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Minister of State Seán Kyne to launch Oireachtas na Samhna 2019

Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands Seán Kyne T.D. will officially launch Oireachtas na Samhna 2019 on the 25th of October 2019 at 3pm.  The launch will take place in the Citywest Suite, Citywest Hotel, Co. Dublin. The Minister of State Kyne will also launch a public consultation process for a strategy on language-based arts which the Department is developing in association with other interested parties.

I am looking forward to attending Oireachtas na Samhna again this year. It is an excellent opportunity for the Irish speaking community and Gaeltacht communities to get together and celebrate the nation's cultural heritage, language and art.

said the Minister of State Kyne.

On the same afternoon, after the official launch of the festival, the Minister of State will award the Oireachtas Literary Awards at 3.30pm. Prizes will be awarded to the winners, both young and old, of the 22 literary competitions.

Speaking about the event the Minister of State said 

As I understand it these competitions have been ongoing since 1897 agus so many of the country's leading writers have been among the winners since then. The vibrancy and richness of current Irish language literature is illustrated by those who take part in the competitions and the range of competitions - from short stories, prose, drama, poetry and more.

I am also delighted to launch the public consultation for a strategy on language-based arts. This strategy is to be published next year and is being developed by my Department in association with Ealaín na Gaeltachta, the Creative Ireland Programme, Foras na Gaeilge, the Arts Council and TG4.

The Minister of State has also announced that a meeting will be held by the Steering Committee which was established to monitor the implementation of the Government's Action Plan 2018-2022 in relation to the Irish Language during the festival at the Citywest Hotel on Thursday the 31st October.