Ar Bhealach na Gaeltachta | The Gaeltacht Way

Ar Bhealach na Gaeltachta is a new Irish language Broadcast Fund series that follows presenter Frainc Mac Cionnaith around the four way-marked routes in the Donegal Gaeltacht meeting those who live and work there. It begins on BBC Two NI on Monday 26 May at 10pm.

‘Bealach na Gaeltachta’ is the general name for the four circular long-distance trails in the Gaeltacht areas of Donegal: Slí an Earagail, Slí na Rosann, Slí na Finne and Slí Cholmcille. In this four-part series, young Gaeilgeoir Frainc Mac Cionnaith walks each of the trails, and on his journey he captures the scale, atmosphere and beauty of this ruggedly beautiful county.

The series encapsulates the spirit of Donegal through its people, culture, music and history in one of the most unspoilt scenic landscapes in Ireland. As well as the physical trials of each journey, Frainc takes the opportunity to express the essence of his travels through his own artistic interpretation.

The series producer Sheila Friel is a Donegal native herself. “For me, this has been one of the most enjoyable productions I have developed and produced in recent years. All the necessary elements were there at my own back door to make a fascinating series – the natural beauty of the county as a backdrop, the openness and warmth of the characters we feature and their generosity of spirit in sharing their stories and their knowledge - making the whole production process a joy and a privilege. One of the biggest challenges we faced was not what to include but what to leave out! I feel there will be lots new for our audience in this series; new voices with a richness of language providing insights to a county steeped in hidden history.”

Adds director Mal Marken; “Donegal is held close in the hearts of many Northern Irish people who have had a long association with the county over the years, regardless of the inclement weather at times! With this in mind, we wanted the programmes to work on two levels – they needed to feel somewhat familiar to our audience in reflecting their own experience of the county yet deepen their knowledge further by revealing the lesser known stories and the more isolated locations. In this series, we climb mountains and cross bogs, we visit islands and remote homesteads, seeking out the unusual anecdotes and the visual treats that all help form the rich tapestry of a county many consider a home from home.”

The series starts with the most northerly of the four trails, ‘Slí an Earagail’, where Frainc begins his journey in the picturesque village of Dunlewey and travels on to Gortahork and Falcarragh before reaching the climax of the programme at the top of Errigal.

‘Slí na Rosann’ is the second episode in the series which concentrates on the Rosses area of West Donegal visiting Loughanure and Burtonport.

Episode three follows the ‘Slí na Finne’ trail, looping from Fintown to Comeen, on through Cloughan and finishing near Fintown again. This is one of the lesser known parts of the Donegal Gaeltacht, tucked away below the Blue Stack Mountains and a haven for wildlife.

In the final episode Frainc walks Slí Cholmcille, along the southern coast of county Donegal, starting off in Ardara and continuing through to Glencolmcille.

Ar Bhealach na Gaeltachta is an Imagine Media production for BBC Northern Ireland, with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund.

Sraith nua de chuid an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge é Ar Bhealach na Gaeltachta ina leanann láithreoir Frainc Mac Cionnaith na ceithre shlí marcáilte thart ar Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall ag bualadh leo siúd atá ina gcónaí agus a oibríonn ann. Tosóidh sé ar BBC TÉ. Dé Luain an 26ú Bealtaine ar a 10in.


_________________________________________________________

Is é Bealach na Gaeltachta an t-ainm ginearálta ar cheithre shlí chiorclacha fad-achair i gceantair Ghaeltachta Dhún na nGall: Slí an Earagail, Slí na Rosann, Slí na Finne agus Slí Cholmcille. Sa tsraith cheithre chuid seo siúlann an Gaeilgeoir óg Frainc Mac Cionnaith gach slí acu, agus ar a bhealach faigheann sé amach cé chomh mór, chomh hatmaisféarach agus chomh hálainn agus atá an tír ghalánta gharbh seo.

Déanta do BBC Thuaisceart Éireann ag Imagine Media, nochtann an tsraith spiorad Dhún na nGall trína dhaoine, a chultúr, a cheol agus a stair i gceann de na tírdhreacha scéimhe is lú milleadh in Éirinn.

Taobh leis na dúshláin fhisiceacha ar gach turas, tapaíonn Frainc an deis le bunbhrí a thurais a mhíniú trína léiriú ealaíonta féin.

Is as Dún na nGall féin í léiritheoir na sraithe Sheila Friel. “Dar liom gur seo ceann de na léiriúchán is sultmhaire a d'fhorbair mé le blianta beaga anuas. Rud ar bith a bhí de dhíth le sraith mheallacach a dhéanamh, bhí sé ag doras an tí agam féin – áilleacht nádúrtha an chontae mar chúlra, oscailteacht agus teochroí na gcarachtar agus a bhflaithiúlacht ag roinnt a scéalta agus a n-eolais – rud a d'fhág próiseas iomlán an léiriúcháin ina phléisiúr agus ina phribhléid. Bhí an méid a d'fhágfadh muid ar lár ar na trioblóidí is mó bhí againn, ní hé cad é a bhí le coinneáil istigh. Mothaím go mbeidh go leor as an nua dár lucht féachana; guthanna nua agus saibhreas teanga leo a thugann léargas ar chontae atá ar maos i stair.”

Dar leis an láithreoir Frainc Mac Cionnaith; “B’eispéireas iontach é eolas a chur ar Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall de shiúil na gcos. Casadh carachtair den scoth orm ar an bhealach agus chonaic mé cuid den na radhairc is deise sa Chontae, nó fiú as tír ar fad. D’fhoghlaim mé scéalta, amhráin, ceardaíocht agus seanchas. Taobh leis sin chuir mé eolas ar sléibhte, aibhneacha, oileáin agus lochanna agus chruthaigh mé cairdeas leis na daoine is flaithiúla sa tír seo. Tá iontais go leor ag fanacht leat le gach casadh Ar Bhealach na Gaeltachta.”

Is é atá le rá an léiritheoir Mal Marken; “Tá áit ina gcroí do Dhún na nGall ag tréan Éireannach Tuaisceartach a bhfuil ceangal fada acu leis an chontae síos trí na blianta, beag beann in amanna ar an drochaimsir. Agus seo ar intinn, bhí muid ag iarraidh go n-oibreodh na cláir ar dhá leibhéal – ba ghá go raibh dáimh de chineál éigin acu leis an lucht féachana agus iad ag machnamh ar a n-eispéireas féin sa chontae, ach cur lena gcuid eolais ag an am céanna trí scéalta agus ceantair níos lú aithne a chur ina láthair. Sa tsraith seo, dreapann muid sléibhte agus trasnaíonn muid portaigh, téann muid isteach in oileáin agus chuig dúichí iargúlta, ag lorg scéilíní annamha agus an radharcra speisialta a chruthaíonn taipéis shaibhir de chontae ar bhaile i bhfad ó bhaile é do chuid mhór daoine.”

Tosaíonn an tsraith leis an turas is faide ó thuaidh de na ceithre shlí, 'Slí an Earagail', áit a dtosaíonn Frainc a thuras sa bhaile beag pictiúrtha Dún Lúiche, ar aghaidh go Gort a' Choirce agus go Fál Carrach sula mbaineann sé ceann scríbe an chláir amach ag barr an Earagail.

Is é 'Slí na Rosann' an dara clár sa tsraith agus díríonn sé ar na Rosa in Iarthar Dhún na nGall, ag tabhairt cuairt ar Loch an Iúir agus Ailt an Chorráin.

Leanann clár a trí 'Slí na Finne', a lúbann as Baile na Finne chuig Coimín, ó thuaidh tríd an Chlochán agus a chríochnaíonn arís in aice Bhaile na Finne. Seo ceann de na ceantair is lú aithne i nGaeltacht Dhún na nGall, atá ina thearmann ag an fhiabheatha agus é i bhfolach ar scáth na gCruach Gorm.

I gclár deireanach na sraithe, siúlann Frainc Slí Cholmcille, ar chósta dheisceart Dhún na nGall ag tosú in Ard an Rátha agus ag leanúint ar aghaidh chuig Gleann Cholm Cille.

Is léiriúchán de chuid Imagine Media do BBC Thuaisceart Éireann é Ar Bhealach na Gaeltachta, agus tacaíocht aige ón Chiste Chraoltóireachta Gaeilge Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann.



(Source: northernirelandscreen.co.uk)