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A new bursary commemorating the author and musician Risteard Mac Gabhann (1938-1923) is being set up to support Irish language cultural practitioners in the North West. Broadcaster Joe Mahon made the announcement at the unveiling of a specially-commissioned portrait of his lifelong friend at the Derry Cultúrlann. Mr Mahon has generously started 'Ciste Mhic Gabhann' with a donation of £5000 and says he hopes other funders will now also contribute to it. More than 100 people attended the ceremony on January 2, where the unveiling was conducted by Risteard Mac Gabhann's family, including his wife Joan, daughters Ciara, Áine and Treasa, and grandsons Fionn and Cian. The portrait was created by Derry artist John McCandless and was sponsored by the Ultach Trust. Colmcille Press, which published Mr Mac Gabhann's magnum opus Claisceadal cois Baile shortly before his death in May 2023, will help administer the new bursary along with Ciara Nic Gabhann, the Derry Cultúrlann and Joe Mahon himself. Tá sparánacht nua á bunú in ómós an údair agus cheoltóra Risteard Mac Gabhann (1938-1923) chun tacú le cleachtóirí cultúrtha na Gaeilge san Iarthuaisceart. Rinne an craoltóir Joe Mahon an fógra ag nochtadh portráide speisialta dá chara-saoil i gCultúrlann Dhoire. Tá 'Ciste Mhic Gabhann' tosaithe go fial ag an Uasal Mahon le síntiús de £5000 agus dúirt sé go bhfuil súil aige go gcuirfidh maoinitheoirí eile leis anois freisin. D’fhreastail níos mó ná 100 duine ar an searmanas ar an 2 Eanáir, áit ar reáchtáil teaghlach Risteard Mac Gabhann an nochtadh, lena n-áirítear a bhean chéile Joan, a iníonacha Ciara, Áine agus Treasa, agus a gharmhic Fionn agus Cian. Chruthaigh an t-ealaíontóir as Doire, John McCandless, an phortráid agus rinne Iontaobhas Ultach urraíocht uirthi. Cuideoidh Colmcille Press, a d’fhoilsigh magnum opus Claisceadal Cois Baile an Uasail Mhic Gabhann go gairid roimh a bhás i mBealtaine 2023, an sparánacht nua a riaradh in éineacht le Ciara Nic Gabhann, Cultúrlann Dhoire agus Joe Mahon féin.

There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have contributed to the DUG campaign for an independent, cross-border university in northwest Ireland over the past year. We are grateful for all the support - and would like to mention a few in our first annual awards list. Parliamentarian of the Year (Stormont) Winner: Sinead McLaughlin MLA (nominated for her work on the new Regional Balance Bill) Honourable Mention: Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA (nominated for refusing to raise student fees)  *** Parliamentarian of the Year (Dáil Éireann) Colm Burke TD (nominated for his long-term championing of an independent university as the last unresolved civil rights demand) *** Parliamentarian of the Year (Westminster) Mike Kane MP (nominated for his recent work on the NI Select Affairs Committee and long-term support for a cross-border NWU) *** Most Significant Government Intervention (Belfast, Dublin & London) £40m Shared Island funding of the new Magee Teaching Block, as sanctioned by Taoiseach Michéal Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris)  ***   University Leader of the Year (Atlantic Coast) Dr Orla Flynn (President of the multi-campus, federal university, ATU)  *** University Leader of the Year (Eastern Coast) Dr Eucharia Meehan (President of the Dublin Institute for Advance Studies and former co-chair of the Royal Irish Academy Futures All-Ireland Research and Innovation Committee.) *** University Partnership of the Year Queen's University Belfast and Dundalk IT (nominated for the announcement of their formation of a cross-border, federal university) *** Investigative Reporter of the Year Winner: Garrett Hargan, Belfast Telegraph NW Reporter and author of ‘A Scandal in Plain Sight’ *** Newspaper Column of the Year