DCU's Fáilte Ar Líne online degree programme wins Irish Language Award
Dublin City University’s Irish language and cultural online degree programme – Fáilte Ar Líne – has won the Irish Language Award at the 2019 National Lottery Good Causes Awards.
The project received the award – which recognises the advancement of the Irish language – at the gala National Lottery Good Causes Awards on Saturday night, November 2nd, in Dublin’s Clayton Ballsbridge Hotel.
Community projects from Donegal, Sligo, Westmeath, Laois and Kerry were also awarded.
Fáilte ar Líne is a digital education project that is part of DCU’s National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) and the University’s Fiontar/School of Irish.
It is a course available for the wider Irish diaspora and focus on linguistic and cultural projects.
Based at DCU, Fáilte ar Líne has more than 45,000 registered students across 140 countries to help learn Irish across eight different courses.
The project is a collaborative one in DCU between FIONTAR & Scoil na Gaeilge and the NIDL which will serve to support members of the Irish diaspora and those who wish to learn Irish and the culture associated with it as part of an exciting new online degree programme.
The National Lottery Good Causes Awards honour the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals from all over Ireland who, with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding, have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities.
Some 36 finalists from all over Ireland gathered for Saturday’s awards gala, which was hosted by broadcaster Grainne Seoige, with support from social media influencer and presenter, James Patrice.
Presenting the representatives from Fáilte ar Líne with their prize for winning the National Lottery Good Cause of the Year, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan said: “Community is at the heart of all we do in Ireland and the inspiring National Lottery Good Causes Awards finalists have excelled in their use of Good Causes funds to benefit their localities and the wider society.
“Good Causes funding has helped us build a better Ireland and has given communities opportunities they would not have had otherwise. “
Andrew Algeo, CEO of the National Lottery said: “I would like to congratulate Mairead, Caitriona and all the Fáilte ar Líne team and each of our other six category winners who make an incredible difference to the lives of many in their communities.
“These are just a few of the 4,000 or so great causes that are improve life in Ireland and which are funded each year by National Lottery play. It’s a real motivator and inspiration for all of us at the National Lottery to see that funding helping to work the wonders that these finalists do, for others.”
The six category winners received €10,000 each, whilst the overall Good Cause of the Year, Liquid Therapy, received an additional €25,000.
The National Lottery Good Cause Awards winners 2019 are:
- National Lottery Good Cause of the Year and winner of Sport & Recreation Category: Liquid Therapy
- Community: Social Action Group Rathmore
- Arts & Culture: Kids Own Publishing Partnership
- Heritage: Abbeyleix Bog Project
- Youth: YoYo Youth Café
- Health & Wellbeing: Cuisle Cancer Support Centre
- Irish Language: Fáilte ar Líne (DCU)
The National Lottery Good Causes Awards honour the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals from all over Ireland who, with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding, have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities.