Media Release: Minister Calleary opens Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 in Belfast
Eisiúint Meáin
29 Deireadh Fómhair 2025
Osclaíonn an tAire Calleary Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 i mBéal Feirste
● Tús oifigiúil curtha le himeachtaí na féile, a mhairfidh go dtí Dé Domhnaigh, 2 Samhain 2025
● Breis agus míle (1,000) duine le páirt a ghlacadh i gcomórtais na féile
● 80 eagraíocht páirteach i mbliana in Aonach an Oireachtais
Inniu, sheol an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, Oireachtas na Samhna go hoifigiúil san ionad comhdhála idirnáisiúnta, an ICC i mBéal Feirste. Chuir sé tús oifigiúil le himeachtaí na féile, a mhairfidh go dtí Dé Domhnaigh seo chugainn (2 Samhain 2025). Chuir an tAire fáilte faoi leith roimh phobal na cathrach féin agus roimh na mílte daoine ó phobal na Gaeilge agus ó na ceantair Ghaeltachta atá ag taisteal go Béal Feirste le bheith rannpháirteach i gceiliúradh bliantúil an Oireachtais.
Agus an fhéile á seoladh aige inniu, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Is mór an onóir dom a bheith in éineacht libh mar Aire Gaeltachta chun Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 a sheoladh go hoifigiúil anseo i mBéal Feirste cois cuain. Tá an teanga beo agus ag fás i mBéal Feirste agus tá pobal bríomhar Gaeilge anseo sa gcathair. Tá an-áthas orm a bheith ag oscailt an cheiliúrtha fhíorspeisialta anseo inniu.
“Tugann Oireachtas na Samhna deis dúinn theacht le chéile chun ár dteanga a cheiliúradh agus ardán a thabhairt do thraidisiún beo na Gaeilge – ár n-amhráin, ár scéalta agus ár ndamhsa. Tugann an fhéile seo deis do na glúnta, sean agus óg, an stáitse a roinnt le chéile agus nascanna nua a chruthú trí cheol, litríocht, filíocht agus steipeanna. Guím gach rath ar na rannpháirtithe, na ceoltoírí, na múinteoirí, na hamhránaithe, na damhsóirí agus a lucht leanúna ar fad sna comórtais as seo go deireadh na seachtaine.”
Dúirt Uachtarán Oireachtas na Gaeilge, Éamon Ó Cuív:
“Is iontach an rud é go bhfuil ceiliúradh bliantúil na nGael, Oireachtas na Samhna, ar ais anseo i mBéal Feirste cois cuain agus muid ar an taobh ó thuaidh den teorainn den chéad uair ó 1997. Tá na mílte daoine ó áiteanna ar fud na tíre ag triall ar an gcathair agus iad le páirt a ghlacadh in imeachtaí éagsúla na féile.
“Tá an-tacaíocht go deo faighte againn ó na húdaráis anseo – ó Chomhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feiste agus ón Roinn Pobal. Molaim freisin díograis agus dúthracht phobal fuinniúil Gaeilge na cathrach seo ina dtiomantas don fhéile uathúil ealaíne agus pobail seo.”
Chomh maith leis na himeachtaí agus na comórtais stáitse, bíonn na sluaite ag triall freisin ar Aonach an Oireachtais, atá ar siúl i mbliana san ICC. Is deis atá ann dóibh siúd a fhreastalaíonn ar an bhféile bualadh le gnólachtaí, eagraíochtaí, institiúidí agus fiú amháin páirtithe polaitiúla a bhfuil an Ghaeilge tábhachtach dóibh.
Tá 80 eagraíocht le bheith páirteach i mbliana san Aonach i mbliana. Deis atá ann dóibhsean a saothar a chur os comhair phobal an Oireachtais – is iad pobal na Gaeilge an sprioc-mhargadh atá ag a bhformhór.
Media Release
29 October 2025
Minister Calleary opens Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 in Belfast
● Festival events officially begin and will continue until Sunday, 2 November 2025
● Over a thousand (1,000) people to participate in festival competitions
● 80 organisations participating in this year’s Aonach an Oireachtais
Today the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, officially launched Oireachtas na Samhna in the International Conference Centre, the ICC, in Belfast. He officially commenced the festival’s events, which will continue until next Sunday (2 November 2025). The Minister gave a special welcome to the people of the city itself and to the thousands of people from the Irish language community and from Gaeltacht areas who are travelling to Belfast to take part in the annual Oireachtas celebrations.
Launching the festival today, Minister Calleary said:
“It is an honour to be with you today as Minister for the Gaeltacht to officially launch Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 here in Belfast. The language is alive and growing in Belfast and there is a thriving Irish language community here in the city. I am delighted to be opening this very special celebration here today.
“Oireachtas na Samhna gives us the opportunity to gather and celebrate our language and to give a platform for the living tradition of Irish – our songs, our stories and our dance. This festival gives every generation, old and young, the chance to share the stage and forge new connections through music, literature, poetry and steps. I wish the participants, musicians, teachers, singers, dancers and all of their supporters every success in the competitions from now until the end of the week.”
The President of Oireachtas na Gaeilge, Éamon Ó Cuív, said:
“It is wonderful for the annual celebration of the Gaels, Oireachtas na Samhna, to be back here in Belfast, north of the border for the first time since 1997. Thousands of people from places all over the country are heading to the city to take part in the festival’s various events.
“We have received enormous support from the authorities here – from Belfast City Council and from the Department for Communities. I would also like to commend the passion and dedication of this city’s vibrant Irish language community in their commitment to this unique arts and community festival.”
As well as the events and stage competitions, many will also head to Aonach an Oireachtais, which is taking place this year in the ICC. It is a chance for those who attend the festival to meet businesses, organisations, institutes and even political parties who place importance on the Irish language.
80 organisations will take part in the Aonach this year. They will have the opportunity to present their work to the Oireachtas community – the Irish language community is the target market for the majority of them.