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Galway Dive School named as the winner of the Category with less than twenty employees

Gradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh is Galway's annual bilingual business Award ‘recognises', ‘honours' and ‘celebrates' all the great bilingual work done in Galway City.

The Gradam is named in honour of Seosamh Ó hÓgartaigh, founding member and company secretary of Gaillimh le Gaeilge.

The Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs  congratulated the winners and said;  "As you all know, to succeed in the business arena demands more than luck alone. Competition is extensive and finding a unique selling point (USP) for your business is vitally important. As Galway business people, you have succeeded in finding your USP for your business.  More than that however, you have also as a sector in this community, created and developed Galway's unique selling point that is, the Irish Language. Galway is deservedly renowned as a vibrant city for Arts, Traditional Music and the Irish Language and Gaillimh le Gaeilge has been busy and effective over the years in promoting usage of an Ghaeilge in many diverse ways.  I am confident that you will continue your good work and seek further exciting and innovative ways to promote what is without doubt one of the most valauable natural resources that we have, our own unique language and culture. This evening we congratulate all of the businesses on Gearrliosta Ghradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh who have contributed to this international reputation.  I commend the great work that you have done in using the Irish Language.  As in all good competition, there will be just one winner named tonight but in reality you are all winners".

On the judging panel this year were; Carmel Brennan, President of Galway Chamber, Jimmy Griffin, Griffin's Bakery/Bácús Uí Ghríofa, last year's winner of Gradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh, Sinéad Ní Neachtain, NUI Galway and Pádraic Ó Ráighne, TG4.

The judges where also impressed with Galway Dive School/Scoil Tumadóireachta na Gaillimhe were named as the Category winners for the Category with less than twenty employees. Scoil Tumadóireachta na Gaillimhe, based in Salthill, teach PADI courses and are the first in the world to have the rights to teach PADI courses as Gaeilge. They have encorporated ‘An Ghaeilge' into all aspects of their business from signage, stationery to website.

Speaking at the event Deputy Mayor of Galway  City, Cllr. Frank Fahy acknowledged the importance of the language to Galway city. "I have always appreciated the Irish Language, its value and its importance to us as a society...Practical initiatives like this will strengthen and further promote the use of the Irish Language.  I congratulate the work being done here today by the business people of Galway and their use of the Irish Language in their daily business."

President of the Galway Chamber, Carmel Brennan also spoke and said;  When it comes to marketing,  people always talk about ‘unique selling points'. Never has marketing been more important and never have we needed these ‘unique selling points' so badly. We are competing on a world stage when it comes to attracting busines to Galway. Its no longer enough to be good at what we do, we need to be the best. Gaillimh le Gaeilge is one of the organisations that is striving to make Galway ‘the best'.  Galway is unique and part of its uniqueness is the visibility and use of the Irish language here.

We highly commend your efforts to encorporate the language into your business and putting your company ‘on the map' as a business and organisation that supports and values the Irish language. Your work is also important in so far that you are using one of Galway's most natural economic and cultural resources...an Ghaeilge and  acknowleding the valuable market of Irish Speakers in Galway City and County.

Ba mhaith Gaillimh le Gaeilge buíochas a ghabháil leis na hainmnithe ar fad a ghlac páirt i nGradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh i mbliana agus comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le ‘Óstan  Menlo Park' agus Scoil Tumadóireachta na Gaillimhe! Ár mbuíochas do na hurraí ar fad a lean lena dtacaíochta don Ghradam thar na blianta.  

Information:

Click here (& scroll to end) to view pictures taken on the night. 

For more information please contact:

Gearóidín Ní Ghioballáin, Bainisteoir Tograí,
Gaillimh le Gaeilge,

Phone (091) 568876/087 2438608: 
Email: gearoidin@gleg.ie

Tuilleadh eolais ar  Gaillimh le Gaeilge agus an obair a dhéanann siad ag  091 568876 or eolas@gleg.ie  www.gleg.ie.   

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