Coláiste Bhríde Rann na Feirste

Damien Ó Dónaill Image Name: Damien Ó Dónaill Description: Damien Ó Dónaill
Damien Ó Dónaill Image Name: Damien Ó Dónaill Description: Damien Ó Dónaill
Coláiste Bhríde Rann na Feirste Image Name: Coláiste Bhríde Rann na Feirste Description: Coláiste Bhríde Rann na Feirste

Léiríonn Damien Ó Dónaill an stair ársa a bhaineann le bunú Choláiste Bhríde i Rann na Feirste i nGaeltacht Thír Chonaill i 1926 le hábhar as Cartlann RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.  Ba in Ó Méith i gCo. Lú a bunaíodh Coláiste Bhríde sa bhliain 1912, ach ansin shocraigh an tAthair Lorcán Ó Muireadhaigh an coláiste a bhogadh go láthair Gaeltachta, agus roghnaigh sé Rann na Feirste in iarthuaisceart Dhún na nGall.  D’oscail an coláiste ansin sa bhliain 1926, agus tá daltaí ag freastal ar an gceantar gach samhradh ó shin, go dtí i mbliana, nuair nach raibh an coláiste ar oscailt den chéad uair le 94 bliain anuas de bharr ráig an COVID-19.  D’fhreastail níos mó ná 80,000 duine ar an gcoláiste thar na blianta, ina measc TK Whitaker, Éamon de Valera, Bernadette McAliskey, Pádraig McNamee, Phil Coulter, Pádraig Ó Uallacháin agus an Cairdinéal Tomás Ó Fiaich.

Damien Ó Dónaill presents a special programme about the history of the famed Coláiste Bhríde Irish college in Rann na Feirste, or Rannafast, in Co. Donegal.  The college has been welcoming students to the northwest to learn Irish since 1926.  It was  established initially in Omeath, Co. Louth, in 1912, and was then moved to the Gaeltacht location of Rann na Feirste in 1926 when Fr Lorcán Ó Muireadhaigh found a new home for his college.  The strong connection with Louth and Monaghan and the surrounds endures to this day.  94 years later the college remains open, until this summer which saw a break in the long-standing summer tradition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1926 over 80,000 students have attended the college during the summer months, including TK Whitaker, Éamon de Valera, Bernadette McAliskey, Pádraig McNamee, Phil Coulter, Pádraig Ó Uallacháin and Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiach.