Irish speakers to Europe over 1500 years, from Columbanus to the Irish Colleges of Paris, Salamanca, Leuven and Rome, and on to the Irish speakers who live and work through Irish in European Union Member States today. The performance will be in Irish, with English and French supertitles.
The starting point is Columbanus, the sixth-century Irish monk who left Ireland around 590 and founded monasteries in what are now France and Italy. Columbanus is regarded as one of the first writers to speak of Europe as a whole, using the phrase totius Europae (all of Europe) in a letter to Pope Gregory the Great around the year 600. Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union, later described him as a patron for all who seek to build a united Europe.
Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2026. It is the first Irish Presidency since Irish became fully operational as an official and working language of the EU in January 2022, and Irish has been used across Council meetings and Presidency events throughout the term.
The event is aimed at Irish speakers living and working across the EU, and at raising awareness of Irish as a living language and working language of the EU amongst representatives of other Member States and the EU institutions.
Speaking today, Minister Calleary said:
“More than fourteen centuries ago, St Columbanus showed that an Irish speaker from the edge of Europe could help shape its future. His legacy reminds us that the Irish language has a place not only in our past, but in the Europe of today. When Robert Schuman described St Columbanus as a patron of those who seek to build a united Europe, he recognised something Ireland has long known: that our language, culture and traditions have been part of the European story for centuries.
‘Glórtha Gael ag Treisiú Ceangal 1500 Bliain’ captures perfectly the enduring relationship between the Irish language and Europe, and I want to thank An tOireachtas for bringing that story to life through a performance that celebrates a living language with a long European story behind it.”
Speaking also today, Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha, An tOireachtas said:
“An tOireachtas is honoured to present this original artistic production, celebrating the enduring cultural bonds between Ireland and Europe, from the pioneering journeys of Saint Columbanus in the late sixth century to the vibrant connections of today, as Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Weaving together the richness of Ireland’s traditional and contemporary performing arts, this special concert showcases the distinctive beauty of sean-nós singing and dance, the artistry of our oral traditions—including lúibíní, storytelling, poetry and drama—and the captivating sounds of Irish instrumental music.”
Preasráiteas
De Luain, an 19 Deireadh Fómhair 2026
Fógraíonn an tAire Calleary Oireachtas na hEorpa, oíche de chultúr na Gaeilge sa Bhruiséil chun Uachtaránacht na hÉireann ar an AE a chomóradh
- D’fhógair an tAire Calleary imeacht cultúrtha Gaeilge d’Uachtaránacht na hÉireann ar an AE
- Reáchtálfar an ócáid Déardaoin, an 3 Nollaig 2026 i Halla Albert sa Bhruiséil
- Inseoidh “Glórtha Gael ag Treisiú Ceangal 1500 Bliain” scéal Ghaeil na hEorpa le 1500 bliain anuas
- Ar stáitse sa Bhruiséil agus sruthú beo ar fud an domhain do lucht éisteachta na hEorpa agus idirnáisiúnta
Inniu (19 Deireadh Fómhair), d’fhógair an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, go reáchtálfar Oireachtas na hEorpa – Glórtha Gael ag Treisiú Ceangal 1500 Bliain sa Bhruiséil Déardaoin, an 3 Nollaig 2026. Cuirfidh an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta an ócáid i láthair, i gcomhpháirtíocht leis an Oireachtas, a bhfuil an clár á léiriú aige.
Tabharfar amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós, damhsa agus ceol le chéile sa tráthnóna seo, mar aon le lúibíní agus scéalaíocht, iad ar fad fite fuaite in aon léiriú amháin. Cuirfear i láthair turas na nGael chun na hEorpa thar thréimhse 1500 bliain – ó Cholumbán agus Coláistí na nGael i bPáras, in Salamanca, sa Lováin agus sa Róimh – agus ar aghaidh go dtí na cainteoirí Gaeilge atá ina gcónaí agus i mbun oibre trí mheán na Gaeilge i mballstáit an Aontais Eorpaigh sa lá atá inniu ann. Beidh an léiriú i nGaeilge, agus cuirfear fortheidil i mBéarla agus i bhFraincis ar fáil.
