COLÁISTE Eoghain Uí Chomhraidhe in Carrigaholt featured in a new TG4 programme.
Iniúchadh TG4 – Mná Tí looks at the number of families hosting students at summer courses in Gaeltacht areas. This number has fallen by almost a third in four years leading to concerns for the future of some Irish colleges.
A funding appeal is currently ongoing for the restoration of Coláiste Eoghain Uí Chomhraidhe which features in the documentary. Domhnall Ó Loingsigh and Dr Síle Ní Choincheanainn also make appearances.
According to new figures in the four years since 2018, the number of host families in the Gaeltacht has fallen from 712 to 495 – a decline of 217 or 30 per cent.
The impact and reasons for the exodus of “bean an tís” from Gaeltacht colleges is examined by investigative reporter Kevin Magee in the hour-long documentary. The increasing age profile of “mná tí”, changing social habits, a move out of the sector into self-catering, and insufficient pay for keeping students are among some of the reasons given. The fall in host families means thousands of students are being turned away from summer colleges in the Gaeltacht this this year because there is nowhere to house them.
The latest figures on the Gaeltacht sector released by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media show the number of mná tí for the years 2017 (655), 2018 (712), 2019 (648), 2022(495). Gaeltacht colleges were closed in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Iniúchadh TG4 – Mná Tí was broadcast on TG4 on Wednesday (April 19th) at 9:30pm and is available worldwide on the TG4 Player.
