D'fháiltigh Aonad na Gaeilge agus Access Campus roimh an Leas-Uachtárán Acadúil & Cláraitheoir,  An tOllamh Paul McCutcheon go Seomra na Gaeilge agus teastais á mbronnadh aige ar mhic léinn le Gaeilge a bhí i mbun obair dheonach le tamall. Roinn naonúr mac léinn a gcuid ama go fial flaithiúil ó thús an tseimeastair chun deiseanna breise foghlama a chur ar fáil dóibh siúd a fhreastalaíonn ar Chlub Obair Bhaile AccessCampus i mBaile an Róistigh i ndeisceart na cathrach.

Thaisteal na mic léinn ar fad amach go hionad Access Campus ar bhonn rialta le cúnamh a thabhairt do na daltaí ansin lena gcuid oibre Gaeilge. Bhain siad go léir idir thaitneamh agus thairbhe as an obair. Mhol Deirdre O’Connor, bainisteoir na hOifige Rochtana san ollscoil, tiomantas na mac léinn agus an ról eiseamlárach atá acu i leith na ndaltaí.

Rinne An tOllamh Paul McCutcheon comhghairdeas leis na rannpháirtithe agus ba chúis spreagúil dó é a lua go raibh líon na mac léinn rochtana ag freastal ar an ollscoil ag méadú de réir a chéile mar gheall ar a leithéid chláir. Treisíonn an Club Obair Bhaile ról na hOllscoile sa phobal. Chuir an Leas-Uachtarán an bhéim arís ar an tábhacht a bhaineann le hobair dheonach na mac léinn agus na mball foirne agus tábhacht na scéime
Gradam an Uachtaráin d'Oibrithe Deonacha.  Thug sé suntas do líon na dtograí a eagraítear faoi choimirce an Access Campus ach go háirithe.

Chomh maith leis na teastais a bhronnadh ar an oíche, tá na mic léinn anois i dteideal cur isteach ar Ghradam an Uachtaráin d'Oibrithe Deonacha (www.ulpva.ie) más é sin a dtoil. D'fhágfadh sin go dtabharfaí aitheantas oifigiúil ón Ollscoil dóibh ar a gcuid Scríbhinní Acadúla as an obair dheonach seo.  

D’eirigh thar cionn leis an gcomhthogra seo idir Aonad na Gaeilge & Access Campus don tarna bliain. Táthar ag súil agus gur féidir fáilte a chur roimh na mic léinn arís an bhliain seo chugainn tráth a eagrófar clár leathnaithe feabhsaithe.

Students of Irish give a helping hand to the city’s secondary school students

Aonad na Gaeilge and Access Campus recently welcomed the Vice-President, Academic & Registrar, Professor Paul McCutcheon, to Seomra na Gaeilge where he presented certificates to students who have been involved in voluntary work since the beginning of the semester. Nine students generously shared their time with pupils attending the Access Campus Study Club in Roxboro in the south of the city in order to provide them with additional learning opportunities.

The students all travelled to Access Campus on a regular basis to assist the pupils with their Irish oral, grammar and written work. The students themselves all enjoyed and benefitted from the experience. Deirdre O’Connor, manager of the Access Office at UL, praised the students for their dedication to the project and highlighted their importance as role models to the school pupils.

Professor Paul McCutcheon congratulated the students on their participation in the programme. He was delighted to report that such projects are helping to increase the number of Access students going onto third level. The Access Campus Study Club strengthens UL’s role in the community. He reiterated the importance of the President’s Volunteer Award for students and staff and acknowledged the level of volunteering work taking place through the Access Campus in particular.

In addition to the certificates presented on the night, the students may also apply for the President's Volunteer Awards (www.ulpva.ie) if they wish, which will see their efforts officially recognised by the University on their Student Transcripts.

This was the second year of a very successful collaboration between Aonad na Gaeilge and the Access Campus Study Club. It is hoped that next year the students will be welcomed into an improved, expanded programme.