Nominees: Tom Collins (‘Time to stop the rot and give Derry the university it needs and deserves’, Irish News); Tom Collins, (‘UU award cannot disguise its neglect of the North West’, Irish News); Brian Feeney (‘Keep the civil service away from decisions on Derry’, Irish News); Conal McFeely (‘Governments must team up to deliver the NWU’, Derry Journal); Pat McArt (‘So tell me… what are you going to do for the North West?’, Irish News) Joint Winners: Tom Collins (for ‘Time to stop the rot and give Derry the university it needs and deserves’), Brian Feeney & Pat McArt. *** Best Book ‘A New Ireland - A Five Year Review’ by Paul Gosling *** Best Blog Winner: Conal McFeely (Derry must move now to establish its own cross-border university, colmcillepress.com ) *** Find of the Year The Derry Journal’s extended report from July 31, 1850, detailing plans to open an independent university in Derry and to fight Belfast attempts to steal the funding. (Sourced by Seamus Breslin.)  *** Special Award To Professor Gerry McKenna MRIA, who receives the North West University’s Honorary Doctorate 2025, for services to cross-border education in Ireland. [*Garrett Hargan received the first honorary doctorate from NWU upon the publication of his investigative history ‘A Scandal in Plain Sight’ in 2024] ENDS

Oíche Chiúin: Stille Nacht: Silent Night Ceacht 6: Úrchnoc Chéin Mhic Cáinte ~ The Lush Hill of Cian Mac Cáinte Ag ceiliúradh foghlama na Gaeilge trí sheanamhráin ~ Celebrating learning Irish through old songs Curtha in eagar ag Risteard Mac Gabhann Edited by Risteard Mac Gabhann Iomann Nollag a chantar chomh forleitheadach sin ar fud an domhain, gur bhronn UNESCO i 2011 gradam air mar ‘shaothar cruthaitheach dobhraite d’oidhreacht an domhain’. Cumadh an ceol in 1818 ag an cheoltóir Ostaireach Franz Gruber agus na focail ag sagart óg Ostaireach Joseph Mohr. Ó shin i leith, rinneadh é a aistriú go dtí na céadta teanga. Is é Tadhg Ó Donnchadha (1874-1949) a rinne an t-aistriúchán breá Gaeilge seo. Is ón bhunleagan le Mohr an véarsa láir anseo le hómós do bhunús Ostaireach an iomainn. A Christmas hymn, which is so widely known throughout the world that it was declared by UNESCO in 2011 ‘an intangible world heritage creation’. The music was composed in 1818 by the Austrian musician Franz Gruber and the original lyric by a young Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. Since then, it has been translated into hundreds of languages. This fine Irish translation was done by Tadhg Ó Donnchadha (1874 – 1949). The middle verse is from the Mohr version to acknowledge the carol’s Austrian origin. Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé, Silent night, the night of the son of God, Cách ina suan, dís ar aon, Everyone asleep, the couple both, Dís is dílse ag faire le spéis, Most faithful couple, watching intently, Naíon beag gnaoigheal, ceananntais caomh, A little infant beauty-bright, soft-browed gentle, Críost ‘na chodladh go séimh, Christ softly sleeping, Críost ‘na chodladh go séimh. Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Silent night, holy night, Alles schläft, einsam wacht All are asleep, except the watching, Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar. Faithful, most holy pair, Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, Holy infant in curling hair, Schlaf ’ in himmlischer Ruh , Sleep in heavenly peace, Schlaf ’ in himmlischer Ruh Oíche chiúin, oíche mhic Dé, Silent night, the night of the son of God, Aoirí ar dtús ‘ chuala an scéal, Shepherds first heard the news, Alléluia! aingil ag glaoch, Alleluia! angels calling, Cantain suairc i ngar a’s i gcéin, Joyful singing near and far, Críost an Slánaitheoir féin, Christ the saviour himself, Críost an Slánaitheoir féin. Christ the saviour himself. Beautiful version from Enya here/Leagan álainn ó Enya ar fáil anseo: Oíche Chiúin