Is é Columbán an pointe tosaigh – manach Éireannach ón séú haois a d’fhág Éire thart ar an mbliain 590 agus a bhunaigh mainistreacha sna ceantair ar a dtugtar an Fhrainc agus an Iodáil inniu. Meastar gurbh é Columbán duine de na chéad scríbhneoirí a labhair faoin Eoraip ina hiomláine; d’úsáid sé an frása *totius Europae* (an Eoraip ar fad) i litir chuig an bPápa Gréagóir Mór timpeall na bliana 600. Chuir Robert Schuman, duine de bhunaitheoirí an Aontais Eorpaigh, síos air níos déanaí mar phátrún dóibh siúd go léir a fhéachann le hEoraip aontaithe a thógáil.
Tá Uachtaránacht Chomhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh ag Éirinn ó mhí Iúil go mí na Nollag 2026. Is í seo an chéad Uachtaránacht Éireannach ó tháinig an Ghaeilge i bhfeidhm go hiomlán mar theanga oifigiúil agus mar theanga oibre san Aontas Eorpach i mí Eanáir 2022, agus tá úsáid bainte as an nGaeilge ag cruinnithe na Comhairle agus ag imeachtaí na hUachtaránachta go dtí seo.
Tá an ócáid dírithe ar chainteoirí Gaeilge atá ina gcónaí agus i mbun oibre ar fud an Aontais Eorpaigh, agus ar fheasacht a mhúscailt — i measc ionadaithe ó Bhallstáit eile agus ó institiúidí an Aontais Eorpaigh — faoin nGaeilge mar theanga bheo agus mar theanga oibre san Aontas Eorpach.
Ag labhairt inniu, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Breis agus ceithre haois déag ó shin, léirigh Naomh Columbán go bhféadfadh cainteoir Gaeilge ó imeall na hEorpa cabhrú le todhchaí na hEorpa a mhúnlú. Cuireann a oidhreacht i gcuimhne dúinn go bhfuil áit ag an nGaeilge, ní hamháin inár stair, ach in Eoraip an lae inniu chomh maith. Nuair a chuir Robert Schuman síos ar Naomh Columbán mar phátrún dóibh siúd a fhéachann le hEoraip aontaithe a thógáil, d’aithin sé rud a bhí ar eolas ag muintir na hÉireann le fada an lá: go bhfuil ár dteanga, ár gcultúr agus ár dtraidisiúin mar chuid de scéal na hEorpa leis na céadta bliain anuas.
“Léiríonn ‘Glórtha Gael ag Treisiú Ceangal 1500 Bliain’ an caidreamh buan atá idir an Ghaeilge agus an Eoraip, agus ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Oireachtas as beocht a chur sa scéal sin trí léiriú ina ndéantar ceiliúradh ar theanga bheo a bhfuil stair fhada aici san Eoraip.”
Ag labhairt inniu chomh maith, dúirt Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha, An tOireachtas:
“Is mór an onóir don Oireachtas an léiriú ealaíonta úrnua seo a chur i láthair, lena ndéanfar ceiliúradh ar na ceangail chultúrtha leanúnacha idir Éirinn agus an Eoraip, ó thurais cheannródaíocha Naomh Columbán ag deireadh an séú haois go dtí na naisc bhríomhara atá ann inniu, agus Uachtaránacht Chomhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh ag Éirinn. Agus saibhreas na n-ealaíon traidisiúnta agus comhaimseartha in Éirinn á bhfí le chéile, cuirfidh an cheolchoirm speisialta seo áilleacht ar leith na hamhránaíochta agus an damhsa ar an sean-nós ar an ardán in éineacht le cruthaitheacht ár dtraidisiún béil— idir lúibíní, scéalaíocht, filíocht agus drámaíocht—agus fuaimeanna mealltacha cheol uirlisí na hÉireann.”