Siompóisiam in Ollscoil Harvard

Dr Pádraig Ó Liatháin, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge, was invited to speak at Harvard University, Boston, last week at a one day symposium on the Gaelic Languages of North America https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/north-am-gaelic-symposium. He presented on the migratory patterns of the Irish to Newfoundland and their continued use of the Irish language over several generations, particularly as evidenced by Irish manuscripts in the 18th and 19th centuries. These Irish migrants also coined the unique toponym, "Talamh an Éisc" (the fishing grounds).

Doctoral students in Celtic studies and undergraduates of the Humanities attend Irish language classes on campus. Pádraig taught one of these classes while he was in Harvard.

He also engaged in research in the John J. Burns Library, Boston College, where he assisted the Chief Librarian for Irish Studies in examining a recently acquired Irish manuscript, commenced in Donegal in the 1780s. The scribe, Charles Gallagher, a medical doctor, later travelled to New York, where the manuscript was completed by ensuing generations of the family, continuing into the late 19th century. A blog post on the manuscript, written by Dr Ó Liatháin, will shortly be appearing on the Boston College Library website.

Fuair an Dr Pádraig Ó Liatháin, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge, cuireadh chun léacht a thabhairt i Harvard an tseachtain seo caite. Siompóisiam lae ar an nGaeilge agus ar Ghaeilge na hAlban i Meiriceá Thuaidh le cúpla céad bliain anuas a bhí i gceist leis an siompóisiam. Labhair sé ar na patrúin inimirce, ar úsáid na Gaeilge ar an oileán, ar bhunús an logainm Talamh an Éisc, agus ar na lámhscríbhinní Gaeilge a scríobhadh i dTalamh an Éisc agus ar fud Meiriceá Thuaidh san 18ú agus san 19ú haois déag.

Bíonn ranganna Gaeilge á múineadh do mhic léinn iarchéime agus fhochéime Harvard. A fhad is a bhí sé ann, mhúin Pádraig rang Gaeilge do mhic léinn na hollscoile.

Anuas air sin, iarradh air lámhscríbhinn Ghaeilge i mBoston College a iniúchadh. Thosaigh an scríobhaí, Charles Gallagher, dochtúir leighis, an lámhscríbhinn i nDún na nGall, ach thaisteal sé léi go Nua Eabhrac ina dhiaidh, áit ar chuir na glúnta ina dhiaidh leis an lámhscríbhinn thar na bliantaibh. Scríobh an Dr Ó Liatháin blag ar an lámhscríbhinn seo, a bheidh ar shuíomh leabharlann na hollscoile sin gan mhoill.