Congratulations to Ciara Ní É—poet, actor, playwright, and podcaster—who has been awarded an artist residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris. This residency is co-funded by the Centre for Irish Language at Maynooth University as part of our ongoing collaboration with the CCI, with support from the Department of the Gaeltacht, to promote the Irish language in Paris.
The Irish language in Paris is going from strength to strength. Since the Centre for Irish Language began teaching Irish at the CCI in 2005, thanks to government funding, a vibrant and passionate community of Irish speakers has grown and flourished there. This year, over 75 people are attending Irish language classes at the CCI, many of whom will sit the Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge exams in the summer.
The purpose of these 12-week residencies is to provide Irish artists with space and inspiration to develop their work or a specific project, and to give them the opportunity to present their work on an international platform. During her time at the CCI, Ciara will be working on her first bilingual poetry collection. The Irish-language community at the CCI will no doubt give her a warm welcome, and there is great anticipation to see the impact Ciara will have on the Irish-speaking and artistic communities in Paris.